WeeklySA_AdminTRIBUTE: Families of 13 victims of the Matola massacre gathered with others at Freedom Park Centre in Pretoria last weekend, in memory of relatives killed by apartheid South African government soldiers during a raid on ANC safe houses in Matola, Mozambique, on January 30 1981…
By Russell Baloyi
The Matola Raid of 1981 represents one of the most brutal attempts by the apartheid regime to crush dissent and the growing tide by the liberation movement to defeat the oppressive regime in South Africa at the time.
In the early hours of January 30 1981, the South African Defence Force (SADF) raided safe houses used by the ANC liberation fighters in Matola, Mozambique, and killed cadres of the Umkhonto we Sizwe, the former military wing of the ANC.
This led the then ANC president Oliver Tambo to conclude that “there is no reason why this regime should be tolerated any more, let us rise like one man, as one people, to overthrow that regime.”
On February 14, 1982, at the first commemoration of the Matola Raid, former Mozambican President Samora Machel and Tambo condemned the killings and declared that day should be dedicated to deepening the friendship between the people of Mozambique and the people of South Africa.
This declaration was further amplified by former president Filipe Nyusi and former president Jacob Zuma in 2015 at the opening of the Matola Raid Monument and Interpretive Centre in Maputo.
A monument in honour of the heroes of Matola Raid was built by the South African government and opened in 2015.
The Matola Raid Monument and Interpretive Centre was built near the place where the massacre took place in Mozambique. Each year, on February 14, Freedom Park organizes and leads the event, together with the South African High Commission in Mozambique, and the Government of Mozambique.
It is against this background that Matola Raid is commemorated on February 14 to honour the victims that include ANC members Mduduzi Guma, Lancelot Hadebe, Mandla Daka, Daniel Molokisi, Steven Ngcobo, Vusumzi Ngwema, Thabang Bookolane, Krishna Rabilal, Themba Dimba, William Khanyile.
Vuyani Mavuso, who was kidnapped during the raid, and executed when he refused to betray his comrades, represents one of the significant sacrifices and acts of bravery that should not be lost to South Africans as this day of self-sacrifice is commemorated.
The list of victims goes up when we add the likes of Mbulelo Musi and Sipho Thobela who survived the attack and were integrated into the new, democratic South African National Defence Force and shared the horrific details of the attack.
For obscure reasons, the Freedom Park, a government entity tasked with the responsibility of honouring those who gave their lives for our freedom, resolved to shift the commemoration of the Matola Raid to February 24 this year.
We recently joined the families and relatives of the Matola Raid victims as they met to reflect on the implications of shifting the commemoration date from the actual day to another day.
The family members were disappointed, but that is how things have turned out to be.
Ever since the first commemoration in 1982, the February 14 became the day to express love and affection between South Africa and Mozambique, with commemorations taking place on the same date in different forms as a constant reminder of the ultimate prize that was paid for the freedom of the country, and to honour the fallen martyrs.
Over and above the February 14 commemoration, families and other stakeholders also host a series of events on different days, and in most cases, with full participation of the ANC as the political home of the victims.
It is for this reason that any decision to shift the commemoration date from
February 14 to any other day will tend to distort our history.
Freedom Park as the liberation struggle heritage custodian can host a commemorative event on the actual day of the February 14 anywhere in the country or where some of the victims were born.
More events can also be organised on any other day as part of the broader Matola Raid commemorations.
Efforts should be made not to distort our history. The February 14 date for commemorating should remain constant and unchangeable. For it is on this date our liberation soldiers were mowed down by the cruel apartheid regime. We should never compromise that date for anything else.
We acknowledge the difficulties associated with organising such event in light of what is prevailing today in Mozambique, with all kinds of political instabilities rocking the country, but that should not impact on the date on which we remember those who lost their lives for the sake of the country’s liberation.
The commemoration of the Matola Raid is significant. It highlights the sacrifice paid for the attainment of democracy in South Africa.
We should strive to help to educate South Africans about the day, and expand the commemoration to as many areas in the country, making communities aware that our freedom and democracy came at a great cost and loss of life.
* Russell Baloyi, is the executive director of Eco City Trust
