Ramaphosa to deliver inaugural Nokuthula Simelane Memorial Lecture
She went missing after the special branch of the apartheid police abducted her in 1983.
The African National Congress leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, is set to preside over the first-ever Nokuthula Simelane Memorial Lecture at the University of Mpumalanga on Thursday. Simelane, hailing from Bethal in Mpumalanga, was an ardent student activist and a member of the MK, the military wing of the ANC during apartheid. She vanished in 1983 when the special branch of the apartheid police forcefully took her away.
Some locals are advocating for efforts to safeguard Simelane's legacy, citing their lack of awareness about her disappearance in the early 1980s. "I'm familiar with Nokuthula Simelane's story through various news articles I've read about her. The history of freedom fighters in Mpumalanga, particularly in Bethal, is a topic that doesn't seem to have garnered much attention until recently," remarked one individual.
Another added, "I've only gained a limited understanding of Nokuthula Simelane's history. Even in school, the South African history curriculum often focuses on other nations rather than the events that unfolded within our own borders."
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
