PAC remembers those massacred in Sharpeville/Langa
THE Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) remembers the gallant heroes and heroines of the Sharpeville/Langa Massacre.
Robert Sobukwe said before the Anti-Pass Campaign “We are not leading a corpse to death but human beings to life in abundance”.
On March 21, 1960, Nyakane Tsolo led the Sharpeville mass, Phillip Kgosana as UCT student led the Langa mass while Sobukwe led Mofolo.
Other organisations were not part of the campaign but only criticised it. The PAC remembers the following giants 1. Bakela, Wiggi 2. Bessie, James B. 3. Chaka, Ephraim 4. Dimo, Gilbert P. 5. Hlongwane, Thomas 6. Kabi, Sekoala E.
7. Lefakane, Zakia 8. Lekitla, Mirriam 9. Mabitsela, Paulus 10. Mabenyane, Peter 11. Mafubelu, Jacob R. 12. Mahlong, Shadrack 13. Mailane, John M. 14. Malikoa, Paulina M. 15. Makhoba, David 16. Maine, Tseko N. 17. Mofulatsi, paulina. 18. Mangala, Azael 19. Maphike, David 20. Mapokgoshe, Solomon 21. Mareletse, Ezekiel 22. Mashiya, Isak 23. Mashobathe, Edwin 24. Masilo, Elias Lerato 25. Masilo, Simon 26. Mathinye, Samson 27. Mavizela, Aron 28. Mazibuko, Abraham 29. Mazomba, Talbert 30. Mayelo, Ezekiel 31. Maysiel, Ezekiel 32. Mbatha, Walter 33. Mbele, Nora 34. Mnguni, Jan 35. Moathodi, Samuel 36. Mofokeng, Geelbooi 37. Mofoeng, John 38. Mohlatsane, Moonyane 39. Mokhuma, Samuel 40. Mokoena, Solomon 41. Mokoena, Frank 42. Molebatsi, Maria 43. Molefe, Richard 44. Motobatsi, Elias 45. Monnakgotla, Daniels 46. Mono, Daniel 47. Monyane, Gilbert 48. Morobi, Malau 49. Motsega, Kopano 50. Motsepe, Kaifas 51. Motsepe, Cristina 52. Mthimkhulu, Elizabeth 53. Nchaupe, Ben 54. Nkhi, Isaac 55. Nothoesane, Petrus 56. Nyembezi, Malefane 57. Phutheho, John 58. Pose, Jamina 59. Rabotapi, Isak 60. Ramokoena, Jacob 61. Ramohloa, Anna 62. Sealanyane, Johannes 63. Sedisa, William 64. Sefatsa, Samuel 65. Sekete, John 66. Selepe, Alfans 67. Sepampara, Philemon 68. Thinane, Martha 69. Tladinyana, Jeremiah While we pay homage to these fallen martyrs, let us also remember there are freedom fighters who are still incarcerated in jails even after the 1994 political settlement. We have also seen 14 hanged Poqo cadres being exhumed and buried in their respective homes. Sharpeville and Langa are the political capital of this country as they helped to change the political landscape.
It was under Nelson Mandela’s tenure as president that he launched Act 108 of 1996, Constitution of the Republic, 20 years ago. The irony is that the Constitution does not improve the lives of Sharpeville or those of the entire country’s poor. We still see high rate of unemployment, crime, HIV/Aids, poor sanitation and other unacceptable ills.