PAC marches to ask for freedom of forgotten political prisoners

LIMPOPO – PAN Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) members and supporters marched to the provincial police offices to hand over a memorandum of grievances last Friday.

The march concerned political prisoners who were arrested during the Apartheid era and had not yet been released.

According to PAC provincial secretary, Phala wa Phalakatshela, there were more than 100 political prisoners who were arrested and had not been released to date. He said these people were regarded as terrorists during the Apartheid regime and this led to their arrests.

He added that they had pleaded with the government for years to release these prisoners, with no success. Phalakatshela further said he believed the march would finally bring them home to share and enjoy the achievements of their contribution to the struggle.

“It has been 21 years of democracy but our people have not been freed. They were freedom fighters who wanted to give the country social and economic freedom, which is why we feel they should be released,” Phalakatshela said.

He explained that political prisoners were not criminals and therefore should not be held to a criminal record as they were arrested while fighting for the freedom of black people. He said he believed that this time the government would respond and release political prisoners.

He added that the prisoners were in various prisons around the country where some of them were sentenced to life imprisonment.

He said if the government did not release the prisoners, they would have to take another route that would ensure their release. He further said the march was also to protest the afrophobic and xenophobic attacks taking place in the country. Phalakatshela said this situation was uncalled for because Africa belonged to Africans irrespective of skin colour or race.

The PAC’s demands:

• We demand an immediate release of all political prisoners in prisons.

• We demand immediate release of all political prisoners on parole.

• We demand immediate presidential pardons and expungement of all criminal records of the political prisoners.

• We demand immediate presidential pardons and expungement of all criminal records of the political prisoners who were released on completion of their sentences.

• We demand immediate granting of military veteran status and privileges of all political prisoners.

The memorandum was received by Maj Genl Lesiba Mashilo, and Phalakatshela said a response was expected by May 25, failing which the PAC would cal on the African Union to intervene.