News / National
Gukurahundi play angers South Africans
30 Aug 2016 at 20:32hrs | Views
On the 28th August 2016 Siphesakhe Theatre Organisation staged their gukurahundi play called uLoyiko at Athlone Joseph Stone Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa.
Uloyiko is a Xhosa word which denotes fear, the name of the play is befitting taking into account how much fear was instilled in the hearts of the victims of the gukurahundi genocide. Gukurahundi is a Shona word which means the early rains that washes the chaff away, this was meant to dehumanise the Matebele people by equating them to rubbish.
The majority of the people in the audience were South Africans and the majority of them said that they did not know of the genocide, however, a few were aware of the genocide but they did not realise that the arms catches in a ZIPRA Farm were actually MK weapons and they were not aware of the SA apartheid government's involvement and connivance with the Zimbabwean government to commit the genocide. Many people were visibly angry after the play, they were allowed to ask questions and express their views and many said they were angry that Mugabe could be let to get away with the genocide.
In attendance was Chief Albert Gumede of the Mthwakazi citizens based in South Africa. He travelled all the way from Johannesburg to Cape Town. "We are grateful to these young South African persons who have taken this upon their shoulder to tell the world about the genocide" said chief Gumede after the play.
It seems the group is starting to get busy, at the end of October they will be back in Johannesburg by popular and overwhelming demand.
Even though the attendance was excellent the first time they visited Johannesburg, however, many Mthwakazians and South Africans missed it, this time around it is going to be a fully packed theatre due to the meticulous organisation and it seems that a number of popular music groups may take part as well.
It clear that the gukurahundi genocide is not a closed chapter nor a moment of madness, it was a deliberate and callous mass murder of innocent and unarmed people. The perpetrators wished for the genocide to remain unknown and justice not pursued but the illusion seems to be waning now.
Uloyiko is a Xhosa word which denotes fear, the name of the play is befitting taking into account how much fear was instilled in the hearts of the victims of the gukurahundi genocide. Gukurahundi is a Shona word which means the early rains that washes the chaff away, this was meant to dehumanise the Matebele people by equating them to rubbish.
The majority of the people in the audience were South Africans and the majority of them said that they did not know of the genocide, however, a few were aware of the genocide but they did not realise that the arms catches in a ZIPRA Farm were actually MK weapons and they were not aware of the SA apartheid government's involvement and connivance with the Zimbabwean government to commit the genocide. Many people were visibly angry after the play, they were allowed to ask questions and express their views and many said they were angry that Mugabe could be let to get away with the genocide.
It seems the group is starting to get busy, at the end of October they will be back in Johannesburg by popular and overwhelming demand.
Even though the attendance was excellent the first time they visited Johannesburg, however, many Mthwakazians and South Africans missed it, this time around it is going to be a fully packed theatre due to the meticulous organisation and it seems that a number of popular music groups may take part as well.
It clear that the gukurahundi genocide is not a closed chapter nor a moment of madness, it was a deliberate and callous mass murder of innocent and unarmed people. The perpetrators wished for the genocide to remain unknown and justice not pursued but the illusion seems to be waning now.
Source - Thulani Nkala
