Katiza's journey: beneath the surface of South Africa's shame

by Fred Bridgland

Katzia Cebekhulu left his home in the township of Mpumalanga in Zululand in 1988 to go to Johannesburg. He was escaping a life of poverty, brutality and petty crime. But in Johannesburg, far from finding a salvation, he entered another brutal world, and his introduction to it came from Winnie Mandela. Mrs Mandela made Katiza Cebekhulu a member of the Mandela United Football Club, having him live in her house in Soweto and sending him to school. But the price of her patronage was high and Katiza soon found himself caught up in the death of Stompie Moeketsie, who according to Katiza, was beaten on Mrs Mandela's orders and whose death was to lead to her being tried for kidnap and assault. What Katiza says he saw that day in December 1988 is evidence that the alibi which enabled Winnie Mandela to walk free was a lie, and what he says he saw in the months following Stompie's death suggests her involvement in the deaths of several young black township activists. This is Katzia's story.

Genres: History

319 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Lebohang Bucibo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Katiza while he was out on bail and being on the run and shortly before he was kidnapped out of South Africa. My cousin whose family owned business not far from the Mandela houses was helping him with food etc.