Memories, a monument and its meaning: the monument on the site of the Samora Machel plane crash Chris J van Vuuren Anthropology, Archaeology, Geography & Environmental Studies, University of South Africa, PO Box 392, Unisa 0003 E-mail: [email protected] The 1986 plane crash of former Mozambican president Samora Machel and the erection of a monument at Mbuzini have raised questions about the transformation of memory as a repository of oral tradition, its conversion into icon, and its role and symbolic meaning in post-apartheid South Africa. The memories of a number of Mbuzini residents are weighed against the agenda of the national government and questions are raised whether local expectations were met concurrently. Certain guidelines and suggestions are offered to save the Machel monument from potential memorial amnesia. Herinneringe, 'n monument en die betekenis daarvan: die monument op die terrein van die Samora Machel-vliegtuigramp Die 1986 vliegtuigramp van die voormalige Mosambiekse president Samora Machel en die oprigting van 'n monument op die terrein te Mbuzini het die debat heropen en vrae laat ontstaan aangaande die transformasie van geheue as 'n bewaarplek van mondelinge oorlewering, die omskakeling daarvan tot ikoon en die rol daarvan en simboliese betekenis in post-apartheid Suid-Afrika. Die geheue van 'n aantal Mbuzini-inwoners word geweeg teen die agenda van die nasionale regering en vrae word gestel of plaaslike verwagtinge gelykertyd aan voldoen is. Sekere riglyne en voorstelle word aangebied ten einde die Machel-monument van potensiele amnesie van nagedagtenis te red. On 19 October 1986, the Mozambican however, concluded that the presence of a presidential aircraft, a Tupolev TU134-3, decoy beacon caused the aircraft to stray into crashed at Mbuzini on its return flight from the mountainous region. Lusaka, Zambia. Although a few survived, 25 The event had a number of profound passengers including the Mozambican leader, effects on the previously unknown Mbuzini Samora Machel, perished in the crash. community, as oral testimonies will show Mbuzini is on the plateau of the Lebombo hereafter. Firstly, they were swamped by the mountains, which form the eastern corner media, the military, security forces and border between Mozambique, South Africa investigators from across the Mozambican and Swaziland (see figure 1). and Swaziland borders. Secondly, these The Mbuzini area is occupied by the "intruders" frequently combed the area and Mahlalela community, which has residents in visited the site, often without considering the all three countries, a. dispensation that has local community. Thirdly, a monument (see been in place since pre-colonial times. Photo) to commemorate the life of Machel was constructed apparently with very little A commission headed by former judge involvement of the Mbuzini community. At Cecil Margo was established to investigate the time of the crash, Mbuzini residents the cause of the accident and it concluded that associated with comrade Samora Machel who pilot error was to blame. A Soviet team, 222 Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services Figure 1: Map of the Mbuzini area. was a symbol of the struggle and whose University of Namibia in May 2000. (Van territory provided a save haven and Vuuren 2000) springboard against the local The media's interpretation of the "securocratization" and military operations accident in the area, which were directed against the local comrade movelnent in particular. It was to be expected that the event of 19 October 1986 would receive global This article discusses the direct impact attention in the media. While certain pro­ of those events that occurred after the fatal RSA government media were speculating plane crash; it looks at the role of the media on the possibility of pilot error and at the time (1986), the investigations (then mechanical failure, the same newspapers and recently) that took place and the soon began to suspect possible government reconstruction of events based on current interference. Compare the two articles memories. Questions are raised about the found published in the Beeld newspaper: relevance of the Machel monument on the (1987-01-10) "Peutery in Machel se site as reflected in oral tradition and history vliegtuig" ("Shenanigans in Machel's (remembrance, meaning and symbolism). A aeroplane") and (1987-01-24) "Vrae oor Pik number of guidelines and future directions se rol by ramp" (Questions about Pik's role are offered. in"); The media made allegations about The bulk of the material for this article government involvement during the so­ formed one component of a research project called Margo commission - an official on the oral history and related heritage government investigation. issues in the Mbuzini valley. It was The anti-government (apartheid) media commissioned by the National Monuments and political opponents of PW Botha's Council (now South African Heritage regime outrightly rejected the possibility of Resources Agency - SAHRA) in 1999 and pilot error and insisted that the accident was published by the National Culture History caused by sabotage and deliberate foul play. Museum in the same year. Some of the President Chisano - who later took over in material was presented at the Association of Mozambique - was particular! y harsh in his Anthropologists in Southern Africa condemnation of the South African (AASA) conference in Windhoek, government (see The Star 1987-08-15). Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe called the 223 Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services South African government "boos" (evil) "others who arrived to assist, including a and " 'n heks" (a witch) (Beeld 1988-10- nurse, told the Commission that they were 24). It was no surprise that the findings of chased from the scene". Residents whom the Margo commission were rejected by we interviewed confirmed that they were these governments. prohibited from approaching the accident scene. We managed to interview a man who Once the ANC government came to assisted the nurse who tended to this power, it was expected that this survivor's injuries at a nearby clinic. controversial event would be reinvestigated. To an extent, the relationship between What Mbuzini residents remember Machel's widow Graca and Nelson Mandela Seventeen years have lapsed (1986-2003) added impetus to the quick reopening of the since the accident that made media docket. Too many questions were left headlines around the world. In terms of the unanswered and the new government was national context, the period leading up to urged to straighten the record. 1986 marked the second stimulus in the The media also seemed unable to shelve liberation struggle against apartheid, the topic. A former political investigator for namely the formation of the MDM (Mass Radio 702 in Gauteng, Deborah Patta (now Democratic Movement) and allies (e.g. with eTV), opened the files again. She Cosatu), the internal intensification of the claimed, like others, to have had access to ANC's struggle (including sanctions) as military and aviation operators who have well as the intensification of the armed decided to break their silence. No final struggle in South Africa and Namibia. conclusion has yet been reached. People's memories of events seventeen The special investigation in 1998 years ago operate on both local ( micro) and national ( macro) level. The local struggle or In 1998, the South African government the Comrade movement as it is often called, published a report entitled Special is closer to Mbuzini residents' intimate Investigation into the death of President experiences (e.g. family members and Machel. To some, it was an extension of the neighbours who were detained and later proceedings of the Truth and Reconciliation died) than events at national level. Commission (TRC). The circumstantial Understandably, Bantustan politics, in this evidence presented to the TRC led them to case the KaNgwane homeland, were also question the conclusions reached by the closer to people. A quick tour of Mbuzini Margo commission. reveals many "monuments" of the past . The TRC, in its conclusion (par 48) on dispensation; such development schemes thIS matter stated the following: and tribal offices and schools, which were The investigations concluded by the Commission officially opened by homeland leaders. raised a number of questions, including the possibility of a false beacon and the absence of a Local events, such as the death of warning from the South African authorities. The President Samora Machel and his party on matter . requires further investigation by an appropnate structure. (TRC 1998) 19 October 1986 made national and international headlines. Before the crash, In describing the crash (par 22), the few people had knowledge of the remote TRC report mentions that "one of the crash Lebombo mountain community in Mbuzini. survivors walked to a nearby house to ask for help". The author interviewed one of the For the purpose of this article, we occupants of this house whom the survivor present a selection of the oral memories of a asked for help. Paragraph 22 also states number of residents (for more detail see 224 Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services Van Vuuren 2001: 66 et seq). Interviews Mrs Rosalie N yembezi is a widow. Her were conducted between 6 and 10 husband was of Portuguese origin. That September 1999 in both English and night, her sister, her mother (who has since SiSwati. The sections in brackets indicate passed away), Manuel and an aunt of hers insertions for missing dialogue, portions of were in the house. Rosalie was born in the SiSwati text or colloquial terms. Some Mbuzini. They are traders. She is the interviews were in the form of dialogue. storekeeper in their shop. The oral testimonies are indented. The Gija Nyando (aged 73) and Mr E M identity of the research participants Nyando: (interviewees) are not revealed and their real names are substituted by pseudonyms. ON: I was a worker at the clinic it was around ten o'clock at night.