BOIPATONG – Memories of a bloody past surfaced on Monday, June 17, as yet another anniversary of the Boipatong Massacre passed with little to no formal remembrance.
Thirty-two years ago, the small community of Boipatong was plunged into the spotlight when innocent lives were brutally taken in the arms of members of the Inkatha Freedom Party, a brutal attack that left 45 people dead and many more injured.
While the scars of survivors remain a constant reminder of what happened on the day as they remain as fresh wounds due to constant pain, the haunting silence that filled the township was almost as painful as the memory itself.
The scene at Vuka Cemetery, where scores of victims are buried, was equally symbolic of this neglect as the graves were filled with nothing but dust and weed. A sheer symbol of a massacre fading each year.
A dull visit to the very cemetery by Sedibeng Ster revealed no official ceremonies, no government representatives nor banners, and a disturbing absence.
Only a single family was seen nursing the graves of their loved ones, a lonely act of tribute within rows of neglected tombstones.
Speaking to Ster at the graveyard, the mother of deceased Runica ‘Msibi’ who was only 15 years old during the incident shared the gripping story of how she learned of her daughter’s passing.
Selina Sefume (67) said “She was visiting her grandfather on the day of the incident. She was residing in Thembisa and had only visited the area for four months. Each year I come to this graveyard and for years I see this day meaning anything.”
“Not even a single plague is being placed on these graves, this is a sign of neglect. Maybe if the victims and survivors of this day come together as one, the day may be saved,” she said.
Survivor Elizabeth Hlubi who idled at her family home when the Ster Team visited, shared open scars that she is left with.
“I was pierced with a spear on my stomach and the left shoulder on the day in the very same house,” she said.
“This day opens wounds and seeing how forgotten we are, breaks me even more. The government has forgotten about us and doesn’t even bother to commemorate the day anymore,” she said.
Last year, Sedibeng District Municipality was contacted days after the massacre day inquiring on the dilapidation of the day, the municipal spokesperson Saviour Kgaswane said at the time, they doing everything to preserve the day.
“Sedibeng District Municipality had accordingly planned, and budgeted for the 2023 commemorative event, as it always does annually. The district municipality did not fail in its mandate of preserving and commemorating historical events. Our commitment and full participation in plenary proceedings of the 2023 Boipatong Massacre Commemorative Event is a clear indication of affirmation in this regard,” he said.
Kgaswane further said the district municipality is awaiting a new date from the community of Boipatong and the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation, so it can fulfill its commitment towards the hosting and commemoration of this year’s event.
Since the receipt of the response from the municipality, the day remains disregarded.
