Families to find closure as remains are returned
Launch of the Gallows Exhumation Project at the Kgoshi Mapuru II which is a project by the department of Justice and Correctional Services.
Political prisoners were executed by the then apartheid government almost 55 years ago.
Joe Makgoba, who is Area Coordinator of Corrections and Justice Minister Michael led the tour which was like a moment relived from the struggle times.
The project, Gallows Exhumation Project, is the brainchild of the justice and correctional services ministries.
The prisoners who, a majority of, were political prisoners who had been detained were hanged between 1961 and 1989.
Some of the prisoners had to succumbed to police brutality.
Justice Minister Masutha gave a moving speech about how Kgoshi Mampuru the second was killed which lead to the centre being renamed after him.
The correctional services centre was known as the Pretoria Central Prison.
Kgoshi Mampuru, like most prisoners, he witnessed horrible treatment from the police.
“He was hanged in his nakedness inform of 260 white people who to the advantage of the opportunity to witness his horrible execution.”
“It is a very emotional experience. To be walking around the site today gives a chilling, emotional presence. It as if this place is haunted,” said Thulas Ndweba, a history student at Wits.
On 9 June 1983, three members of the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), were executed at the gallows in Pretoria Central Prison. Marcus Motaung, Jerry Mosololi and Simon Mogoerane were charged with treason, with alternative charges of terrorism, murder and attempted murder, among others.
Despite an international campaign to save their lives, the apartheid government went ahead with the execution.
The last execution carried out by the South African government was the hanging of Solomon Ngobeni in November 1989. The last woman executed was Sandra Smith on 2 June the same year along with her boyfriend Yassiem Harris.
6 April would mark the day Solomon Mahlangu, who was part of the list of the 3500 people who were last on the list to be executed.
Here more than 3 500 prisoners were hanged between 1902 and 1989 – 132 of those were political prisoners.
Madeleine Fullard, who is a the head of the NPA’s Missing Person Task Tea, said: “It will take between three and six months to exhume the remains of political prisoners who were hanged at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre.”
She added and sad that they were finding difficulties with locating the bodies as they were pilled up in one place.
“In some instance three bodies were found in one grave which made it impossible for us to work on them,” she said.
The Gallows will open for public later this year according to Justice minister Masutha.
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