PAC veteran Kenny Motsamai granted full parole
Motsamai spent 27 years behind bars after he shot and killed a white policeman in a roadblock in the ’80s.
Kenny Motsamai talks to members of the media after his release, 11 January 2017, outside the Boksburg Correctional Services on East of Johannesburg, where they waited for the release of Kenny Motsamai who was arrested 27 years ago. Picture: Alaister Russell
Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla) combatant Kenny Motsamai has vowed to unite the different factions of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC).
Motsamai, who was released on full parole from Boksburg correctional facility on Wednesday, said nobody must expect him to join any faction and called on those who want divisions in the party to resign.
The military veteran was transported in a vehicle with tinted windows at about 1pm to the correctional services office in the Boksburg CBD to avoid a crowd of PAC and Economic Freedom Fighters members, who were singing freedom songs outside the prison.
His family was among the crowd that gathered to welcome him. For son Karabo and daughter Busi it had been a long 27 years to live without a father and a breadwinner.
But the two smiled with joy as their father, 53, was released after 27 years behind bars.
The children and their mother, Mantombi, hugged him passionately as he emerged from the correctional offices after two hours of discussions between lawyer Adv Dali Mpofu, Apla veteran Phillip Dhlamini and prison officials.
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Then he became a free man and greeted the waiting and jubilant PAC members with shouts of “izwe lethu” before addressing journalists in the street.
The Apla cadre shot and killed a white policeman in a roadblock in the ’80s.
He was arrested and sentenced to two life sentences for the offence, which is considered a political act under the Truth and Reconciliation Commission prescripts.
But the offence was later changed to armed robbery, something the PAC said was a ploy by authorities not to release Motsamai.
The family had been struggling to make ends meet since his incarceration by the apartheid authorities.
Karabo and Busi, 28 and 27 respectively, were assisted with their education up to matric by their grandfather, who has since died.
Busi has ambitions to do a beauty course and has applied for assistance from the department of defence and military veterans.
Karabo plans to study mechanical engineering.
Motsamai will run a car wash and shisa-nyama (braai) business in Katlehong, sponsored through financial donation by famous prophet Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng.
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