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No action on Silwane Gukurahundi discovery

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Co-Minister of National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation Moses Mzila-Ndlovu said at the weekend his pending court case in connection with the Gukurahundi meetings had stifled efforts to have action taken on the remains of Gukurahundi victims which were discovered recently at Silwane Primary School in Lupane. A month ago, Ndlovu told Bulawayo residents at a […]

Co-Minister of National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation Moses Mzila-Ndlovu said at the weekend his pending court case in connection with the Gukurahundi meetings had stifled efforts to have action taken on the remains of Gukurahundi victims which were discovered recently at Silwane Primary School in Lupane.

A month ago, Ndlovu told Bulawayo residents at a meeting organised by the Bulawayo Agenda that he was recently called by the Lupane villagers who had discovered the human remains at the school. He said villagers had requested decent burial for the remains.

“Nothing can be done now on those remains considering the fact that my case over the same meetings in Lupane is still pending in the courts. Maybe when the case is finalised that is when something will be done,” said Ndlovu.

The minister is on bail following his arrest for conducting national healing meetings deemed illegal by the police.

Ndlovu said the issue of Gukurahundi victims needed a holistic approach by the Organ on National Healing, which he is part of.

He said unless the organ adopted the concept of resolving the Gukurahundi issue in a way in which victims would feel accommodated, people would continue to complain and tempers would flare to uncontrollable proportions.

“It is sad that in all this, when I was arrested, the organ was invited to see those remains but only myself attended,” said Ndlovu. “My colleagues decided not to attend. But the underlying fact is that there are a lot of human remains, some discovered and some yet to be discovered,” said Ndlovu.

The human remains discovered at the school are believed to be of the victims of the 1980s Gukurahundi genocide which was unleashed on Matabeleland and Midlands provinces by the government, claiming the lives of over 20 000 people.

Ndlovu recently said he saw ribs protruding near a classroom block when he visited the site at the school.

“Surely this is the reason why this issue is now gaining momentum,” Ndlovu was recently quoted as saying. “Marginalisation of Matabeleland was not a mistake, but deliberate. Gukurahundi was implemented as part of the programme. Soldiers were sent to eliminate the entire Ndebele tribe.”