Malesela Benjamin MOLOISE (30) was executed by the South African regime on 18 October 1985, in defiance of world opinion and an unprecedented number of calls for clemency. Moloise's petition to the State President for a retrial was rejected on 15 October and the execution set for the following Friday. Police repression of protests within the country led to a number of arrests and the death of at least one protester.
Moloise was convicted in June 1983 of the killing of a security policeman in November 1982 – an act he always denied and for which the ANC claimed responsibility, stating Moloise was not involved. Warrant Officer Phillipus Selepe had helped to prosecute a number of ANC members, including Mogoerane, Mosololi and Motaung, ANC combatants who were executed by the regime in 1983. Moloise, a life-long friend of Motaung, was called as a state witness at their trial: but refused to comply. Selepe gave evidence in the same case.
After Moloise's execution the Department of Justice issued a statement justifying their decision saying that his trial was 'in no way connected with South African security legislation' and stating that he was convicted of the common law offence of murder 'based on the normal legal principles of all civilised countries'. Legal procedure in South Africa has been consistently modified over the years to increase the likelihood of convictions, whether or not the state chooses to prosecute under statutory 'security' legislation. In fact, the great majority of political prisoners in South Africa are sentenced for common law offences such as public violence, arson and treason. In addition, the powers of detention enable the police to obtain statements while a potential defendant is incomunicado and deprived of legal advice. Moloise made such a statement and, although clearly obtained under duress, it was accepted by the court and formed the basis of his conviction.
Moloise impressed all who visited him during his last few days by the strength and dignity with which he faced death, showing, in the words of his lawyer 'no self-pity, no regrets and no self-obsession'. According to his mother he said that he remained committed to the ideals of the Freedom Charter and convinced that liberation would be achieved: 'Tell the world that we shall overcome. I will spill my blood for those who remain behind'.
Repressive action against the Moloise family and their supporters continued up to and beyond the execution. Soldiers in three armoured trucks fired teargas into their Soweto home as hundreds gathered for a vigil.
Pauline Mamike Moloise and her husband Robert kept vigil outside Pretoria Central Prison as the time of the execution, 7am, approached. The execution of Moloise and the man hanged with him brought the total of executions during 1985 to 88. The family were allowed in to the prison chapel to pray alongside Moloise's closed coffin. The body of an executed prisoner remains the 'property of the state' which buries it without a formal funeral.
In accordance with Moloise's wishes his mother and a number of supporters, including Winnie Mandela, sang the anthem Nkosi Sikelel'i Afrika outside the prison. The two women were amongst the speakers at a memorial service late that day in Johannesburg.
Some eight hundred people attended the service. When they left the building they were confronted by a contingent of police and dogs who attempted to disperse the crowd using sjamboks.
Many other services were held for Moloise throughout the country. Lebowa bantusan police used shotguns and batons to disperse three hundred people attending a meeting organised by the Dikgapane Youth Congress near the town of the Dikgweksloof, Robert MAKOKGA (24) and Ngoako RAMALEPE (26) were taken to the police station and savagely beaten before being driven to open veld and left for dead. Ramalepe died early the next day from his injuries but Makokga, suffering from over a hundred weals and open cuts, managed to get to safety. Ramalepe was president of the Students Representative Council at the Modjaji Teacher Training College.
