The co-minister in the organ of National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, Moses Mzila-Ndlovu, and Methodist Bishop Paul Verryn, are today scheduled to attend the Gukurahundi victims commemoration service at Hillbrow Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The service has been organised by the Gukurahundi Genocide Victims for Justice (GGV4J) — a Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) affiliated non-governmental organisation. It is scheduled to start at 12pm at the Hilbrow Theatre Centre.
The organisation was established to scale up pressure on the international community to help victims and families of the dead — the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) estimates to be around 20 000. The atrocities took place between 1982 and 87, ending when President Robert Mugabe and the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo signed the Unity Accord.
GGV4J chairperson Magugu Khumalo told NewsDay that the commemorations — initially scheduled for Thursday, were later moved to today to enable as many people as possible to attend.
“We have moved the commemorations to Saturday (today) because most people will be at work on Thursday. We have managed to get Mzila-Ndlovu and Verryn to be our guest speakers at the event,” he said.
Verryn is known for his support for immigrants in South Africa.
Khumalo said they had invited the minister and the bishop because of their understanding of the Gukurahundi issue.
“Mzila-Ndlovu is a highly respected senior politician of Mthwakazi origin whose heroic campaign on issues concerning the Gukurahundi genocide is well-known and (Bishop) Paul Verryn’s illustrious track record as a human rights activist is unparalleled.
