Death in Pretoria: Untold Stories of Political Activists Executed During Apartheid

Strategic Insights -

Between 1960 and 1989, over 130 individuals were executed in South Africa for politically motivated crimes. In Death in Pretoria, Peter Auf der Heyde brings to light the untold stories of these individuals, offering a vital contribution to South African history. Through interviews with fellow activists, families, legal professionals, and prison warders, Auf der Heyde sheds light on the experiences of the unsung foot soldiers of the struggle. This extract highlights the case of Sipho Xulu and Lucky Payi, two MK cadres who were sentenced to death for killing ANC member Ben Langa, who was wrongly accused of being an informer.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sipho Xulu and Lucky Payi, two MK cadres, were sentenced to death for killing ANC member Ben Langa in 1984, who was wrongly accused of being an informer.
  • The case highlights the internal conflicts and mistrust within the ANC, with the regional chief of security, Raymond, ordering the killing of Langa without adequate evidence.
  • Ben Langa's family, including his brother Pius, who later became a Constitutional Court judge, suffered greatly from the untrue accusations.
  • The ANC leadership, including Oliver Tambo and Thabo Mbeki, later acknowledged and apologized for the mistake, with President Jacob Zuma delivering a eulogy for Langa at his funeral.
  • Sipho Xulu's daughter, Sindi, grew up without knowing her father and has mixed feelings about his legacy, but believes he was a brave and iconic figure.
  • The case raises questions about the use of violence and the accountability of the ANC leadership during the apartheid era.

Statistics:

  • Between 1960 and 1989, over 130 individuals were executed in South Africa for politically motivated crimes.
  • 20 SA May, Sipho Xulu and Lucky Payi killed Ben Langa in Pietermaritzburg.
  • The two MK cadres were caught within a few weeks and charged with murder, attempted murder and furthering the aims of a banned organisation.
  • Xulu was sentenced to death, while Payi's death sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.
  • In 2000, President Thabo Mbeki made a statement to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on behalf of the ANC, acknowledging the mistaken killings and apologizing to the Langa family.

Sources:

  • Auf der Heyde, P. (author)
  • Peter Auf der Heyde's award-winning writing and research on judicial injustices during apartheid (referenced in the text as a senior research associate at the Centre for Sociological Research and Practice at the University of Johannesburg)
  • Penguin Random House (publisher of the book Death in Pretoria)
  • Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2000 statement by President Thabo Mbeki on behalf of the ANC)
  • Zuma, J. (president of South Africa, eulogy delivered at Ben Langa's funeral in 2013)