WHO WAS SOLOMON MAHLANGU?
Up until 1976, Solomon Mahlangu was a student, living under the Apartheid regime in South Africa. On June 16 the school-children of Soweto, protesting the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in their schools, took to the streets in a massive, peaceful demonstration. Police reaction to the demonstration was brutal as they shot at the unarmed students. That day at least 25 people were killed. Twelve year old Hector Peterson was the first to fall.
The violence precipitated a spontaneous uprising led by the students that spread rapidly to all parts of the country. By the end of the year "an official (and doubtless underestimated) figure was given of 575 dead and 2, 389 wounded in the conflict." (Worden, 1994. p.119.) A wave of detentions and bannings were used by the state in an attempt to crush the revolt. 21, 000 people were prosecuted for offenses related to the uprising. (Marx, 1990. p. 68.)
Thousands left the country in the face of this repression. They left to carry on the struggle from outside the country.
Nineteen year-old Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was among them. He left his home in the night, not telling even his mother where he was going or if he would ever return.
Determined to fight for change, he sought training as a soldier. A year later, he returned home as a cadre of the of the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the Spear of the Nation.
Solomon returned to South Africa in 1977, on a mission to join student protests commemorating the Soweto massacre. He never made it to the protests. He and his team, Monty Motloung and George "Lucky" Mahlangu were accosted by police in Johannesburg, and in the gunfight that followed, two white civilians were killed.
George Mahlangu escaped. Solomon and Monty Motloung were captured. Monty was so brutally beaten during the course of his capture that he suffered severe brain damage leaving him unfit to stand trial. Solomon had not fired a shot, but was left to face the murder charges alone. The trial was started without his lawyers' knowledge (SECHABA, 1979), and it was inevitable that he was found guilty of murder.
On March 2, 1977, Solomon was sentenced to death by hanging. When he heard his sentence, he shouted "Amandla!" - Power! Indeed, his cause wielded power. For two years the international democratic community campaigned against his execution and called for the recognition of all South African freedom fighters as prisoners of war. But, despite international pressure, the Apartheid government was not swayed. On April 6, 1979, 23 year old Solomon Mahlangu faced the gallows, raised his hand in the ANC salute, and met his death at the hands of a racist regime.
His final words are reputed to have been:
"My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of
freedom.
Tell my people that I love them. They must continue the fight."
Solomon's people did continue the fight. In honour of his courage and dedication to the cause of freedom, the ANC named a new school after him: The Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College (SOMAFCO).
References
Marx, Anthony W. Lessons of struggle: South African internal opposition, 1960-1990. Oxford
University Press. Cape Town, 1992
Mashabela, Harry A people on the boil: reflections on Soweto. Skotaville. Johannesburg,
1987
Worden, Nigel. The making of modern South Africa: conquest, segregation and Apartheid.
Blackwell. Oxford, 1994
HAMBA KAHLE SOLOMON MAHLANGU
On March 2, 1978 Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was sentenced to death. He had pleaded 'not guilty' and as the death sentence was passed he raised his clenched fist and shouted the ANC slogan 'Amandla'.
Since then he has spent more than a year in a death cell at Pretoria Central Prison; he was not allowed visits other than from his family and a minister of religion appointed by the state; he was not allowed reading material from outside but was supplied with novels and a bible by the prison.
Even before the death sentence was passed Solomon did not have a fair trial. Since his arrest in June 1977 he was severely tortured and brutally assaulted in the prisons. He was not allowed to be seen by any member of the community including his lawyers. He did not even know that he was being legally represented and the attorneys first heard of his court appearance after reading a report about it in the press.
After months of torture his friend and comrade Mondy Motloung was declared unfit to stand trial due to brain damage. Nobody knows about his fate and where- abouts!
On April 6,1979 Solomon Mahlangu was executed. He went to the gallows courageously and confidently. He was aware that the black people of South Africa whom he loved and served - were behind him and indeed the whole of progressive humanity supported him.
Solomon has been murdered but his spirit-like that of Mini, Khayinga, Mkhaba and others - is not dead. His blood will nourish the seeds of freedom which are germinating throughout the country. The ANC and its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, has sworn that Solomon Mahlangu shall be avenged and those who have taken his young life will one day have to answer for the innumerable crimes and irreparable damage they have caused. These crimes must stop!
During this Year of the Spear we pledge to sharpen our spears so that we can meet the enemy on equal terms.
Sechaba June 1979
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN - LESLIE O. HARRIMAN (NIGERIA) - CONDEMNING THE DEATH SENTENCE IMPOSED ON SOLOMON MAHLANGU, JULY 19, 1978
I am deeply concerned that the apartheid regime in South Africa is persisting in its plans to execute Solomon Mahlangu, the young African freedom fighter.
The execution of Mr. Mahlangu will not just be another case of murder by the apartheid regime, which has shocked the world by its indiscriminate and cowardly killing of school children and unarmed refugees. It will be a calculated act of "judicial murder" and will have serious repercussions.
The United Nations has recognised the right of the oppressed people to resort to armed struggle for liberation from the criminal apartheid regime and no racist court can legitimately convict captured freedom fighters. The execution of patriots will only undermine any possibilities of peaceful solutions, but will not stop the inevitable march of freedom.
It is remarkable that the millions of oppressed people have held up the ideal of non-racialism, despite all the repression, while the minority racist regime is constantly provoking a suicidal conflict.
I appeal to all those who believe in freedom and human dignity, and the principle of non-racialism, to stay the hands of the executioners of apartheid before they precipitate a catastrophe.
The lives of all Mahlangus can be saved and South Africa spared a disaster if all Governments and peoples take timely and decisive action.
STATEMENT BY THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS OF SOUTH AFRICA ON EXECUTION OF SOLOMON MAHLANGU, APRIL 6, 1979
This morning Solomon Mahlangu, a heroic son of our people and dedicated member of the African National Congress was executed by the white minority racist regime. The African National Congress of South Africa regards this as an act of political murder.
Comrade Solomon Mahlangu, a young hero of the South African revolutionary struggle, a survivor of the Soweto and other massacres perpetrated throughout the country by the fascist regime in 1976, a dedicated opponent of racism, apartheid and colonial domination, was hanged in Pretoria at 6 a.m. on Friday, April 6th, 1979. Solomon Mahlangu’s only crime was his deep love for his people, his commitment and dedication to the noble ideal of freedom, human dignity and happiness of the people.
It is no accident that the Botha-Vorster fascist regime chose April 6th for this heinous crime against our people and the rest of humanity. On April 6th 1652, three-hundred and twenty-seven years ago, Jan van Riebeeck landed at the Cape of Good Hope, heralding the beginning of the dark era of colonial subjugation and plunder in South and Southern Africa. With the passage of time the peoples of this region were progressively reduced to a status of colonial vassals serving the interests of the imperialist oppressors and their hangers-on.
Thus the blood-thirsty fascist Botha-Vorster junta has decided to observe the 327th anniversary of this colonial event by murdering Comrade Solomon Mahlangu who in his early youth had chosen to join the vast army of revolutionaries dedicated to wipe off this dark colonial past and usher in an era of national independence, social progress and happiness for the peoples of Southern Africa as a whole.
The execution of Solomon Mahlangu poses a new and urgent challenge to the fighting people of South Africa and international public opinion as a whole. It is inconceivable that the Botha-Vorster regime can be permitted to continue to disregard the demands of the overwhelming majority of mankind with callous impunity.
This callous act, in defiance of appeals made by the international community, including leading statesmen and the Security Council of the United Nations, is further proof of the brutality and intransigence of the racist regime.
The African National Congress wishes it to be known that this act of murder will not go unpunished.
Nor will this murder, deeply felt by our people and our movement, deter the ANC from intensifying the struggle.
By making the supreme sacrifice Solomon Mahlangu has demonstrated the most noble qualities of a true patriot. This reflects the fighting spirit of our people.
The African National Congress salutes Solomon Mahlangu, hero of our struggle.
We salute the courage of Martha Mahlangu and family.
Amanda! Matla! Power to the People!
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN OF UN SPECIAL COMMITTEE AGAINST APARTHEID, LESLIE O. HARRIMAN, ON THE EXECUTION OF SOLOMON MAHLANGU, APRIL 6, 1979
The Special Committee against Apartheid has learnt with deep sorrow and indignation the news that the racist regime of South Africa this morning executed Solomon Mahlangu together with four other patriots. This dastardly act has been carried out despite appeals and demands by the United Nations Security Council, various Governments, public organisations and prominent individuals.
The humanitarian appeals made by a number of world leaders, as well as by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to save the life of Solomon Mahlangu were also not heeded.
The Special Committee against Apartheid strongly condemns this senseless and abominable act which has been perpetrated in utter defiance of the United Nations and world public opinion. It is clear that the racist apartheid regime of South Africa is bent on eliminating all opposition to its apartheid policies and, in doing so, demonstrates clearly that it intends to perpetuate its illegal racist minority rule in South Africa.
The recalcitrant attitude of the racist regime leaves no choice to the United Nations and the international community at large but to continue their struggle against that regime with greater intensity by all available means, including those provided for under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The Special Committee appeals to all Governments, international organisations and the public to redouble their efforts for the speedy elimination of apartheid - a crime against humanity and the evil of our time.
On this sad occasion, the Special Committee against Apartheid expresses its deep feeling of sorrow to the bereaved families of Solomon Mahlangu and the four other patriots and reaffirms once again its full solidarity in support of the sacred struggle for the liberation of the oppressed people of South Africa.