The of slain anti-apartheid activist and member of the military wing of the PAC, Bellington Mampe, said that while his remains have not been found, they were grateful that his spirit will be home, following a spiritual repatriation and cleansing ceremony at the Worcester Correctional Centre on Thursday.
Mampe died while in police custody in 1963 following detention and interrogation for 140 days, before being transferred to the hospital wing of the Worcester prison, where he later died.
He was 30 years old at the time of his death. Mampe was buried at the Zwelethemba cemetery in Worcester by distant family friends who were living in the nearby informal settlement at the time.
Following several attempts to locate his remains and determine the circumstances leading to his death, it was revealed that all the records of his detention and hospitalisation had been destroyed.
On Thursday, Mampe’s niece NomaChina Mboniswa said spiritual repatriation will give the family much-needed closure.
“We are grateful that this day has come, after years of trying to find his remains and get answers. I had given up. I didn’t even want to speak about this because it was opening up a deep wound in my heart. We as the family are grateful for today.
Although his remains have not been found, but his spirit will be home,” she said.
During his keynote address, Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister John Jeffery said that the gathering was a reminder of the adversity faced during the Struggle for political freedom.
“To the family of Bellington Mampe, his struggle was not in vain. He paid the ultimate price for our freedom, and he too is one of the great African heroes that (PAC founder Robert) Sobukwe speaks of,” he said.
PAC spokesperson Azania Tyali said the gathering marked a sombre occasion.
“This ceremony holds profound significance, as it symbolises the spirit and memory of a young man whose life was tragically cut short.
Mampe, like many others, stands as a testament to the untold stories of suffering and resistance that unfolded within the walls of Robben Island.
“As we reflect on Mampe’s life, we are reminded of the painful legacy of our interactions with whiteness.
“The process of reconciliation, though touted as a means to address past injustices, often falls short in acknowledging the deep-rooted wounds inflicted upon African bodies,” she said.
Provincial Director of Public Prosecutions, advocate Nicolette Bell, said Mampe died on September 1, 1963, and his cause of death was marked as “undisclosed”.
“There is a task team put in place to investigate all instances where people died during apartheid and bring the families answers.
This team seeks to bring answers to the families by uncovering their cause of death, find remains and provide answers as to what happened to their loved ones.
Several interventions are put in place to bring closure to families, but sadly in some instances, such as today’s case, the teams are unable to get the remains.
“This is why the department works with families to bring some sort of closure by acknowledging the loss of their loved ones and facilitating spiritual repatriation.
“Although we could not locate his burial site, his contribution, the price he paid will not be forgotten by the province and the country as a whole,” she said.
Mampe was born in the town of Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape and moved to Cape Town at the height of apartheid. He lived in Gugulethu with relatives, including a brother who was later politically exiled.
In Cape Town, Mampe soon became politically active and joined the PAC and became a member of its armed wing, Poqo.
With the PAC being a banned organisation, he quickly became a target of the apartheid security forces.
Cape Times