Poqo cadre calls for free tertiary education

A PAN Africanist Movement member and Poqo cadre has made an emotional plea to the government to give free tertiary-level education to everyone.

Phumelele Nkwenkwe Gaqa, now 75, was among 23 Bhaziya villagers arrested in 1963 for the murders of five white road construction workers near the Mbashe River.

He was speaking on Saturday during the official handover of the remains of 14 Poqo combatants to their families in Bhaziya’s Mphuthi village.

Gaqa said the families of many struggle heroes were struggling to make ends meet.

“I thought the children will get free education. Some of their [struggle heroes] families are frequenting taverns,” he said.

The normally quiet village located alongside the R61 more than 30km outside Mthatha was a hive of activity on Saturday as a government delegation led by Justice Minister Michael Masutha officially handed over the remains of the Poqo political prisoners who were hanged by the apartheid government in Pretoria in 1963.

Other senior government leaders who attended the event included Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Fikile Xasa and Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture MEC Pemmy Majodina.

Of the 14 activists, five were from the Vulindlela family with the youngest, Mbhekaphantsi, only 18 at the time.

The other family members hanged were 28-year-old Sihelegu, Sandunge, 30, Bhonase, 46, and Malize, 30, together with Poqo members Bennet Mpetu, 20, Right Mangqikana, 53, Bawokazi Mangqikana, 30, Nqaba Memani, 30, Siwana Mlahleki, 31, Mili Poli, 43, Mthalathala Xhego, 20, and Dumisa Galeni, 30.

Bhonase’s now elderly wife, Noluzile Vulindlela, said they were happy that the remains of her husband and her brotherin-laws were finally home.

Gaqa, who miraculously survived the noose 53 years ago, told the government that people in his village still went to bed without drinking clean water.