Media Advisory

Minister Lamola to officiate the symbolic burial of four Mamelodi Activists

27 July 2023

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr Ronald Lamola, will on Friday 28 July 2023, officiate the symbolic burial of four Mamelodi activists at the Freedom Park, Pretoria. The four activists are Samuel Ledwaba, Oupa Mohale, Jeffrey Sibaya and Matthews Lerutla.

The four activists were killed by the apartheid era Northern Transvaal Security Police during the mid-eighties. The Security Police was also responsible for the abductions and killing of multiple activists particularly in the period from 1986 to 1988.

The symbolic burial at Freedom Park will be preceded by the spiritual repatriation and cleansing ceremony of the late four Mamelodi activists at Kgomo Kgomo, Mmukubyane and Cyferskuil at Moretele Local Municipality, which are the places where they were killed.

Samuel Ledwaba was abducted in Mamelodi, strangled to death before his body was blown up on the road near Kgomo Kgomo. Matthews Lerutla and Jeffrey Sibaya were abducted one after the other from Mamelodi on 16 June 1987. They were tortured and ultimately strangled to death. Explosives were placed on their bodies and detonated on the road near Mmukubyane.

Oupa Jan Mohale, also abducted from Mamelodi, was strangled to death with a coat hanger. The security police placed his body in a field and set it on fire using a tyre to make it appear as if he had been killed by local comrades.  The symbolic burial forms part of the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations.

Members of the media are invited to join the Department and families of the activists for the repatriation process in Moretele as follows:

First Part of the event
Date: 28 July 2023
Time: 05h00 (Depart from Freedom Park to Kgomo kgomo)

Second Part of the Event (To be officiated by Minister Lamola)
Date: 28 July 2023
Time: 13:00 - 16h00
Venue: Freedom Park, Pretoria

For media confirmations contact: Kgomotso Makinta on 083 6311986 or Kmakinta@justice.gov.za

Enquiries:   
Mr. Chrispin Phiri
Spokesperson: Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services
081 781 2261

Issued by the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services