Family to bury fallen MK operative, 41 years later

HE FOUGHT for liberation but was then buried a pauper with the then Bophuthatswana army in October 1978.

The remains of Umkhonto we Sizwe operative Bheki Cyprian Hlatshwayo will now be laid to rest, albeit 41 years later, at the Thomas Nkobi Memorial Site in Boksburg tomorrow.

The remains of Hlatshwayo and his fellow MK member Vuyina Goniwe, aka MK Jorrissen, had remained in an unmarked grave for 34 years in Mmabatho cemetery after their deaths on October 27, 1978.

None of their family members knew their whereabouts since the pair went into exile in 1976.

It was only in July 2012, that the National Prosecuting Authority’s Missing Persons Task Team conducted an extensive investigation and excavations at the Mmabatho cemetery.

Both their remains were found in a single plastic bag.

After opening twelve sites, a grave containing two young males with multiple traumatic injuries buried in a single coffin was located. Forensic examination and DNA tests were conducted to distinguish between the two skeletal remains, to confirm their identities and their cause of death.

Their remains were handed over to their families at a special ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Justice in July 2015. Goniwe’s remains were reburied at his home in the Eastern Cape.

However, Hlatshwayo’s remains had been kept at a mortuary in Soweto. Apparently some family members wanted him buried in Mahikeng where he grew up and others wanted him buried in Soweto where he was born.

Now, four years later, those differences have been resolved and family and ANC members were now preparing to give him their final salute.

The funeral service will be held at Zonkizizwe Community Hall in Katlehong at 9am tomorrow.