Dan Fuphe
Dan Fuphe
Ekurhuleni mayor Duma Nkosi yesterday officially opened a memorial park in Daveyton in honour of a nine-year-old girl and 14 self-defence unit (SDU) members killed by members of the South African Defence Force in 1991.
Nomathamsanqa Matsholo was struck by a bullet fired by the soldiers.
A survivor of the massacre, Kenneth Batyi, now a Gauteng MPL, recalled how his colleagues were killed after they were ambushed by the soldiers.
He said his group had earlier been involved in a running battle with hostel inmates affiliated to the IFP.
"Fourteen SDU cadres were gunned down mercilessly by the soldiers.
"Nomathamsanqa died in Bomba Street after she was hit by a bullet fired by one of the soldiers," he said.
In his speech, Nkosi said the opening of the park, whose name was still being debated by the locals, was historic because it coincided with the commemoration of the SACP general secretary Chris Hani's assassination on April 10 1993.
"It is also historic because it occurs during the month in which Solomon Mahlangu, an Umkhonto we Sizwe fighter, was hanged in 1991. This was also the month that Nomathamsanqa was killed by members of the SADF," Nkosi said.
Councillor Thomas Kgopa urged residents to take ownership of the park.
Park opened to honour massacre victims
Dan Fuphe
Dan Fuphe
Ekurhuleni mayor Duma Nkosi yesterday officially opened a memorial park in Daveyton in honour of a nine-year-old girl and 14 self-defence unit (SDU) members killed by members of the South African Defence Force in 1991.
Nomathamsanqa Matsholo was struck by a bullet fired by the soldiers.
A survivor of the massacre, Kenneth Batyi, now a Gauteng MPL, recalled how his colleagues were killed after they were ambushed by the soldiers.
He said his group had earlier been involved in a running battle with hostel inmates affiliated to the IFP.
"Fourteen SDU cadres were gunned down mercilessly by the soldiers.
"Nomathamsanqa died in Bomba Street after she was hit by a bullet fired by one of the soldiers," he said.
In his speech, Nkosi said the opening of the park, whose name was still being debated by the locals, was historic because it coincided with the commemoration of the SACP general secretary Chris Hani's assassination on April 10 1993.
"It is also historic because it occurs during the month in which Solomon Mahlangu, an Umkhonto we Sizwe fighter, was hanged in 1991. This was also the month that Nomathamsanqa was killed by members of the SADF," Nkosi said.
Councillor Thomas Kgopa urged residents to take ownership of the park.
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