Kholisile Dyakala was only 33 when he was hanged by the apartheid government – and his family never had a chance to give him a proper burial.
Now‚ 32 years later‚ the family of the United Democratic Front (UDF) political prisoner, will finally give him a decent funeral – and find closure.
Dyakala is one of 13 UDF political prisoners who were sentenced to death and hanged at Kgosi Mampuru Prison, formerly Pretoria Central.
Yesterday‚ Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha handed over the exhumed remains of the 12 UDF political prisoners to their families in Port Elizabeth. The 13th prisoner has been buried in Oudtshoorn.
“The group was hanged at the Kgosi Mampuru gallows for incidents that took place during the period of intense political turmoil in the Eastern Cape between1985 and 1986‚” the department said.
“The handover is part of the gallows project which entails the exhumation‚ handover and reburial of the remains of 83 political prisoners who were hanged at the Kgosi Mampuru gallows and buried in unmarked graves.”
A total of 134 political prisoners were hanged at the prison between 1960 and 1990.
Dyakala and three other men were charged with the murder of a security guard at Coega in Port Elizabeth on June 9 1986 and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The state alleged that the four men set out to rob the security guard of his firearm and shot him dead during the robbery. One of the accused was killed in an unrest-related incident before they were tried.
The fourth man was acquitted.
Dyakala and the 12 political prisoners are among those executed political prisoners who President Jacob Zuma honoured last year by opening a memorial museum.
The Gallows Memorialisation Project‚ saw a wall being erected in the gallows with individual plaques in remembrance of each of the prisoners.
Kholisile’s sister‚ Fezeka, said her brother was arrested in 1985‚ sentenced to death and hanged in 1988.
“He was arrested when he was 33 years old. He was married with five children. The youngest child was only three years old when he was hanged.”
Fezeka said the family was relieved that her brother would now received a proper burial.
“We are very happy and grateful that we will finally get to give my brother a decent funeral.
“We did not have a funeral when he was hanged. “We only gathered as a family and prayed.”
The bodies of Dyakala and other prisoners were exhumed in August. All families were present and given an opportunity to view their graves and remains.
Fezeka said her brother will be buried next to his parents in Port Alfred on November 25.
The other prisoners whose remains have been handed over to their families were: Mangena Boesman‚ Raymond Gwebushe‚ Ndumiso Siphenuka‚ Makhezwene Menze‚ Benjamin Gxothiwe‚ Zwelidumile Mjekula‚ Thobile Lloyd‚ Siphiwe Lande‚ Lungile Rewu‚ Tsepo Letsoara and Sipho Mahala.
Families receive exhumed remains of UDF activists
Now‚ 32 years later‚ the family of the United Democratic Front (UDF) political prisoner, will finally give him a decent funeral – and find closure.
Dyakala is one of 13 UDF political prisoners who were sentenced to death and hanged at Kgosi Mampuru Prison, formerly Pretoria Central.
Yesterday‚ Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha handed over the exhumed remains of the 12 UDF political prisoners to their families in Port Elizabeth. The 13th prisoner has been buried in Oudtshoorn.
“The group was hanged at the Kgosi Mampuru gallows for incidents that took place during the period of intense political turmoil in the Eastern Cape between1985 and 1986‚” the department said.
“The handover is part of the gallows project which entails the exhumation‚ handover and reburial of the remains of 83 political prisoners who were hanged at the Kgosi Mampuru gallows and buried in unmarked graves.”
A total of 134 political prisoners were hanged at the prison between 1960 and 1990.
Dyakala and three other men were charged with the murder of a security guard at Coega in Port Elizabeth on June 9 1986 and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The state alleged that the four men set out to rob the security guard of his firearm and shot him dead during the robbery. One of the accused was killed in an unrest-related incident before they were tried.
The fourth man was acquitted.
Dyakala and the 12 political prisoners are among those executed political prisoners who President Jacob Zuma honoured last year by opening a memorial museum.
The Gallows Memorialisation Project‚ saw a wall being erected in the gallows with individual plaques in remembrance of each of the prisoners.
Kholisile’s sister‚ Fezeka, said her brother was arrested in 1985‚ sentenced to death and hanged in 1988.
“He was arrested when he was 33 years old. He was married with five children. The youngest child was only three years old when he was hanged.”
Fezeka said the family was relieved that her brother would now received a proper burial.
“We are very happy and grateful that we will finally get to give my brother a decent funeral.
“We did not have a funeral when he was hanged. “We only gathered as a family and prayed.”
The bodies of Dyakala and other prisoners were exhumed in August. All families were present and given an opportunity to view their graves and remains.
Fezeka said her brother will be buried next to his parents in Port Alfred on November 25.
The other prisoners whose remains have been handed over to their families were: Mangena Boesman‚ Raymond Gwebushe‚ Ndumiso Siphenuka‚ Makhezwene Menze‚ Benjamin Gxothiwe‚ Zwelidumile Mjekula‚ Thobile Lloyd‚ Siphiwe Lande‚ Lungile Rewu‚ Tsepo Letsoara and Sipho Mahala.
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