The Silverton Three monument, sculpted by iconic artist Professor Pitika Ntuli, has now been turned into an advertising billboard for bogus doctors.

The monument was unveiled in 2013 to commemorate the bravery of three MK soldiers who were killed inside a Pretoria bank on January 25 1980.

Today, the memorial stands desecrated by salacious posters advertising services such as penis enlargements, abortion and vacuous actions such as winning court cases or being reunited with a "lost lover".

"Quick, safe and pain-free clinical abortion, call Dr. Maria", and "Abortion: quick, same day & pain-free, call Dr Grace", screamed the posters during a visit by Sunday World .

The monument is situated opposite the Diepkloof Hall in Soweto, and the crude adverts plastered at the base of the sculpture incense residents who feel the memory of the soldiers of the Struggle is being insulted.

The three MK cadres - Stephen Mafoko, Humpfrey Makhubo and Wilfred Madela - held 25 people hostage in Volkskas Bank. They had earlier failed in their mission to bomb the petrol depots at Watloo, near Mamelodi, Pretoria east. The trio were shot dead after a standoff with police.

"The monument captures the significance of the siege in reigniting the hope of the oppressed," Ntuli, as he explained the significance of the monument, said.

"It captures the conflicting feelings, thoughts and prayers of those involved in the event as well as the poignancy of the moment, the vulnerability and the strength of courage of the three," added Ntuli as he further explained the essence behind the sculpture when it was unveiled in 2013.

Diepkloof resident and former award-winning photographer Mike Mzileni said he was saddened by the government for paying for monuments but "fail to educate" people about their significance.

Mzileni said the Silverton Three fought against oppression and deserved the same honour as other Struggle icons.

"These were three boys from Diepkloof, [at the bank] they made a demand of the release of someone with the name that starts with an M (Mandela), the police went after them and they were met with gunshots," Mzileni said.

However, three community members who were relaxing near the monument said they did not know who the sculpture was honouring.

Ntuli said he had heard about the bogus abortion posters and felt the community needed to be educated about the significance of the monument.

"[Maybe] through this article they will learn to respect it."

Ironically, Ntuli said he found out years later after he was commissioned to built the monument that he once served a prison sentence with the trio in Swaziland when he was on death row as an Apla commander.

He helped the three escape prison after enlisting the help of one of the prison guards who was his former student.

"They were using different names back then so I did not know them," Ntuli said.

He only found out the connection to the young men when researching their history.