Honoring a Hero: South Africa Remembers Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu, Freedom Fighter Executed 46 Years Ago

Kalushi is trending in South Africa because netizens are commemorating the 46th year since the execution of the freedom fighter and struggle activist.

At the age of 22, Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was convicted for his part in the murder of two people and hanged in 1979. He was one of 133 people executed by the state in that year.

On 13 June 1977, Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu alongside two other men, George and Mondy, each carrying a large suitcase, were at the taxi rank in central Johannesburg on their way to Soweto when a policeman became suspicious and grabbed one of the suitcases. An AK-47 assault rifle and hand grenade fell out. All three men attempted to flee the area and escape the policeman.

In the ensuing confusion, Mondy shot and killed two warehouse employees, Rupert Kessner and Kenneth Wolfendale, and wounded another two people.  Solomon and Mondy were arrested while George escaped.

Solomon Mahlangu's trial started in the Supreme Court on 7 November 1977. Although Mahlangu had not fired the shots that killed the two civilians, the court found that Mahlangu and Mondy Motaung had acted with a common purpose and that it consequently did not matter which of the two had done the shooting and killing.

Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was convicted on all counts, while Mondy Motaung had been so severely beaten by police while in detention that he suffered brain injuries and was declared unfit to stand trial.