By Buchule Putini
Bhisho – The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has once again paused to remember the victims of the Bhisho Massacre, honoring the men and women who laid down their lives in the struggle for freedom and democracy.
Leading this year’s wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial site and later at the Ginsberg Cemetery was MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Xolile Nqatha, who emphasized that commemoration must go beyond ceremonial acts.
“The commemoration of significant dates and events which have helped shape our Republic, and indeed our beloved province, cannot be allowed to end with just ceremonial gestures. Commemoration must also compel us to act to foster the ideals of change – change for the better – that once inspired events such as the Bhisho Massacre,” Nqatha told mourners.
He reminded South Africans that the massacre was not in vain, but a painful sacrifice that shaped the freedoms we enjoy today.
“We affirm that their courage shaped the freedoms we enjoy. We honour survivors who still bear the scars, physical and emotional, and we promise that their story will never fade. Memory alone cannot heal fractures. Bridging divides, confronting gender-based violence, eradicating racism and xenophobia, and empowering women and youth will. Ubuntu must guide our politics, our classrooms, and our boardrooms alike,” Nqatha declared.
Turning to the families of the fallen, the MEC offered words of comfort and a commitment to carry forward their legacy.
“To the families of the fallen: we cannot erase your loss, but we honour it with action. To the survivors: your resilience anchors our conscience.
To the youth: freedom came at too high a cost; hold on to it dearly, defend it, deepen it, and drive development further,” he said.
The Bhisho Massacre, which unfolded on 7 September 1992, remains one of the darkest moments in South Africa’s democratic journey.
Today, it stands as a stark reminder of the price paid for freedom and the responsibility that comes with protecting it.
Memorial, honouring the fallen heroes.
