De Klerk a murderer of Children: Justice for the Mpendulo Children.
The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), led by its President will open a criminal case against the former Apartheid President, Mr FW de Klerk on 27 February 2020, in eMthatha, Eastern Cape Province and/alternatively demand answers on the progress made regarding the investigation of the criminal act committed against Mpedulo family by this despot leader.
On 8 October 1993, five children Mzwandile Mfeya Sandiso Yose (both 12 years), twins Samora and Sadat Mpendulo (16 years) and Thando Mtembu (17 years) were shot dead in their beds by a South African Defence Force (SADF) raid sanctioned by FW de Klerk and his criminal cabal of ministers. The house in the Northcrest suburb of eMthatha belonged to a PAC member Mr Sicelo Mpendulo, the father of Samora and Sadat. The five victims were defenceless and this killing was planned in concert in a State Security Council meeting chaired by de Klerk and attended by Pik Botha and Kobie Coetzee amongst the others.
No less vivid a reminder of this callous criminal act was provided at a government press conference in Pretoria where Kobie Coetsee, and three generals described the killing of innocent children as successful military operation and an warning for liberation movements especially the PAC. Even the much compromised Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) found that the killings were a gross violation of human rights for which the former State Security Council (SSC) and the SADF were responsible.
To date the ANC government has refused to prosecute anyone involved in this unjust criminality rather issuing a lame statement through the late Minister of Justice Dullah Omar which in part read “The raid on the house in Umtata was authorised on the strength of the intelligence provided by the security forces, that it was being used as an armed cache for attacks against civilians in other parts of South Africa. That information was inaccurate at the time of the operation and the killing of the youthful occupants was unjustified and inexcusable”.
By his own admission De Klerk said the operation was “tragically botched and no weapons found” as a form of apology he declared: “I deeply regretted the incident and later government of national unity supported the ample settlement of the ensuing civil damages”
Some years later, Hans Louw, a jailed “colleague” of the Vlakplaas death squad commander Eugene de Kock, said that he had approached the National Prosecuting Authority in eMthatha and made a statement about the raid. Louw had said he would testify against De Klerk about the order he gave for Mpendulo’s home, Justice is still being awaited for the murder of the five children.
The international community feted de Klerk and Canonised Mandela through the Nobel Peace Prize whilst the blood of innocent children was flowing or cake dried on the Azanian soil. There can never be equation of Liberation Struggle with apartheid atrocities and PAC always advanced for peace among Africans.
The PAC has not relented in pursuing Justice as there can never be peace without Justice. Comrade Sigqibo Mpendulo (father of the twins killed), a PAC veteran imprisoned at Robben Island for PAC activates deserve better; and is part of the campaign to pursue criminal charges against De Klerk and all implicated.
Izwe-Lethu
Compiled By
Apa Pooe -PAC Secretary General
Mobile Number: 061 481 5677
#MpeduloFamilyDeservesBetter