Declarations

Itumeleng Billyboy Mokobo was born on 29 August 1967 in Thabong (Welkom). He was the 5 th child of the Mokobo family. He was schooled in Thabong until he left the country to join the ANC in exile in 1985. This happened after an attempt on his life was made by the police.

According to Jeremy Seekings, in many townships around the country young workers, together with university and school students, generally dominated the formal leadership of the youth organisation, but there were also many young unemployed people.9 It should be noted that at school level, the most vibrant student organisation was the Congress of South African Students (COSAS). COSAS had branches in many of the African townships around the country.

It should be noted that as early as 1984 black townships around South Africa exploded in protest. Initial protests were often focused on specific municipal and educational grievances, but they soon developed into a ‘township revolt’ against apartheid as a whole. The state responded with inadequate concessions and repression that escalated the conflict. Even severe repression served only to contain the revolt. By the end of the 1980s it was clear to the apartheid state that there was no alternative to a negotiated settlement with its principal opponent, the banned ANC. Young black people played central roles in the revolt. For some observers, the township youth were the heroes, the ‘young lions’ or ‘young warriors’. This culture of politicised youth also engulfed places such as Thabong in Welkom.

On 26 February 1985, the Sowetan reported that not only Itumeleng was injured when the house was petrol-bombed. Mzikayise Edom who wrote for the Sowetan claimed that the bombing of these two houses was a result of riots that took place in Thabong by students from Lebogang and Thotagauta High Schools. The riots were triggered by the closure of the schools by the Department of Education and Training after students had been boycotting classes.