/ 1 December 1997

Nats knew of secret graves, says ANC

MONDAY, 11.30PM

THE African National Congress on Monday accused the former National Party government of knowing about of the secret burial of African National Congress cadres.

The accusation follows the discovery of secret graves in Barberton and Piet Retief in Mpumalanga last week. ANC spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa on Monday said that to date over 160 secret graves of Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres have been discovered around the country.

“Indeed, these heinous acts of the past were committed with the full knowledge and sanction at the highest levels of government and the security establishment in defence of the repugnant system of apartheid,” Mamoepa said.

The ANC said the NP should not claim ignorance of the activities of its footsoldiers. “We believe that the National Party leadership, instead of playing cheap politics with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, should get to grips with these discoveries.

“The National Party alone bears the primary moral and political responsibility to apologise and show remorse to the families of the victims and the nation as a whole,” he said.