Families of the seven Poqo members who were massacred at Ntlonze village near Cofimvaba are calling for the state to take care of the families of the guerillas who died fighting for the freedom of the nation.
Speaking at the commemoration and unveiling of the 1962 Ntlonze Massacre memorial stone yesterday, survivor Zwelakhe Tina said it was time for people who were benefiting from SA’s freedom to start thinking of those who fought and died for that freedom. “Some of the people who were killed during the massacre were buried in Cofimvaba and have not yet been buried in their homes,” he added.
Tina said some families of people who died for freedom were living in poverty and their homes were dilapidated. “They are getting nothing from this government after fighting and dying to get this country free.
“If the PAC was in government all those families would have benefited and those families been taken care of,” he said.
The Poqo uprising had no intention of overthrowing any chief – instead they wanted to free the African people in Cofimvaba when they were attacked by the “white people”, he added.
PAC secretary general Sithembiso Malusi in the Luthando Mbinda said: “There will be a time where the Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania will focus not only on educational issues but prepare for the time when we take the land from white people who don’t want to give us our land.”
Malusi said they thought when parliament approved the expropriation of land they would have a law which said that the land and riches “of Azania” must be taken back by Azania. “Our land is enough to feed our people and animals. There is no need to fear other countries, which will do nothing to us.
“When we talk about land we talk about our natural resources.”
Malusi said there was a need to build unity in the PAC.
“We had all the massacres in the country but we never knew that we will be talking about the Marikana massacre and the Life Esidimeni where more than 100 people died. I order for that not to happen again. Let’s stand up and be united.”
Mzwanele Nyontsho, a supporter of PAC leadership figure Letlapa Mpahlele, said: “Apla is right to call for a united conference of the PAC. December is too far. Apla should call the conference because if it is called by Mbinda or Mphahlele factions that will be just a factional conference. The leaders must be chosen by all members of the PAC.”
State ‘should care for guerilla families’
Speaking at the commemoration and unveiling of the 1962 Ntlonze Massacre memorial stone yesterday, survivor Zwelakhe Tina said it was time for people who were benefiting from SA’s freedom to start thinking of those who fought and died for that freedom. “Some of the people who were killed during the massacre were buried in Cofimvaba and have not yet been buried in their homes,” he added.
Tina said some families of people who died for freedom were living in poverty and their homes were dilapidated. “They are getting nothing from this government after fighting and dying to get this country free.
“If the PAC was in government all those families would have benefited and those families been taken care of,” he said.
The Poqo uprising had no intention of overthrowing any chief – instead they wanted to free the African people in Cofimvaba when they were attacked by the “white people”, he added.
PAC secretary general Sithembiso Malusi in the Luthando Mbinda said: “There will be a time where the Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania will focus not only on educational issues but prepare for the time when we take the land from white people who don’t want to give us our land.”
Malusi said they thought when parliament approved the expropriation of land they would have a law which said that the land and riches “of Azania” must be taken back by Azania. “Our land is enough to feed our people and animals. There is no need to fear other countries, which will do nothing to us.
“When we talk about land we talk about our natural resources.”
Malusi said there was a need to build unity in the PAC.
“We had all the massacres in the country but we never knew that we will be talking about the Marikana massacre and the Life Esidimeni where more than 100 people died. I order for that not to happen again. Let’s stand up and be united.”
Mzwanele Nyontsho, a supporter of PAC leadership figure Letlapa Mpahlele, said: “Apla is right to call for a united conference of the PAC. December is too far. Apla should call the conference because if it is called by Mbinda or Mphahlele factions that will be just a factional conference. The leaders must be chosen by all members of the PAC.”
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