The Cradock Four
The South African apartheid government denied that they had ordered the killings, but a document leaked to the press years later resulted in the removal of several police officers.
On 27 June 1985, Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlauli, were detained by the security police outside Gqeberha.
Goniwe and Calata were rumoured to be on a secret police hit list for their active participation in the struggle against apartheid in the Cradock area.
Goniwe was arrested in June 1976 in Mthatha and jailed for four years under the Suppression of Communism Act for being part of a Marxist reading group.
Goniwe was also the rural organiser of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and was responsible for the formation of street committees (named the G-Plan) in Cradock, Adelaide, Kirkwood Noupoort and Kenton-on-Sea.
In October 1980, he was detained in Dimbaza for three weeks for writing a letter to the municipality informing them about the dirty streets and the unhygienic bucket system.
[4] Sparrow Mkonto was a railway worker who was instrumental in the formation of CRADORA and CRADOYA and the successful lowering of the rents in Cradock.
[5] Note that the correct spelling is Mkonto (as appeared on his tombstone and his ID book, and NOT Mkhonto, as incorrectly spelt by journalists at the time of his death).
The civil movement's first move was to fight against the unfair rental system being proposed by the East Cape Administration Board.
In May 1983, Goniwe called a mass meeting to discuss how the community should respond to high rents, and the Cradock Residents’ Association (CRADORA) was formed.
[2] The apartheid government's Security Police instructed the Department of Education (DET) to transfer Goniwe out of Cradock on 18 October 1983.
Former Finance Minister Barend du Plessis proposed the “removal” of Goniwe and Calata at a State Security Council (SSC) meeting on 19 March 1984: Referring to Goniwe and Calata, du Plessis stated that "In Cradock is daar twee oud-onderwysers wat as agitators optree.
Fezile Donald Madoda Jacobs, a headboy at Lingelihle High School and a COSAS and CRADOYA leader, had been detained two days before.
On 27 May, police and the South African Defence Force (SADF) cordoned off Lingelihle township searching for public violence suspects.
In June 1984, Goniwe, his nephew Mbulelo, Calata and Jacobs who were still in detention were listed as a potential threat under the Internal Security Act.
[2] In December 1984, Goniwe called for a boycott known as the "Black Christmas" of white-owned shops, infuriating the white business community.
After a community delegation to Cape Town, the DET decided to re-open the case and agreed to meet Goniwe in Cradock.
Stay in your houses.” Ten hours later the operation ended with a blaring voice: “Thank you for your cooperation.”[6] Goniwe's political influence in the township led to the formation of street committees where 17 000 residents were divided into seven zones.
About 40 activists were assigned to these different areas and held meetings in each zone to elect officials and each household could vote for their street representatives.
[2] In June 1985, the Cradock Security Police chief Major Eric Winter intensified surveillance over Goniwe, his cousin Mbulelo, Calata and Jacobs.
"[7] On 27 June 1985, Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkonto and Sicelo Mhlauli (known as the Cradock Four) left for Port Elizabeth at about 10am.
The four left at about 21h10, after Goniwe refused the invitation from fellow UDF member Derrick Swartz to stay over and not travel at night, saying he wanted to spend time with his family.
Calata, Goniwe, Mhlauli and Mkonto were buried in Cradock on 20 July 1985, at a massive political funeral attended by thousands of people from all over the country.
Speakers at the funeral included Beyers Naudé, Allan Boesak and Steve Tshwete gave keynote addresses.
