By first preventing the return of the bodies to families and then by banning memorial services, the South African regime tried to prevent public demonstrations of support for those killed by the South African army in the raid into Mozambique in January.
However in a service held in Soweto the weekend after the ban, thousands showed that those who had been killed were regarded with honour and as a source of inspiration.
After the Government refused permission to bring back the bodies the Sunday Express reported that "one reason that has been advanced is that the Silverton gunmen and Solomon Mahlangu... were all given heroes funerals".
The regime has on a number of occasions shown signs of wanting to restrict the freedom of people to attend funerals of political activists killed by the police or army, and to restrict press coverage of such occasions.
At the Natal National Party Congress in August 1980 the Minister of Police said that there was no legislation saying who may or may not attend a funeral. But he said that the Rabie Commission of Inquiry into the Security Laws was considering the publicity by the media of what he called "terrorist funerals" and that the government would consider preventing "the extraordinary highlighting of such events".
He also said that the police "were trying their best to allow such functions to take place as ordinary family occasions".
A week after refusing permission for the return of the bodies of the ANC members killed in the Matola raid, the regime banned weekend memorial services for the dead. Chief Magistrates used their powers under the Riotous Assemblies Act to ban weekend memorial services in Cape Town, Bellville, Goodwood, Wynberg, Simons Town, Kuils River, Stellenbosh, Johannesburg and Durban. The Cape Town Chief Magistrate said that he had "reason to fear that the public peace would be seriously endangered by such gatherings".
By these actions the regime sought to prevent actions to publicly honour or commemorate the death of ANC members. Nevertheless on the Sunday after the weekend covered by the ban, a memorial service was held in Soweto, organized by the South African Council of Churches. Thousands of people attended, including 18 priests and representatives of various organisations.
Those speaking at the service included Bishop TUTU. The Reverend Mashai TEMA said that whereas whites regarded the dead ANC men as terrorists, blacks saw them as freedom fighters. Dr MOTLANA, of the Soweto Committee of Ten, said that blacks saluted those who had vowed to fight for their country and liberation. He said that what had happened when the South African army attacked the ANC houses was "pure, unmitigated first-degree murder".
A spokesman for the Azanian Students Organisation said of those who were killed: "They died in pursuit of a better South Africa. They wanted black and white to share in the wealth of the country, that the doors of learning should be opened to all. They set themselves to fight for liberation and we need to dedicate ourselves to their goals".
