By Thapelo Molefe
The remains of uMkhonto weSizwe combatants Benjamin Moloise and Abraham Mngomezulu were laid to rest on Saturday in Soweto, ending decades of anguish for their families who had been denied the opportunity to bury them with dignity.
The reburial ceremony, held at Orlando Communal Hall in Soweto and later at the gravesite, was organised by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) unit’s ongoing mission to help restore justice and closure for families of apartheid-era victims.
The ceremony was described by the department as a “milestone in South Africa’s journey towards healing, justice and reconciliation”.
Moloise, an African National Congress (ANC) activist and poet, was convicted in 1983 for the 1982 killing of a security police officer and executed by hanging in 1985.
He denied involvement, saying his confession was made under duress. The ANC has long maintained his innocence.
Mngomezulu, also an ANC activist, was convicted in 1988 for his role in the killing of a community councillor during a rent boycott protest and was executed in May 1989. Both men were buried in pauper graves in Pretoria without their families’ knowledge or consent.
Between 1960 and 1990, at least 130 political activists were executed by the apartheid government for politically motivated offences. Many were buried in unmarked graves, with their families left in the dark.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi presided over ceremony, describing it as a symbolic return of dignity to two of South Africa’s freedom fighters.
“Today we return Benjamin Moloise and Abraham Mngomezulu to the soil of their ancestors,” said Kubayi.
“We acknowledge the pain endured by their families who waited for so long to bury their loved ones. The state remains committed to preserving the dignity of those who paid the highest price in the fight against apartheid.”
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Missing Persons Task Team, in collaboration with the department’s TRC unit, was instrumental in tracing and recovering their remains, said NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga.
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula called on ANC members and South Africans to remember the sacrifices made for the country’s freedom.
“Today, comrades, we pay our respects to the mortal remains of our revolutionary combatants. As we accompany them to their final resting place, we close a painful chapter,” Mbalula said.
He criticised those who disrupted solemn occasions and called for deeper discipline within the ANC ranks.
“You are making noise. This is not how an ANC member or supporter must conduct themselves. This is history before us,” he said.
Referencing other struggle icons, Mbalula urged attendees not to forget the cost of freedom.
“Freedom was not free. Solomon Mahlangu, Andrew Zondo, Benjamin Moloise, Abraham Mngomezulu — they gave their lives. We must be truthful to what needs to be done to change the lives of our people for the better,” he added.
He also reflected on how areas like Soweto were designed to marginalise black South Africans, reinforcing the need to protect and advance the gains of democracy.
“They designed it in such a way that we, as black people, were pushed to the doldrums. Soweto, by definition, was called the South Western Townships, where black people were dumped,” he said.
The ceremony concluded with military honours and the symbolic handover of the South African flag to both families.
“As we hand over the remains, we also hand over our responsibility to honour their legacy with action, accountability, and justice,” said Kubayi.
The department has reaffirmed its commitment to continuing the work of the TRC unit, tracing more missing persons and supporting affected communities.
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