Solomon Mahlangu commemorated in Mamelodi
His co-accused who had suffered brain injury during interrogation was declared unfit for trial.
The birthdays of struggle hero Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was commemorated by laying of wreaths on his grave in Mamelodi on Monday.
Among those attending were deputy minister in the presidency for planning monitoring and evaluation, youth development and administration, Buti Manamela, deputy minister of communications Tandi Mahambehlala, local chiefs, Congress of SA Students, Mahlangu’s family and recipients of the national youth development agency’s Solomon Mahlangu scholarship.
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Mahambehlala told the youth gathered at the Mamelodi West cemetery that they must take the lead in defining their own mission to reach their goals.
She said Mahlangu knew what he wanted: freedom, and challenged the youth to take charge.
After Manamela laid wreaths at both Mahlangu and his mother Martha’s graves he led guests to the family home in Mamelodi West, where the movie about Mahlangu’s life, Kalushi, was screened.
The special screening was made possible by the national film and video foundation to start a discussion about the problems the youth today faced.
ALSO READ: Solomon Mahlangu’s story marks Human Rights day
The programme was organised by the presidential working group on creative industries.
Mahlangu was born in Pretoria on 10 July 1956, and attended Mamelodi high school to Grade 10 when the school closed due to ongoing riots.
He joined the ANC in September 1976, and left the country to train as an Umkhonto we Sizwe soldier.
He returned a year later with Lucky Mahlangu (no relation) and Johannes Motloung, to deliver weapons to ANC operatives in the country.
They were spotted in Goch Street in Johannesburg and accosted by the police and a gun battle ensued. Two people were killed and three civilians injured.
In the chaos, Lucky escaped, while Motloung and Mahlangu were arrested.
They were charged with murder and treason under the terrorism act.
It was determined that Motloung had been responsible for the deaths, because he had suffered brain injury during interrogation and declared unfit for trial, Mahlangu was convicted on common purpose and sentenced on 2 March 1978 to death by hanging.
He was executed on 6 April 1979.
For fear of crowd violence at his funeral, he was buried in secret in Atteridgeville.
His remains were exhumed in 1993 and reburied in his hometown Mamelodi on 6 April – the date of his death 14 years earlier.
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