Struggle for justice symbolises limitations of Truth and Reconciliation Commission, whose hearings began 30 years ago
D
arkness had fallen on 27 June 1985 when Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sicelo Mhlauli and Sparrow Mkonto set off on the 150-mile drive back from a meeting of anti-apartheid activists in the South African city of Port Elizabeth, now known as Gqeberha. They never made it home.
About an hour into their journey, as the road wound north from the coast towards their home town of Cradock (now called Nxuba), the four men were pulled over by three white security police officers. They were handcuffed and driven back towards Gqeberha.
Mkonto was shot after a struggle with one of the officers. The other three were hit over the head from behind. Their bodies were stabbed several times by three black officers who had joined their colleagues, to make it look like a vigilante attack. Finally, the corpses were set alight. When Mhlauli’s body was found, one of his hands was missing.
