ANC activisit Nicklo Pedro mourned
THE ANC in the Western Cape is mourning the death of former Robben Island prisoner Nicklo Pedro, who died at the weekend.
Pedro was an activist from his high school days at Sao Bras Secondary School in Mossel Bay.
He was recruited into Umkhonto we Sizwe while studying at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and went on the run when security police started looking for him, ANC Western Cape convener Lerumo Kalako said.
Pedro was arrested near the Lesotho border on August 15, 1987, driven to Cape Town, where he was undressed, handcuffed to a grille, interrogated and tortured.
Kalako said: “Security policeman Jeff Benzien, who was notorious for using the wet bag torture method on detainees, was one of his interrogators and threateningly told him he was the one those who had killed MK guerrilla Ashley Kriel.
Benzien also threatened comrade Pedro with dire consequences if he did not co-operate with him. He also threatened to use his wet-bag method on him.“
Kalako said Pedro was one of the 15 MK soldiers charged in the Cape Town Supreme Court in 1988. “Ashley Forbes was the first accused in that trial that lasted 65 days. On December 14, 1988, comrade Nicklo was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, with a further 10 years that were suspended for five years.”
Pedro was released in May 1991 and continued with his activism. He was at one stage an ANC member in the Mossel Bay council.
“Truly, Comrade Nicklo was one of the brightest flowers of our revolution. He was one of the young lions who believed in the battle cry Freedom or Death. Victory is Certain. We want to pay tribute to comrade Nicklo and thank him for his selfless contribution to a free South Africa. We dip our banner in honour of him and want to express our condolences to his loved ones,” said Kalako.
A close friend, Bonteheuwel activist Henrietta Abrahams said Pedro was “a brilliant” person.
“He was one of our go to persons. I will miss him,” she said.
Pedro is survived by his widow Jacqueline and three children from a previous marriage. He will be laid to rest in Mossel Bay on May 22.