Pretoria - Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele today symbolically released 12 fallen political prisoners from Robben Island.
Addressing the families of the deceased prisoners and other stakeholders at the symbolic release ceremony on Robben Island, Ndebele said: “Yesterday (21 March 2013), South Africa commemorated Human Rights Day.
“Next year, our country will commemorate 20 years of democracy. The Constitution obliges us to ‘honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land’. As part of efforts to honour up to 12 political prisoners who died on Robben Island, and who are believed to have been buried at the Stikland Cemetery in Bellville, over the past four years, Robben Island Museum has been working closely with family members and various authorities,” said Ndebele.
Since 2009, the families had been conducting pilgrimages to Robben Island, and to the Stikland cemetery, to reconnect spiritually with the deceased. Many had expressed the need to exhume the remains of their loved ones, which have been a mystery for more than 40 years.
Following extensive digging, archaeologists reported in February 2011 that they had not been able to successfully locate, and positively identify, any of the remains for exhumation purposes.
The parties then decided to explore alternative mechanisms to honour political prisoners, who died during incarceration on Robben Island.
On 23 January 2013, a spiritual repatriation workshop was held in Bhisho in the Eastern Cape, where the families agreed to conduct a ritual on Robben Island and Stikland cemetery as part of preparations for the spiritual repatriation.
“In African culture, when someone dies in a foreign land, their spirit should be returned to their place of birth. It is against this background that the spiritual repatriation ritual is taking place.
“The fetching, and symbolic repatriation of the spirits forms part of a body of knowledge of African thoughts about incarceration.
“This includes the cleansing of the returning ex-offender, so that the bad experiences of prison can be removed from the new life of the ex-offender. It allows the ex-offender to start his post-prison life on a clean slate,” explained Ndebele.
He acknowledged the sacrifices made by the many men and women who gave their lives for their vision of a democratic South Africa.
The names and prison numbers of the 12 are:
- Jimmy Simon - 10/63;
- Zincwasile Mvalwana - 271/64;
- Sipho Khalipha - 426/64;
- Mountain Langben - 297/64;
- Marthiens Batyi - 107/63;
- Frank Mani - 55/65;
- John Poni - 81/65;
- Mlungisi Mqalu - 869/64;
- Reuben Maliwa - 34/66;
- Solomon Makisi - 85/65;
- Charlie Mkele - 58/65; and
- Lameki Kula - 126/63
“May their souls rest in peace. May this symbolic release ceremony today serve to inform the entire nation about the first steps towards the symbolic closure of this painful chapter that was endured by these family members for more than 40 years,” said Ndebele.
Robben Island was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1999. – SAnews.gov.za
