Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
June 5, 1997
A Bloemfontein pathologist has positively identified the remains of four men exhumed by the TRC in the Free State during April as being those of four MK cadres who were killed in August 1981.
The remains have been identified by Professor Jan Botha, chief state pathologist of the Free State, as the bodies of Mr Lesetsha Joseph Sexwale, Mr Anthony Sureboy Dali, Mr Thabiso Isaac Rakobo (all of Soweto) and Mr Mthimkulu Mavuso.
The commission has received statements from the parents of the three Soweto men about their disappearance. The Commission arranged the exhumation of the bodies from a farm in the Aliwal North area after investigations carried out by the staff of Mr. Tokyo Sexwale, the Premier of Gauteng and the brother of one those who died, had indicated that they were secretly buried on the farm by police.
We understand that the African National Congress, in co-operation with the families of the men, is arranging for a funeral and reburial.