Mahikeng-The vents of the 10th February 1988 leading to the temporary toppling of the former Bantustan leader, Lucas Mangope by the Bophuthatswana para-military forces were commemorated in a moving wreath laying ceremony at Mahikeng Stadium in the North West capital today.

Organized by the Provincial Heritage Resources Agency, the National Heritage Council and the University of the North West supported by the provincial department of Sports, Arts, and Culture traced back events leading to the attempted coup by Timothy Phiri and Rocky Malebane-Metsing and the intervention provided by the then South African Defence Force in rescuing the beleaguered Mangope.

On that rainy day one of the gallant soldiers France Phiege from Rustenburg was shot dead by the SADF team that aborted the coup and left his fellow combatants facing treason trial and the subsequent long term jail sentence. Today’s commemoration, the first in over 26 years since the coup included a visit to the former prisoners treason trial court in Bosele Rooigrond, wreath laying ceremony at the stadium and a memorial lecture delivered by Professor Freddy Khunou from the University of North West.

Speaking at the ceremony, Umkhonto We Sizwe Veteran, Zachariah Pitso Tolo praised the former soldiers for their gallant act and bravery. “Your actions paved the way for the liberation movement to intensify the struggle in this part of the country. We received the news with excitement in exile despite our policy of not supporting coups as they did not involve the masses of our people”.

The North West Heritage Resource Agency and the National Heritage Council are planning as part of the celebration of the 20th year of freedom to ask the North West Government and National Department of Arts and Culture to declare the Bosele Court a national and provincial heritage site. “We need to document and archive our stories and the role played by the likes of these former soldiers in paving the way for our freedom. We are working with the university to document this important part of our liberation struggle that happened in this part of our country. Future generations should benefit from a properly recorded history”, explained Themba Gwabeni from the National Heritage Council.

Also present at the commemoration were activists from the Mafikeng Anti Repression Forum (MAREF), Montshiwa Youth Congress and Lawyers for Human Rights.-TDN
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