Amabutho, a Xhosa-speaking group aligned to the ANC from Daveyton, east of Johannesburg want government to recognise and honour their “fallen soldiers” who died during the 1991 massacre.
A tally of 12 of their own were shot and killed when the police opened fire on ANC supporters on March 24 of that year.
More than 30 years ago, it was a difficult time in the history of South Africa, which was still governed along racial lines.
The IFP and ANC did not see eye to eye with the internecine warfare between the two organisations simmering, even as there were calls from the leadership of both organisations to tone down warfare decibels, and with peacemaker former president Nelson Mandela calming the temperatures – and with Codesa mapping a new constitution for the new country to take form in 1994.
The survivors of the massacre in Daveyton now call on government to officially recognise them as “freedom fighters” and to declare the site where the massacre took place a national heritage site.
The 32nd commemoration of the massacre by Amabutho is scheduled to take place on March 25 in Daveyton, and preparations for the event are said to be at an advanced stage.
Amabutho are convinced that the massacre was sponsored by the apartheid government with the intention to foment black-on-black conflagration.
The total number of people who died is believed to have surpassed 30.
Many others succumbed to gunshot wounds days after the initial attack had taken place. Among the 12 people killed on the spot was a young girl between eight and 11 years, who was struck by a stray bullet.
This incident took place against the backdrop of increasing political and tribal tensions in the country’s townships at the time.
It is believed that the ANC was struggling to offer financial support to some of its members, including young radicals known as “comrades”.
On the other end, the IFP’s divisions, which were difficult to manage, were between “warlords” and peace advocates – what could be describes as the “hawks” and doves.
The organisation relied on “a more hierarchical tribal authority to offer support”.
The tragic incident in Daveyton highlighted the complex and difficult path South Africa faced as the country moved towards achieving the elusive democracy and equal rights.
Last week, Sunday World visited the site of the massacre in the township, and our reporter was accompanied by a group of survivors who experienced the tragedy first-hand.
When they arrived, the survivors showed the reporter a tree marked with a concrete pipe, which was the spot where the Amabutho died.
Emotions ran high as the survivors sang struggle songs and cried, paying tribute to those who were killed on that fateful day.
Thembile Enoch Peter Mjoli, one of the survivors, recounted the heartbreaking story.
He explained that Amabutho were a group of men assigned to protect the Xhosa-speaking tribe and the community of Daveyton at large from the a Zulu-speaking group and the “boers”, who incited black-on-black violence.
Due to the violence, the Xhosa-speaking people aligned with the ANC were forcibly driven out of the Daveyton hostel by the IFP-aligned Zulu tribe.
This was a common occurrence in many townships, including Alexandra and many more on the East Rand where the government of the day, the National Party, used a divide-and-rule strategy that led to a rise in black-on-black violence.
Mjoli explained that when they were driven out of the hostel, they were not just removed from their homes, they were attacked too, and many lost their lives.
They eventually settled in a section elsewhere in the township called the Emaxhoseni, and formed structures to protect the the community. These structures included Amabutho and another group called Vuka Mawulele.
The Amabutho were a formidable force deployed during the times of war or attacks, whereas the Vuka Mawulele were responsible for the daily protection of the community.
“Upon learning that an IFP rally was scheduled to take place at the [Sinaba] stadium on March 24, we immediately took action to protect our community.
“We split into groups. Some went to Lusikisiki to seek the protection of an ‘umbrella’ [traditional healer] for a group of Amabutho who would be on the front line, while others went to the nearby church. Others patrolled the area to locate the Inkatha councilmen.
“We agreed to complete our assigned tasks and then reconvene at Sigalo [street not far from the site of the massacre]. However, before Inkatha arrived in our section, we were ambushed by the boers disguised as black people, with black polish covering their skin.
“As it was short notice, we were not fully armed and only had spears and axes to defend ourselves. Despite this, we fought bravely for our people.
“However, when the boers realised that we were a formidable force, they resorted to shooting at us,” Mjoli said.
He explained further: “No one bothered to investigate the incident until it was reported that Lance-Sergeant P van Wyk, a white policeman, had gone missing.
“It wasn’t until a helicopter was spotted scanning the area that anyone paid attention. Unfortunately, when Van Wyk was eventually found, he had already died.”
Yithi abokugcina, izintsizwa zalala kule ndawo (we are the remaining ones, our comrades died on this spot), they sang and praised the fallen comrades while Mjoli continued to tell the story.
“The claim that only 12 people died is false. While 12 individuals may have died immediately on the scene, many more who were also shot eventually died from their injuries days later.
“In reality, the death toll was much higher, with estimates ranging between 26 and 30 individuals who lost their lives,” he said.
Xhakane Nonyanzela, who was the commander of Amabutho at the time of the massacre, shared his story with our reporter, revealing multiple bullet scars on his body.
Nonyazela expressed his disappointment that the government has forgotten about Amabutho, vowing to continue fighting until his fellow Amabutho are properly honoured and recognised as people who contributed in the struggle for liberation.
Shared Nonyanzela: “As a commander, I stood at the forefront to protect my people during the massacre.
“However, I was arrested and sentenced to 15 years for a crime I didn’t commit. I was shot multiple times and barely survived. My body is still riddled with bullet scars, a constant reminder of that tragic day.
“Despite being imprisoned, Thembile Enoch Peter Mjoli and other senior Amabutho fought for my release, highlighting the injustice of my arrest. After serving six years, I was released on parole.
“We have always been loyal to the ANC, dedicating our lives to the party and the struggle. We lost our brothers and sisters in the fight for freedom. Yet, we have received no recognition from the government.
“We have nothing and no one on our side, while others who didn’t contribute to the struggle are in positions of power.”
He called on the government to acknowledge the group and honour their fallen comrades.
Nonyanzela, pointing to the spot of where his comrades took their last breath, expressed his desire for the government to turn the site into a heritage site.
He hopes that this dream will materialise before he dies. “If the government acknowledges and honour Amabutho before I die, I will rest in peace,” he said.
The known fallen Amabutho are
1. Mbuyiselo Ngcuka from Daveyton
2. Nunuse Stuurman from Lady Frere
3. Ntobeko Dubase (killed at Kheswa Street not far from Sinaba Stadium) from Transkei
4. Sthembiso Velelo from Tsomo
5. Stuurman Ngesi from Wickleson
6. Galelekile Mposo from Lady Frere
7. Simon Ntsondwa from Lady Frere
8. Vuyisile Jeffrey Jenxa from Lady Frere
9. Aaron Tusante from Statering
10. Mnyamezeli Ndlazi from Mount Ayliff
11. Douglas Zihle from Daveyton
12. Nomathamsanqa Ntsolo (child struck by a stray bullet) from Daveyton
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