Isaac Manaka
Families to rebury apartheid victims
helps exhume the remains of Nyanga Yawa, Katyana and Mpitizeli Zoya at the Mamelodi West Cemetery yesterday. The three, who were members of PAC's military wing Poqo, were buried in one grave after being hanged by the apartheid government on December 15 1961.
Thomas Yawa, 63, watched in agony yesterday as National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Missing Task Team anthropologists and archaeologists carefully brushed off soil from the brittle remains of his father in the Mamelodi West cemetery in Tshwane.
His father Nyanga Yawa and the Zoya brothers – Katyana and Mpitizeli Zoya – from Rwantsana in Eastern Cape, who were members of PAC’s military wing Poqo, were hanged on December 15 1961 by the apartheid regime.
The three men were aged 46, 34 and 39 respectively.
They were sentenced to death for their role in the killing of Thompson Nqayana, a local headman, on January 3 1961 during the Pondoland revolt against governmentimposed chiefs and headmen.
Thirty five residents were charged with murder, of whom 20 were convicted and sentenced to jail terms while the trio were sent to the hangman.
They were buried in one grave, on top of each other, in an unmarked grave. Yawa’s remains were on top, followed by those of the Zoya brothers.
Their families were not even allowed to attend their burial.
“The wound that would not heal is about to heal. Our family was not allowed to know the graves. It was only in 2011 after the commencement of the Gallows Programme that we came to know of the grave.
“There was a promise that the remains will be returned to us. Now it is the fulfilment of that promise,” Thomas said.
He thanked the government for assisting them in finding closure, saying it was painful to see that their loved ones were packed on top of each other as it was not customary.
“It was done by evil people, but we were told to forgive them though they did this to us …we have to forgive them though, to set ourselves free.”
Also exhumed were Richard Motsoahae, Josiah Motsumi, Thomas Molatlhegi, and Petrus Ntshole, better known as Munsieville Four, who were also Poqo soldiers.
They were hanged on June 16 1964 for the killing of policeman Johannes Mokoena. Mokoena was shot dead in Krugersdorp on the West Rand on March 18 1963.
The proceedings started with families visiting the Gallows Museum in the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre where the seven were hanged.