SLOWLY DUMA SKHOSANA, convicted “Sharpeville Six” murderer, is breaking his hunger strike, but he remains resolute to force a retrial to prove his
Skhosana (38) has gone back to “prison” volutarily. Sentenced and convicted with five others for the 1984 mob murder of Sharpeville deputy mayor Jacob Khuzwayo Dhlamini, he is staging a sleep-in and hunger strike at the Sharpeville police station.
In 1985 he and two of his co-accused were sentenced to death on the controversial “common purpose” principle, while other accused got prison sentences. But Skhosana survived the vagaries of justice and was pardoned and released after last year’s elections.
This week he had his first spoonful of food in two weeks, but remained adamant he would force a retrial. He admits having been part of the mob, but says he was wrongly identified as a participant in the killing. “Listen, I never did it,” he said.
“My time has been wasted; I cannot wait for the truth commissin. When I was arrested, I was a student at the Sebokeng College of Education, but now my future looks bleak. I wrote a letter to the Minister of Justice, Dullah Omar, and President Mandela, but I am helpless,” he said.