Twenty-six years ago on June 17 Zakes Latha watched as his two sisters and uncle were butchered to death.

He was only 25 years old. His family members were among the 45 victims of the Boipatong massacre, one of the bloodiest mass killings in South African history.

"At 10pm that night we were sleeping. White policemen used soot to blacken their faces and covered their faces with balaclavas. The Inkatha Freedom Party people had red headbands and they were heavily armed," he recalled.

Latha, now 51 years old, managed to hide under the bed and got out after the attackers had left his home.

However, he said they have been forgotten and have nothing to commemorate. "Our people's blood spilled in the streets but today they have become a footnote in South Africa's history books," he said.

Latha was speaking to Sowetan yesterday less than a kilometre away from the Boipatong Monument, where people had gathered to commemorate the day.

"We don't want to be part of the celebrations today because they don't even treat us with dignity or respect. We are not asking to be treated like royalty, but our next of kin lost their lives brutally," he said.

Latha said the only thing they have to show for the massacre is the monument, which was officially opened in 2015.

He said the massacre is remembered with less significance than the events of June 16 or Sharpeville.

"Today we are treated as if our family members did not fight and die for the Struggle against apartheid. Our existence is an afterthought because nobody cares about us and our struggles."

Seipati Khomonngoe, 47, whose parents and sister were killed in the massacre, said the government only becomes aware of their existence on June 17.

"They come to us the day before the event and organise us and we come and do this whole thing with them, but tomorrow it's back to normal. But this year, they didn't even care," Khomonngoe said.