When Ntombekhaya Makhathini, 61, left for Zambia earlier this week to witness the repatriation of her father’s body, she was positive it would be the final chapter of his book of life.
However, the family returned home empty-handed when their flight from Johannesburg landed at the EL Airport on Thursday night.
The remains of Makhathini’s father, Mbuyiselo Welcome Mphalala, were left behind in Lusaka, Zambia.
Siphiwo Phahlane, lead National Prosecuting Authority investigator and professional extraction-of-remains specialist, told the Saturday Dispatch they had tried all in their power to find Mphalala’s grave but failed.
“It was a very painful experience to see his daughter gazing at the open hole, hoping that something will confirm that this is her father’s grave but unfortunately we could not.
“It felt as if we went there to open old wounds instead,” said Phahlane.
Phahlane, who has been conducting similar exhumations since 1995, has been leading the team of investigators since September last year to locate the bodies of Mphalala and Wandile Richman Mthimkhulu at Leopard Hill Cemetery in Lusaka and have them laid to rest at home.
Mthimkhulu’s remains have been returned to the Eastern Cape.
The exhumation, repatriation and reburial process is a provincial department of arts and culture initiative to reunite former liberation struggle soldiers, who died in other parts of the country and in exile, with their loved ones.
Mthimkhulu was born in Nkobonkobo village in Alice in 1955.
Family spokesman Vuyisile Bom said Mthimkhulu, who was known as Zakhithi Mkhonza or Wanaite Thwale Mthimkhulu in exile, had graduated as a teacher at Lovedale College when he skipped the country in 1978.
“He has secured his first teaching job at Mpambani Mzimba High when my cousin disappeared without trace, only to contact his father and tell them that he was in Botswana to do ANC work, to the shock of the entire family,” said Bom.
While in exile, Mthimkhulu underwent extensive training as a Umkhonto weSizwe soldier and also served in its intelligence service.
He was assassinated in a car bomb in December 1988. “We received a call immediately thereafter, informing the family that he had been killed in a bombing while with a friend we only knew as Nokulunga,” said Bom.
“We are very excited that his remains have been positively identified would be and returned home for us to arrange a proper funeral for him.”
When the Mphalalas and Makhathini landed at the East London airport on Thursday night, there was no excitement. A journey of healing had instead opened old wounds.
Makhathini was seven when her father left SA for Zambia in 1961 to join Umkhonto Wesizwe. She said the only thing she knows about her father is that in exile he was known as Albert Dlamini or Albert Mona.
Her mother received a call in March 1988 informing her that her husband Mphalala had collapsed and died due to a severe stroke. Makhathini formed part of the family delegation which left for Lusaka to bury their father.
“And I remember clearly his grave,” she said. But on her return to Leopard Hill Cemetery this week, “all I saw was a bush, not a grave site”.
She said the grass was so overgrown that no one could identify the graves. The copper plates which had the engraved details of the deceased had been stolen, they were told.
“In fact, bodies are being buried over other bodies in that graveyard. All I can say is this is one nightmare none of us could do a thing about.
“I’m very stressed and disappointed, but at least the state and that NPA team tried. All we can do for now is bury his spirit,” said Makhathini.
Arts and Culture MEC Pemmy Majodina’s spokesman Andile Nduna said all was not lost as the MEC received leads that Mphalala’s grave was the one next to Duma Nokwe, a former ANC secretary-general who died in exile.
“All we have to do is go back and identify Nokwe’s grave, and if the team is able to, that will make it easy for the investigators to locate Baw’u Mphalala’s. We can’t give up now.”
Phahlane said: “I’m glad that at least the Mphalala family was there to see what we have to deal with when we try to help families find closure. But we will keep on trying.”
Heartbreak for MK’s family: Repatriation of father’s remains from Lusaka fails
However, the family returned home empty-handed when their flight from Johannesburg landed at the EL Airport on Thursday night.
The remains of Makhathini’s father, Mbuyiselo Welcome Mphalala, were left behind in Lusaka, Zambia.
Siphiwo Phahlane, lead National Prosecuting Authority investigator and professional extraction-of-remains specialist, told the Saturday Dispatch they had tried all in their power to find Mphalala’s grave but failed.
“It was a very painful experience to see his daughter gazing at the open hole, hoping that something will confirm that this is her father’s grave but unfortunately we could not.
“It felt as if we went there to open old wounds instead,” said Phahlane.
Phahlane, who has been conducting similar exhumations since 1995, has been leading the team of investigators since September last year to locate the bodies of Mphalala and Wandile Richman Mthimkhulu at Leopard Hill Cemetery in Lusaka and have them laid to rest at home.
Mthimkhulu’s remains have been returned to the Eastern Cape.
The exhumation, repatriation and reburial process is a provincial department of arts and culture initiative to reunite former liberation struggle soldiers, who died in other parts of the country and in exile, with their loved ones.
Mthimkhulu was born in Nkobonkobo village in Alice in 1955.
Family spokesman Vuyisile Bom said Mthimkhulu, who was known as Zakhithi Mkhonza or Wanaite Thwale Mthimkhulu in exile, had graduated as a teacher at Lovedale College when he skipped the country in 1978.
“He has secured his first teaching job at Mpambani Mzimba High when my cousin disappeared without trace, only to contact his father and tell them that he was in Botswana to do ANC work, to the shock of the entire family,” said Bom.
While in exile, Mthimkhulu underwent extensive training as a Umkhonto weSizwe soldier and also served in its intelligence service.
He was assassinated in a car bomb in December 1988. “We received a call immediately thereafter, informing the family that he had been killed in a bombing while with a friend we only knew as Nokulunga,” said Bom.
“We are very excited that his remains have been positively identified would be and returned home for us to arrange a proper funeral for him.”
When the Mphalalas and Makhathini landed at the East London airport on Thursday night, there was no excitement. A journey of healing had instead opened old wounds.
Makhathini was seven when her father left SA for Zambia in 1961 to join Umkhonto Wesizwe. She said the only thing she knows about her father is that in exile he was known as Albert Dlamini or Albert Mona.
Her mother received a call in March 1988 informing her that her husband Mphalala had collapsed and died due to a severe stroke. Makhathini formed part of the family delegation which left for Lusaka to bury their father.
“And I remember clearly his grave,” she said. But on her return to Leopard Hill Cemetery this week, “all I saw was a bush, not a grave site”.
She said the grass was so overgrown that no one could identify the graves. The copper plates which had the engraved details of the deceased had been stolen, they were told.
“In fact, bodies are being buried over other bodies in that graveyard. All I can say is this is one nightmare none of us could do a thing about.
“I’m very stressed and disappointed, but at least the state and that NPA team tried. All we can do for now is bury his spirit,” said Makhathini.
Arts and Culture MEC Pemmy Majodina’s spokesman Andile Nduna said all was not lost as the MEC received leads that Mphalala’s grave was the one next to Duma Nokwe, a former ANC secretary-general who died in exile.
“All we have to do is go back and identify Nokwe’s grave, and if the team is able to, that will make it easy for the investigators to locate Baw’u Mphalala’s. We can’t give up now.”
Phahlane said: “I’m glad that at least the Mphalala family was there to see what we have to deal with when we try to help families find closure. But we will keep on trying.”
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