ANC statement on the commemoration of Vuyisile Mini, Wilson Khayinga, and Zinakile Mkaba
6 November 2024
The African National Congress (ANC) marks November 6 as a sacred day of remembrance, honouring the fearless and etemal soldiers of the national democratic struggle, Comrades Vuyisile Mini, Wilson Khayinga, and Zinakile Mkaba who were executed on this day in 1964 by the brutal apartheid regime.
Their deaths in the dim corridors of Pretoria Central Prison, now known as Kgosi Mampuru Il Correctional Facility, bear a powerful testimony to their unwavering commitment to the liberation of South Africa. These martyrs embodied a conquering revolutionary spirit that defied the oppressive forces that sought to break the resolve of our freedom fighters. They were not simply freedom fighters; they were disciplined, principled, and uncompromising architects of our freedom. Choosing to write their exemplary legacy with their own blood, they left us an inspiring story that calls for our own renewal. Their legacy demands a commitment to martyrdom over betrayal, defiance over submission, service to the people over self, and truth over lies and deception.
Comrade Vuyisile Mini embodied the very essence of what it means to be a revolutionary and his actions were guided by his love for the people. As a commander of the Eastern Cape High Command of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and a worker-leader for SACTU, the predecessor to COSATU, Mini was both the spear and the shield of the oppressed. A union organiser and protector of the working class, he forged bonds among dockworkers in Port Elizabeth, organising them to stand against the apartheid state and exploitative capital. Mini's dedication to the working class transcended the political, it was his life's purpose that he understood as a calling to fight until liberation was won through his life ended as the price paid as the sacrifice.
In his final days, the apartheid regime attempted to break him, hoping he would betray his comrades and the revolution. Yet Mini remained firm, a pillar of courage, refusing every opportunity to betray his comrades or his cause. He recalled these dark moments with dignity and clarity:
"I am presently awaiting execution at Pretoria Central Gaol, having been sentenced to death at the beginning of the year. On October 2, 1964, Captain Geldenhuys and two other policemen came to see me. They asked me if I had been informed that my appeal had been dismissed. I told them I was not interested to know from them what my advocate said. They then said there was still a chance for me to be saved as they knew I was the big boss of the movement in the Eastem Cape. I must just tell them where the detonators and revolvers were, and they would help me. I refused. Then they asked me about Wilton Mkwayi... and whether I was prepared to give evidence against Mkwayi, whom they had arrested. I said no, I was not. When they asked would I make the Amandla Ngawethu salute when I walked the last few paces to the gallows, I said yes."
On the day of his execution, Mini faced his killers with unbreakable resolve. He walked towards death singing, declaring through the verses of " Naants' indond' emnyama Verwoerd" that the struggle was larger than life, more powerful than fear, and remained unbroken in the face of death. His song did not merely echo through the prison walls; it reverberates to this day through the hearts of all freedom loving South Africans. Mini, Khayinga, and Mkaba, standing at the crossing edge of life and death, reminded us what it means to be truly free. They maintained their confident courage, their refusal to capitulate and inspired generations of MK freedom fighters such as Solomon Mahlangu, Barney Molokoane, Gordon Dikepu, Makhosi Nyoka, Portia Ndwandwe and many more heroes and heroines as their guiding light in the face of ultimate death in the South African struggle for freedom.
The apartheid regime attempted to erase these heroes by burying them in pauper graves, dehumanising them even in death, in an attempt to take away their dignity even after death. This single act demonstrated that the apartheid regime feared the strength of their legacy even in death. But Mini's voice, Khayinga's resolve, and Mkaba's sacrifice could not be silenced. Their lives, and their executions, ignited a fire that apartheid's gallows could never extinguish, ensuring the torch of freedom bumed stronger in hearts of generations who fought till the 1994 moment ushered in. They were revolutionaries of the highest discipline and honour, men who bore the burdens of our struggle with dignity and defiance.
Today, as we honour their memories, let us recommit ourselves to the vision they fought for. Let us rise in renewal, not merely in remembrance, but in action, embodying their spirit of sacrifice, unwavering resolve, and unity. Vuyisile Mini, Wilson Khayinga, and Zinakile Mkaba have shown us what it means to be true cadres of the people's struggle, in service to the people. We must humble ourselves, put the people's needs above our own, and hold the line with absolute dedication. We must reject compromise and remained disciplined in our pursuit of a renewed ANC and a renewed nation.
As the African National Congress, we call upon all South Africans, especially those within our movement, to embody the unwavering principles that Mini, Khayinga, and Mkaba upheld. Let their courage be our guide, their sacrifice our inspiration, and their vision our mandate.
Long live the undying spirit of Vuyisile Mini, Wilson Khayinga and Zinakile Mkaba!
Issued by Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, National Spokesperson, ANC, 7 November 2024
