GENERAL VELAPHI SAZI FLAVIOUS MSANE WAS BESTOWED WITH ORDER OF LUTHULI ON THE 25TH APRIL 2019, AT PRETORIA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, HIS EXCELLENCY: MR CYRIL MATAMELA RAMAPHOSA.
As the Saul Msane Legacy Heritage Trust, we herewith wish to express our gratitude and congratulate General Velaphi Sazi Flavious Msane, who was bestowed with The Order Of Luthuli by the President Of The Republic Of South Africa, His Excellency: Mr Cyrl Ramaphosa which took place on the 25th April 2019, in Pretoria for his excellent and selfless contribution to fight for liberation of the people of South Africa.
Indeed Cde Velaphi Sazi Flavious Msane, affectionately known as Bra Veli to his family, or General to his MK counterparts , and as Cde Faku to his comrades in exile, a grandson of other unsung liberation struggle activist, Herbert Nuttal Vuma Msane, Secretary-General of Transvaal National Natives Congress, and Founding President of Industrial Workers Union Of Africa, the great grand son of Sir Saul Msane, ANC Deputy President in 1912, and Secretary-General 1917 - 1924.
It is a great honour, not only to Cde Veli Msane himself, but also to entire Msane clan people, as of the Msane Heritage Trust we've began our fight for recognition as from 2015, and we were fortunate to meet with former President Zuma to discuss about recognition of Msane clan liberation struggle activists who appear in the records and history of our freedom struggle. We also consulted with the late former MK Secretary-General, Cde Santana Ntombela for his verification with MK involvement, and early this year we also raised our call for recognition with current ANC Secretary-General, Cde Ace Magashule.
The Order Of Luthuli demonstrates his commitment and outstanding work raising awareness about repression in our country at the time. His brief history as revolutionary activist began when he joined the ANC in 1973 and left the country three years later for military training. His military training included the use of firearms, manufacture and use of explosives and political thoughts.
After undergoing military training he was infiltrated back to the country in April 1980, with colleague who is now deceased. He was part of the Solomon Mahlangu Special Operation outfit. They had to purchase a motor vehicle to be used in special operations that were intended to commence on the 25th May 1980, they collected other members of the unit at the border all in the group of ten persons. and went deeper into South Africa in order to effect economic sabotage on strategic installations.
The first operation planned was to blow up installation referred to as Secunda II and other targets were also identified, that was Sasolburg installations. In 1982 his group was divided into a sabotage unit and another into an artillery group. He chose artillery group and they went to Sasolburg and other three went to Natref, thereafter they all went back to Soweto, and then to Mozambique.
The Natref incident failed because the group was confronted by the security guards and the effort failed. Scorpio a unit member in the Natref group shot one security guard who were mostly white. For a period of six months, he ensured that arms and explosives under his control were infiltrated into the country. In June 1983, four of them made an attempt to do damage in Secunda II and III by means of a 122 missile rocket launcher. This operation failed because the rocket veered away from the target. Five rockets were fired and all missed. In 1984, the operation in Secunda I and II were attempted again. Again five rockets were fired and all missed the target. During November 1985, a third attempt was made at firing rockets at Secunda II and III again the rockets veered away from the intended target.
On retreat, the group was confronted a shootout ensued with South African Army. There was some casualties on both side. In 1989, he was part of a group that launched a mortar attack on slurry defence force base near Ramatlabana extensive damage was caused to the building and a number of unknown injuries were foreseen but nonetheless all these operations were committed within the philosophy of MK activities committed for political reasons. He was granted amnesty for delicit and offences in respect to the following incidents;
1(a) Sabotage of the Sasolburg petrol installations;
(b) Sabotage of the Natref and Coal installations;
(c) Contravention of the Explosives Act No 26 of 1956;
(d) Attempted murder during the attempts to Secunda I and II in June 1983, June 1984, and November 1985;
(e) Contravention of the Explosives Act No. 26 of 1956 in regard to the attack on the base of Ramatlabana in May 1989;
(h) Contravention of Firearms and Ammunition Act No. 75 Of 1969 and Explosives Act No. 26 Of 1956 during the period 1980 to 1989.
Cde Velaphi Sazi Flavious Msane, is now retired after he was deployed by ANC as South African National Defence Force as Chief Of Staff. In all these operation attacks that he participated no lives were lost, as he was making sure that he was upholding to ANC policies not to attack human lives, only buildings were destroyed. The late ANC President of the time Oliver Tambo was aware of those units and their duties and commended high calibre of intelligent in carrying out attacks.
The attack on the Sasolburg Oil Refinery was one of the units mission, sobon the 25th April 2019, he will be honoured with one of the National Orders in respect of his contribution to democratic liberation struggle of this country.
We also honour and appreciate him as an individual for his commitment and dedication by sacrificing all his interest to the freedom of the people of South Africa, indeed he deserves to be recognized for conducting and coordinating a highly intelligent sterling work to realize freedom. For all operations of sabotage of economic activity he appeared before the Truth And Reconciliation Commission and amnesty was granted on the 9th March 2001.
"This statement was extracted from The Truth And Reconciliation Commission Amnesty Committee", and ;
Presented by;
Msane Tribe Heritage Trust
Saul Msane Legacy Recognition Project
Represented by;
Zwakele Ka Vangise Msane
Researcher & Human Rights Activist
Contact Number: 061 843 6809
