Pray the News
Langa Mas­sacre sur­viv­ors want jobs and repar­a­tions
The Herald - 23 March 2026

"Sat­urday marked 41 years since March 21 1985, the 25th anniversary of the Sharpeville Mas­sacre, when police opened fire on a crowd gathered in Maduna Road between Kariega and the KwaLanga town­ship, killing 35 and wound­ing many oth­ers. The group, march­ing to a funeral in KwaN­obuhle, were inter­cep­ted by police as they walked down Maduna Road. With no buses to trans­port them, the march­ers were forced to walk due to travel restric­tions. The police response was swift and deadly. Langa Mas­sacre Found­a­tion chair and sur­vivor Nich­olas Mal­gas said March 21 was a reminder of the struggle for lib­er­a­tion and a com­mit­ment to fos­ter­ing equal­ity and dig­nity. He said the bene­fi­ciar­ies and sur­viv­ors had been bit­ter since the time under the rule of apartheid to today. “Their unbear­able pain has till today been ignored, while oth­ers are enjoy­ing the fruits of their blood. This year, we decided to do the com­mem­or­a­tion on our own due to the events of last year. “However, two weeks ago, the muni­cip­al­ity made con­tact with us after we had made sev­eral attempts to reach them. “Because they took the ini­ti­at­ive in reach­ing out, we decided to col­lab­or­ate and work together.” He said the found­a­tion, the sur­viv­ors, and the fam­il­ies had agreed that if vacan­cies arose in the muni­cip­al­ity, their chil­dren should be con­sidered for employ­ment, provided they met the qual­i­fic­a­tions.

“We’re not say­ing the muni­cip­al­ity must take them for the sake of tak­ing them, but if they qual­ify, con­sider them,” Mal­gas said. “The issue of hous­ing, we’ve raised it. The free­dom being enjoyed today is out of the blood of the people killed here, and there­fore they must be recog­nised. “When we say repar­a­tions, help them out of the chal­lenges they’re facing.” Zix­ol­isile Maseti, 18 at the time, was among a group of Langa res­id­ents who gathered on Maduna Road, and urged politi­cians not to turn their backs on the people who voted them into power. “A lot of things happened last year, but rehash­ing them will not do much for us, dig­ging at wounds that won’t heal. “I hope this year we start something new.” Echo­ing Mal­gas, he urged the muni­cip­al­ity to provide employ­ment oppor­tun­it­ies for their chil­dren. “We sent our chil­dren to school, and we want our chil­dren to get jobs. Being a street sweeper doesn’t require a mat­ric.
 

“We have amaphara in our streets because our chil­dren don’t have any­thing to do because they’re sit­ting at home unem­ployed. “We’re not ask­ing for much. We’re not beg­gars. We elec­ted you. We put our X next to your names.” Sat­urday’s com­mem­or­a­tion con­cluded with the sur­viv­ors and the fam­il­ies, along with the mayor and Jikeka, lay­ing wreaths at the memorial site. Speak­ing on the side­lines of the com­mem­or­a­tion, Lobishe said the muni­cip­al­ity would try to address some of the con­cerns. “We’re also here to tell the people of the area that, in the spirit of the people who lost their lives, let’s not give in to the eco­nomic oppres­sion we’re exper­i­en­cing. “Let’s use this pre­cinct to gen­er­ate wealth and use this pre­cinct as a tour­ism centre where people are going to come. “We inten­ded to start the Kariega Human Race mara­thon annu­ally. “We want people to come and show­case their offer­ings so those mak­ing a liv­ing out of their own hands have a stable mar­ket.”

More Background
On March 21, 1985—exactly 25 years after the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960—apartheid-era South African police opened fire on an unarmed crowd in Langa township, near Uitenhage (now Kariega) in the Eastern Cape. The group was marching along Maduna Road from Langa to KwaNobuhle to attend a funeral for victims of previous police violence, as bus transport had been restricted. Police blocked the road and ordered the crowd to disperse. When the crowd did not comply immediately, the police began shooting indiscriminately, resulting in the deaths of 35 people and injuring 27 others. Some sources report slightly different numbers, citing deaths between 20 and 35, but 35 is the figure most commonly referenced. This tragic event heightened tensions during a turbulent period of anti-apartheid resistance and is remembered as a stark example of state brutality.

The Focus of the Event
The March 21, 2026, event was organized by the Langa Massacre Foundation, survivors, and families of victims. Key points include:
- The event served as a reminder of the liberation struggle and the ongoing need for equality and dignity.
- Survivors expressed frustration over unaddressed pain and lack of reparations, while others benefit from their sacrifices.
- Initially planning an independent event due to past municipal issues, they collaborated after the municipality reached out.
- Their demands included prioritizing job opportunities for qualified children of survivors, housing assistance, and broader reparations.
- Survivor Zixolisile Maseti highlighted high youth unemployment and called on politicians to honor voters, stating, "We're not beggars. We elected you."
- The event concluded with wreath-laying at the memorial site, attended by survivors, families, the mayor, and possibly a local group called "Jikeka."
- Municipal representative Lobishe acknowledged concerns and proposed initiatives like creating a tourism center and reviving the annual Kariega Human Race marathon.
This gathering highlights the ongoing demands for socioeconomic justice related to historical sacrifices in South Africa, which continues to face deep inequalities.
 

Compiled by GAP Ministries
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