By Jonk wa Mashamba
news@alexreporter.co.za

The chairman of the Jappie Vilankulu Educational Trust, Jimmy Masingi, criticized the other political parties for not recognizing Jappie.

Jappie was the first black youth in Alex killed by the apartheid police on June 17, 1976.

” As the trust chairperson, I went and spoke to ActionSA so that they could partner with us. Because other political parties, all these years, have failed us and the family,” said Masingi.

He said they could only pose for publicity and forget about the family. “We have been giving these political parties a chance for over 10 years but did nothing,” he said.

Masingi said they needed a Jappie statue erected where they shot him. ” Today we visited Mr Linda Twala’s yard at 2nd avenue, where Jappie was shot.  That’s where we need the statue to be erected. Mr Twala approved it and Mr Herman Mashaba  promised that he would look into that. We also want to see the name of Jappie being recognized,” he said.

ActionSA PR councillor, Shadrack Mkhonto said the Vilankulu family “has been neglected by the democratic government led by the ANC”.

“The Alexandra heroes and heroines who took to the streets in 1976 and fought the racist government against using Afrikaans as a medium of instruction at schools, have been ignored. On the contrary, the ANC government only acknowledges those who were killed in Soweto on 16 June 1976,” said Mkhonto.

Mkhonto said that all of Jappie’s siblings and the rest of the Vilankulu family were worried that their deceased brother had been ignored by the ANC.

” Instead, they recognize and celebrate the life of Hector Pieterson who was a young boy who was not involved in the protest, but was only killed by a stray bullet. Michael Vilankulu, Jappie’s younger brother is complaining and saying that as a family they don’t understand why Jappie’s pictures are not at Alex Mall or Alex schools.

” There’s only Hector’s pictures, which the family is failing to understand. The Department of Education needs to ensure that Jappie’s name is added to the school curriculum.”

Jappie’s sister, Maiden Mogotsi, said that her brother, who was working at the time, was 23 in 1976.

The next day, Jappie allegedly refused to go to work and took the initiative to lead the school march.  He went to each school, rang the bell and asked each learner to join him in marching to the police station. Between 1st and 2nd Avenue, he was shot seven times by the Apartheid forces.

While the police were shooting at him, he attempted to protect himself with a bin cover. And he was carrying a stone as his weapon. Unfortunately, he was shot in the head and died.

More than 34 people died during the Massacre when Apartheid police opened fire on students who marched against poor quality of education.

The Vilankulu family hasn’t healed since Jappie’s promising future was cut short 47 years ago.  He would have been 70 years old by now.

“We trust and hope that the leader of ActionSA, ntante Herman Mashaba, will assist us in ensuring that the story of Japie Vilankulu is known and celebrated in Alexandra and the whole of South Africa… and possibly, to be known all over the world.

“We thank Mr Mashaba for contributing to Jappie Vilankulu’s Educational Trust Fund in 2017/18. When the fund was created, Mr Mashaba contributed half a million rands out of his family business to the fund.

” We thank him for that and we wish him well and pray to God that he can have strength and mercy to assist those in need like he has done to the Jappie Vilankulu’s Educational Trust Fund before,” said the family.

Masingi, a former journalist, appealed to Alex residents to stop going to Soweto to commemorate June 16 and forget their own.

ActionSA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni said he believes the Alexandra Massacre of 18 June 1976 deserves recognition for the contribution it made in helping to bring an end to Apartheid in South Africa and helping to usher in a democratic dispensation.

He said Alexandra Massacre was an important point in the country-wide expansion of the social unrest against poor quality education during Apartheid.

“But, taking place two days after the Soweto Uprising, the Alexandra Massacre is often forgotten for the very important role it played.

“ActionSA has long worked to give the Alexandra Massacre the recognition it deserves with our President, Herman Mashaba, donating half a million rand to an education fund established.

“As a party which stands for social justice, ActionSA will continue working with the Vilankulu family to ensure that the fund Mashaba helped establish is properly functional to serve the needs of the community and that the legacy of Japie Vilankulu receives the recognition it deserves,” Ngobeni said.

Pics supplied.