Phila Ndwandwe was a courageous South African freedom fighter who gave her life for the struggle against apartheid. A member of the African National Congress’s military wing, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), she joined the armed resistance in the 1980s, undergoing military training and taking part in numerous operations against the apartheid regime.
In 1988, Ndwandwe was captured by the apartheid security forces. At the time of her abduction, she was a 23-year-old mother to a two-month-old son, Thabani, who was left in the care of his father, Bheki Mabuza, a fellow ANC activist. While in captivity, Ndwandwe was subjected to severe torture as her interrogators attempted to coerce her into becoming a double agent. Despite the brutality, she refused to betray her comrades or her cause.
When it became clear that she would not cooperate, Ndwandwe was executed—shot in the head—and buried in a shallow, unmarked grave on Elandskop Farm, just 10 kilometers from her family home. For nearly a decade, her fate remained unknown.
Her body was finally exhumed on March 12, 1997, after her killers led authorities to her burial site as part of their testimony to South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), through which they were granted amnesty. Forensic evidence revealed that Ndwandwe had been kneeling or squatting when she was killed. Her remains were found in a foetal position, indicating that the grave had been too short for a proper burial. A plastic bag had been fashioned into underwear and placed on her body—an improvised gesture to preserve her dignity in death.
In recognition of her courage and ultimate sacrifice, the democratic government of South Africa posthumously awarded Phila Ndwandwe the Order of Mendi for Bravery in Silver in April 2010. The honor commemorates her unwavering bravery and her role in the fight for a non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic South Africa.
Her story, once hidden, stands as a powerful reminder of the personal costs paid by so many in the pursuit of freedom.
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Author: Mpheza Clara Manda
Luska, Zambia
Senior Correspondent
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