BUSANI NGCAWENI: Why COVID-19 is like the political violence of the early 90s
opinion
COVID-19 is now like the political violence of the early 90s; it wipes out the whole family.
Those from Maritzburg and Mpumalanga Township will understand.
The message about the Filtane family reminds me of Sbongiseni (Sbobo) with whom we shared a dormitory in 1992.
One morning Mr Sangweni, the principal of Ohlange, summoned Sbobo to his office to tell him that his entire family had been killed by amabutho because his relative was a suspected “iphekula zikhuni (communist terrorist)”. Sometimes just wearing a red top made you a suspected terrorist, even if on it was written “Be my Valentine”.
Those from Pietermaritzburg and Mpumalanga townships will understand.
The message about the Filtane family reminds me of Sbongiseni (Sbobo), with whom we shared a dormitory in 1992.
One morning Mr Sangweni, the principal of Ohlange High School, summoned Sbobo to his office to tell him that his entire family had been killed by amabutho because his relative was a suspected “iphekula zikhuni (communist terrorist)” – sometimes, just wearing a red top made you a suspected terrorist, even if it did say “Be my Valentine”.
The killing squad had put nails into the doors and windows, and burnt the house. Hundreds of shots were fired into the doors and windows as Sbobo’s family screamed for help inside the burning house.