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Royal flag of Swaziland

Political cartoon comparing South African fight for democracy to Palestine.

Democratic index

1989, anti-apartheid protest bus

Phila Portia Ndwandwe

(Active: 1985- Death: 1988)

Phila Ndwandwe was a South African dental student who joined the anti-apartheid movement in 1985 where she acted as a Natal Machinery of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) fighter for the South African Democracy until her torture and execution by the police in October 1988.

African National Congress (ANC)

The African National Congress (ANC) is the Republic of South Africa's primary party and also the currently governing one since the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994. This election followed the dissolution of the apartheid movement that caused racial tension in South Africa. Ndwandwe joined the ANC in 1985 where she lived with General Ramlakan and received military training.

Time in Swaziland

Ndwande left South Africa for the neighboring Swaziland to continue military training and became a Commander for Natal (MK). During her time there, she completed operations to support the ANC. It was during this time of her life, while married and breast feeding her two-month old son, that she was abducted.

Death

In October of 1988, Phila was abducted by Lieutenant Sam du Preez, Sergeant Lawrence Wasserman, Colonel Andy Taylor, Mr J A Steyn and Mr J A Vorster-- all members of the Security Police and supporters of the apartheid movement. They took her to a basement cellar and stripped her naked where she was tortured for days with the intent to either make her an informant or to kill her. During her time there, she created a makeshift pair of panties using a plastic bag, likely to maintain modesty. After realizing their attempts to make her an informant were futile, she was taken outside the house to a grave shorter than her own height and knocked unconscious, then shot in the head. Her murders covered her body with lime and plastic.

Legacy

After the fall of the apartheid government, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TNC) was created to combat the effects of the war. When many exiles returned, but Phila did not, her father reported her missing to the commission. Over the years, they had received multiple calls claiming that she was safe, but in exile. From there, the TNC discovered the truth of her murder and the murders were granted amnesty in return for their cooperation.

When her body was exhumed, she was found in the fetal position, still wearing her makeshift plastic panties.

Ndwande was awarded The Order of Mendi for Bravery in Silver in April 2010 and a piece of art portraying a floating piece of plastic appearing as clothing was commissioned for the newly democratic South African government in her honor.