Kubayi to hand over remains of two hanged activists to their families
Benjamin Moloise and Abram Mngomezulu, executed in the 1980s, will be reburied in Soweto on Saturday after the state returns their remains.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi will preside over the handover and reburial of the remains of two political activists hanged on death row in the 1980s, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has announced.
The ceremony for Benjamin Malesella Moloise and Abram Zakhele Mngomezulu will be held on Saturday, 3 May 2025, at Orlando Communal Hall in Soweto, according to the department. It marks the formal return of their remains to their families after decades in which the apartheid state withheld them.
A pattern of hidden graves
Between 1960 and 1990, at least 130 people were executed on death row for politically motivated offences, the department said. Their remains were withheld from their families and they were buried as paupers in cemeteries around Tshwane without the knowledge or consent of their next of kin.
Moloise was an ANC activist convicted in 1983 and executed in 1985 for the 1982 assassination of a security policeman. He denied involvement and said his confession was made under duress. The ANC maintained his innocence.
Mngomezulu, also an ANC activist, was executed on 25 May 1989 after being convicted of the 1987 murder of Mandla Khoza during a rent boycott protest in Soweto. He was sentenced to death while four teenage co-accused received prison terms of between 8 and 15 years.
Why it matters
The ceremony is part of South Africa’s long-running effort to account for the past and to allow families to mourn and bury their loved ones with dignity. For the relatives of Moloise and Mngomezulu, it ends a wait of nearly four decades and restores a measure of recognition for people executed for their role in the struggle against apartheid.
The department said the state remains committed to advancing justice, fostering national healing and preserving the dignity of those who paid the highest price in the fight against apartheid.
What happens next
The handover and reburial will begin at 09h00 at Orlando Communal Hall. Members of the media are asked to arrive by 08h00 and to RSVP by 12h00 on Friday, 2 May 2025, with Solomon Kganyago. Media enquiries can be directed to Terrence Manase, spokesperson to the minister, on 082 338 6707.
The department’s statement was issued by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development. The full notice is available at the department’s website:.
- Remains of 42 freedom fighters return home from Zambia and Zimbabwe 2026-09-10
- Nel launches anti-trafficking task teams at ports of entry 2026-09-10
- Justice ministry moves IDAC briefing to Pretoria after Advocate Andrea Johnson resigns 2026-09-13
- Kubayi and Mothibi to brief media on IDAC after Johnson resignation 2026-09-13
- Justice department webinar to unpack ConCourt ruling on naming children in conflict with the law 2026-09-14
- Maynier meets SANBI as parrot eggs seized at OR Tambo go to court 2026-09-14
- US visa curbs target South Africans over land and race policies 2026-09-16
- IEC final list is 62% male as parties sign conduct code next week 2026-09-16
- AAD 2026 opens in Pretoria with 300 exhibitors from 30 countries 2026-09-16
- Diale-Tlabela opens 8km upgraded R568 link between Bronkhorstspruit and the N4 2026-09-16
