Execution of Benjamin Moloise
Benjamin Moloise | |
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Execution by hanging |
Malesela Benjamin Moloise (c. 1955 – 18 October 1985) was a South African poet and political activist who came to international attention following his arrest and subsequent execution by the government of South Africa. From
Throughout Moloise's trial, allegations arose about the legitimacy of the evidence against him, the veracity of his confession, and the overall fairness of the process. Following a refusal of clemency or retrial by President P. W. Botha, Moloise was executed in 1985. His execution sparked riots in Johannesburg, protests in major world cities, and a flurry of diplomatic condemnations. The legacy of Moloise's life, death, and anti-apartheid poems penned during his time on death row transcended South Africa, manifesting in global displays of solidarity and streets named in his honor.
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Apartheid |
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Early life and background
Malesela Benjamin Moloise was born to Pauline and Robert Moloise in 1955. He worked as an
On 7 November 1982,
During the apartheid era, black police officers thought to be cooperating with the South African government faced significant risks, becoming frequent targets for the ANC. These officers lived in areas where mistrust and accusations of betrayal were common sentiments.[7] The South African government, while readily tapping into the talents and expertise of black citizens, often hesitated to ensure their protection, especially when such measures seemed at odds with the deeply entrenched apartheid principles. Reflecting a strategic shift, the ANC had recently expanded its focus to not only strike at military and economic establishments but also civilians.[7] This change in tactics stemmed from the ANC's growing frustration with the loss of their members to South African law enforcement, leading to them announcing: "No longer will they do all the killing, while we do all the suffering."[7]
Trial
During the trial, the prosecution alleged that Moloise's motivation for killing Selepe was revenge. The policeman had previously provided testimony that contributed to the conviction and subsequent execution of three ANC members on charges of treason. Despite initially confessing, Moloise retracted his admission during the trial.[2]
ANC officials asserted Moloise's innocence, suggesting that an ANC guerilla firing squad was responsible for Selepe's death. The evidence, including 25 spent cartridges, appeared to align with the ANC's account, suggesting multiple gunmen rather than a lone assassin.[2] However, Moloise's subsequent testimonies during the hearing cast doubt on his own defence. He claimed that the ANC had presented him with an ultimatum: to assassinate Selepe or face death himself. Reflecting on his decision, he stated, "I chose, and chose wrongly". Later, he modified his testimony, stating that while he was involved in plotting the murder, he did not actively partake in the act.[2]
United Nations resolution
On 15 January 1984, the
There was an evident tension between the African nations' urgency to highlight Moloise's looming execution, viewing it as an extension of South Africa's apartheid policies, and the Western preference to maintain a lower profile on the subject. Western representatives felt that the United Nations spent an excessive amount of time critiquing South Africa, often overshadowing numerous other pressing issues in Africa and beyond. A Western diplomat remarked that if they convened every time a policeman was killed in South Africa, "we would be meeting all the time". Western representatives also worried that excessive diplomatic attention might provoke South African authorities, potentially increasing the chances of Moloise's execution.[9]
An hour behind schedule, the Security Council's 2,512th meeting commenced under the leadership of Javier Chamorro Mora from Nicaragua. By then, a consensus had been achieved. Western Council members consented to support a resolution, which, compared to other resolutions criticizing South Africa, was relatively moderate, urging for the commutation of Moloise's sentence. In return for Western support, African countries agreed not to deliver speeches during the session. This made the meeting one of the briefest in the Council's history, lasting under five minutes, with a unanimous 15-0 vote in favour of the resolution.[9]
Stay of execution
On 20 August 1985, the Transvaal Supreme Court in Pretoria granted Moloise a three-week
Moloise's mother, Pauline, appealed to the international community, particularly the U.S. and Britain, urging them to press the South African government to spare her son's life. She maintained his innocence, pointing to statements from the ANC's Zambia headquarters, which denied he was part of their hit squad that murdered the security policeman. This claim is notable since the ANC typically does not disavow its members when they are convicted. Following Mrs. Moloise's plea, Britain engaged with the South African Embassy in London and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pretoria.[8]
On 10 September, Priscilla Jana sought a
Execution
All the armies that ever marched, all the parliaments that ever sat, have not affected the life of man on earth as that one solitary life… I am proud of what I am… The storm of oppression will be followed by the rain of my blood. I am proud to give my life, my one solitary life.
— Moloise's poem printed in the
On the night before Moloise's scheduled execution, soldiers surrounded and
Moloise was executed at Pretoria Central Prison around 7 a.m. on 18 October 1985. His parents waited in a car across the street until they were informed of their son's death, with no significant crowds or vigils marking the event.[13] Reflecting on the ordeal and the treatment by the prison staff, Pauline Moloise lamented the government's cruelty. Moloise was hanged alongside another convicted murderer, Thembinkosi Ngubuane. Despite their grief, the Moloise family were not allowed to sing traditional funeral dirges during their prayer in the prison chapel. Moloise's parents sang the ANC anthem, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, in the parking lot and displayed a black power salute.[13] They were then permitted inside to pray beside their son's coffin. Pauline mentioned that a prison warden commended her son's bravery but did not confirm if he had sung, as she believed he would, on his way to the gallows.[13] The prison authorities declined to hand over Moloise's body to his family, instead opting for a burial in a government cemetery, with Pauline instructed to return later to receive the grave's location.[14]
At Moloise's memorial service,
Reaction
Approximately six hours following Moloise's execution, around 500 mourners gathered at the
In Britain, thousands participated in a sit-in outside of the
Foreign government reaction
The White House criticized the execution, noting that the U.S. government had "made a number of appeals for clemency” that were ignored. White House Press Secretary Larry Speakes stated, "We want to see tensions reduced and confidence restored in South Africa", expressing regret that an action that could "exacerbate this situation" took place.[17] Similarly, the Soviet Union voiced its strong denunciation of the execution. However, the Soviets insinuated U.S. complicity, suggesting that without U.S. backing of the South African government, such an execution might not have taken place. The Soviet Union's state-run news agency, TASS, declared, "South African authorities have again demonstrated to the whole world that they will resort to any crime in order to prolong the racist domination."[17]
The Nordic countries, during a meeting in Oslo, condemned the execution carried out by South Africa. As a response, they introduced sanctions against South Africa that impacted trade, transportation, and investment. The ministers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden jointly stated that the execution disregarded humanitarian concerns and would escalate political tension.[17]
In Brussels, the European Community's External Affairs Commissioner, Willy De Clercq, expressed that Pretoria missed a chance for dialogue. He warned that their dismissal of global appeals might intensify violence, primarily affecting those demanding basic rights.[18] In France, Prime Minister Laurent Fabius expressed his protest against the execution by observing a minute of silence in front of the South African Embassy in Paris.[18] The West German government in Bonn denounced the hanging, fearing it would harm the prospects of peaceful apartheid reform.[18] The Dutch government expressed deep regret over South Africa's failure to respond to the EEC's plea for clemency.[18]
Legacy
Following Moloise's execution in 1985, streets in Italy and France were named in his honor. However, in contemporary South Africa, his legacy is not widely remembered, with limited
In
Citations
- ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "South Africa on the Boil: Violence spills out of the townships". Newsweek. 28 October 1985. p. 47.
- ^ a b "S. Africa Execution Spurs Mob: Mourners Riot in Johannesburg". Chicago Tribune. 19 October 1985. p. 2.
- ^ Rule, Sheila (21 August 1985). "Tutu Scorns U.S. Criticism of His Action". The New York Times. p. 3.
- ^ a b Cowell, Alan (16 October 1985). "Pretoria Refuses Poet a New Trial". The New York Times. p. 5.
- ^ "Bid to re-open Moloise trial with new evidence". Cape Times. 21 August 1985.
- ^ ISBN 9780060664824. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Sparks, Allister (21 August 1985). "Judge Stays Execution In S. Africa". Washington Post.
- ^ a b c Bernstein, Richard (15 January 1984). "For The U.N., A Tiny Break In Doldrums". Washington Post. p. 11.
- ^ Moloise, Benjamin (18 October 1985). "All the armies that ever marched". Weekly Mail. p. 1.
- ISBN 9780429915765. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ a b c Rule, Sheila (18 October 1985). "Poet's Mother Is Target". The New York Times. p. 3.
- ^ a b c "Moloise executed". Cape Times. 19 October 1985.
- ^ a b "S. Africa Execution Spurs Mob: Mourners Riot in Johannesburg". Chicago Tribune. 19 October 1985. p. 1.
- ^ ISBN 9780060664824. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ a b "22,000 mourn as 5 slain in S. Africa: Rites calm as police stay away". Chicago Tribune. 20 October 1985. p. 6.
- ^ a b c "World Condemns African Execution". South Florida Sun Sentinel. 19 October 1985.
- ^ a b c d "Wide condemnation of Moloise execution". Cape Times. 19 October 1985.
- S2CID 225292450.
- S2CID 225292450.
- S2CID 225292450.
- ISBN 9781871471113. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- S2CID 225292450.
Literature
Ashik, Ritu (1990). Benjamin Moloise. Teshro Vishwa Weekly Publication.