The family of 17-year-old twin brothers executed during a raid by apartheid soldiers in Mthatha on the orders of FW de Klerk have criticised a move to rename a Cape Town street after him.
Twin brothers Samora and Sadat Mpendulo, 17, cousin Mzwandile Mfeya, 12, and schoolmates Thando Mtembu, 17, and Sandile Yose, 12, were shot dead by SADF soldiers while sleeping at a house in Northcrest in October 1993.
The victims’ 77-year-old father, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) anti-apartheid activist Sigqibo Mpendulo expressed his “shock, dismay and disappointment” that the DA-run City of Cape Town was planning to rename Table Bay Boulevard after De Klerk.
“De Klerk is not the type of person who had mercy for people during the apartheid era. Renaming the street after him means they are praising his brutality, as we view it,” said Mpendulo.
“He does not deserve any praise. I’m almost certain he has committed more atrocities than killing my children.”
Answering questions at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), De Klerk admitted he authorised the raid after “intelligence” revealed it was being used to store weapons and “PAC terrorists” planning attacks.
Despite opposition to the renaming coming from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in the Western Cape, De Klerk has said he was “honoured” by the City of Cape Town’s decision.
But Mpendulo lashed out at Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille for “betraying” his family by failing to get their opinion.
De Lille is a former PAC MP and visited the family after the attack.
“She was here in this very house to cry with us and is fully aware of the pain we felt as a family,” said Mpendulo.
“Today, the same person is showering accolades on that man.”
The retired businessman said he was “bitter” that no one had ever been prosecuted for killing his only sons.
“To this day I am not at peace. Perhaps it would ease my pain if those who carried out the attack were prosecuted,” he said.
Civic Alliance of South Africa (Casa) councillor Pasika Nontshiza said each of the victims were shot 28 times.
Nontshiza said the family felt their sons were being made “sacrificial lambs” for a “rainbow” project.
“De Klerk is globe trotting, showered with accolades and yet at home he committed the most heinous crime of massacring innocent kids at sleep,” he said in a statement.
FW De Klerk Foundation executive director Dave Steward said the former president regretted the incident after ordering that minimum force be used.
“When … De Klerk confronted the SADF with their failure to carry out his instructions that minimum force be used, the troops explained they thought the occupants of the house were reaching for their weapons, and opened fire believing they were in a combat situation.”
De Lille meanwhile said the decision to rename the street was out of her hands and subject to a full council decision on January 28 after public participation programmes that started in October last year.
“The overwhelming majority of these participants voted in favour of the renaming,” she said. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za
Family blast move to honour De Klerk
Twin brothers Samora and Sadat Mpendulo, 17, cousin Mzwandile Mfeya, 12, and schoolmates Thando Mtembu, 17, and Sandile Yose, 12, were shot dead by SADF soldiers while sleeping at a house in Northcrest in October 1993.
The victims’ 77-year-old father, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) anti-apartheid activist Sigqibo Mpendulo expressed his “shock, dismay and disappointment” that the DA-run City of Cape Town was planning to rename Table Bay Boulevard after De Klerk.
“De Klerk is not the type of person who had mercy for people during the apartheid era. Renaming the street after him means they are praising his brutality, as we view it,” said Mpendulo.
“He does not deserve any praise. I’m almost certain he has committed more atrocities than killing my children.”
Answering questions at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), De Klerk admitted he authorised the raid after “intelligence” revealed it was being used to store weapons and “PAC terrorists” planning attacks.
Despite opposition to the renaming coming from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in the Western Cape, De Klerk has said he was “honoured” by the City of Cape Town’s decision.
But Mpendulo lashed out at Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille for “betraying” his family by failing to get their opinion.
De Lille is a former PAC MP and visited the family after the attack.
“She was here in this very house to cry with us and is fully aware of the pain we felt as a family,” said Mpendulo.
“Today, the same person is showering accolades on that man.”
The retired businessman said he was “bitter” that no one had ever been prosecuted for killing his only sons.
“To this day I am not at peace. Perhaps it would ease my pain if those who carried out the attack were prosecuted,” he said.
Civic Alliance of South Africa (Casa) councillor Pasika Nontshiza said each of the victims were shot 28 times.
Nontshiza said the family felt their sons were being made “sacrificial lambs” for a “rainbow” project.
“De Klerk is globe trotting, showered with accolades and yet at home he committed the most heinous crime of massacring innocent kids at sleep,” he said in a statement.
FW De Klerk Foundation executive director Dave Steward said the former president regretted the incident after ordering that minimum force be used.
“When … De Klerk confronted the SADF with their failure to carry out his instructions that minimum force be used, the troops explained they thought the occupants of the house were reaching for their weapons, and opened fire believing they were in a combat situation.”
De Lille meanwhile said the decision to rename the street was out of her hands and subject to a full council decision on January 28 after public participation programmes that started in October last year.
“The overwhelming majority of these participants voted in favour of the renaming,” she said. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za
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