Execution and Reactions 1978 -
Execution
Although various governments, the United Nations, international organisations, groups and prominent individuals attempted to intercede on his behalf, Solomon ‘Kalushi’ Mahlangu was hanged at the Pretoria Central Prison on 6 April 1979. The day of execution, observers believe, was deliberately chosen to coincide with the 327thanniversary of Jan van Riebeck’s arrival at the Cape in 1652.
In apparent defiance of Prime Minister PW Botha, Mahlangu’s last message was inspirational. Before he was executed, Mahlangu said: ‘My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom. Tell my people that I love them. They must continue the fight.’
The police decided to bury Mahlangu in Atteridgeville, afraid that there would be violent protests during the funeral.
The 1976 generation of MK combatants
Within a few months of his execution, from 1979 to 1983, units of the June 16 Detachment mounted a series of attacks inside South Africa. The Silverton Siege occurred in January 1980, during an attack carried out by units of the June 16 Detachment known as TUM and G5. Other TUM units carried out attacks on police stations in Soweto, Wonderboom in Pretoria and Soekmekaar.
Solomon Mahlangu: designed by Judy Seidman with Medu Art Ensemble, silkscreen, Gaborone, 1982
Those behind the attacks in Soekmekaar and Wonderboom were charged in what became known as the Silverton Trial, and were sentenced to between 10 and 20 years in prison. Marcus Motaung and two of his companions, charged with attacks on police stations in Soweto – including Orlando – were sent to the gallows in 1983.
International and National protests
Besides the protests and appeals from across the world directly related to Mahlangu’s execution, various bodies became increasingly vocal about the death sentence, especially political executions.
Towards negotiation and reconciliation
The Law Today
Mahlangu, among others, was charged under provisions of the Terrorism Act of 1967. The Act was enacted after the Rivonia Trial, with the aim of tightening security legislation and preventing a recurrence of acts of sabotage reminiscent of those carried out in 1961. Another law that was passed and directly affected Mahlangu was the Criminal Procedure Act of 1967 – the law provided for stiffer sentences for murder with aggravating circumstances.
Over and above all of these laws, it was ‘the principle of common purpose’ that most affected Mahlangu and many others in political trials. The legal principle originates in English law, the general idea being that when a group of people embark on an unlawful or dangerous activity and someone gets hurt, all the participants may be found jointly liable even if it is not clear precisely who caused the harm. It was this principle that alerted many protesters to the injustice of political assassination verdicts.
Between 1990 and 1993 numerous political formations and the Apartheid government were involved in negotiations. Initial interactions led to the formation of CODESA I and II, culminating in South Africa’s first democratic elections of 1994 and the birth of the new constitution.
Human Rights and the Bill of Rights, including the right of association, are guaranteed in the new constitution. It is inconceivable that acts of political dissent can be considered ‘common law’ crimes today. The principle of common purpose cannot be applied in a legal system that is informed by the desire to uphold human rights.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Solomon Mahlangu’s mother, Martha Mahlangu, represented the family at the TRC hearings on 3 May 1996. She told the TRC that she had heard news over the radio about ‘terrorists’ who had shot and killed White people in Johannesburg. She had no idea that Solomon was involved until the police came to search her home looking for evidence implicating him that could help with their investigation. She then pointed out that she had not been allowed to see him until after his trial.
Mrs Seroke, leading Mrs Mahlangu during her testimony, wanted to establish if Mrs Mahlangu knew that Solomon’s actions had unjustly brought the death penalty the court handed down to him. Mrs Mahlangu indicated that she was not aware of the technicalities of the trial. Asked what she expected of the TRC, she said that it was at the Commission’s discretion to decide what had to be done to establish the truth. She said she would welcome any assistance. During an interview years after the TRC hearing, she said she found it difficult to forget what the apartheid courts had done to her family and she carried with her the pain of losing her son every day.
‘My son had aspirations of becoming a school teacher… He was very conscientious and humble. He stood firm and unshaken in his beliefs. Now, in my old age, I miss him even more,’ Martha Mahlangu quoted in the Mail & Guardian, 1999
Remembering Solomon Mahlangu
On 6 April 1993, Solomon Mahlangu’s body was reinterred at the Mamelodi Cemetery, where a plaque states his last words:‘My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom. Tell my people that I love them. They must continue the fight.’
Recently, more tributes have been paid in Mahlangu’s memory. A statue of Mahlangu was unveiled in 2005 in Mamelodi and a stamp bearing an image of Mahlangu was unveiled by the South African Post Office to mark the 30th commemoration of his execution on 6 April 2009.
