Sabelo Phama

**Sabelo Phama** [wey dem born as **Sabelo Gqwetha**] (31 March 1949 – 9 February 1994) be political activist, Military Commander for Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) plus Secretary for Defense for Pan African Congress (PAC).

## Early life
Dem born Sabelo Phama insyd Eastern Cape, Mthatha, South Africa. Ein hometown be Baziya, wey be one rural area wey dey outskirts of Mthatha. Ein poppie be Cyril Thozama Gqwetha plus ein mommie be Thembani (Nee Mlambo) Gqwetha. Sabelo spend majority of ein childhood time plus ein grandparents wey be teachers by profession. He start ein primary school for Baziya Mission School for 1955 when he be six years. At age 12 plus 13, Sabelo start get contact plus PAC underground leaders, wey he dey put pressure top demma branch plus cell leaders make dem go Lesotho for go learn revolutionary theory. As PAC ein task force for early 1960s talk am, de "Africanist" youth take de 1963 target date for great offensive plus liberation serious emotionally plus fanatically.

He finish ein primary plus secondary school for Elliot plus Cala, respectively. For 1959 and 1967, dem reject am plus sack am from St John's College for Umthatha. He later learn for Ngangelizwe High School, wey dem just form for Umthatha, for get ein matriculation certificate. After ein high school, Sabelo go work for one year, then enter university. For 1970, he dey work plus study part-time for University of Witwatersrand, wey ein uncle Sipho Gqweta too dey work inside de Botany department.

From 1971 go 1973, he study for Bachelor of Arts degree insyd University of Fort Hare, Alice, wey he help organize PAC structures for de campus inside. Sabelo Phama like de study of philosophy well, even though plenty people see dat course as hard. He be active member for de rugby executive wey pioneer de formation of de progressive South African Rugby Union for different parts of de country. Dem sack am for September 1973 because he join student strike.

## Career
After dem sack am from Fort Hare, he work as clerk for de interior department for Umthatha. As he dey work, he register for University of South Africa to finish ein senior degree program. But after he pay for lectures plus books, dem send am one letter wey talk say dem ban am from studying for any university inside South Africa for two years. Security police dey monitor am steady. Within one year for 1974, he comot from de interior department and go work for TDC Wholesalers for Thembalethu. Dem appoint Sabelo as PAC inter-regional coordinator. So he start dey travel go Transvaal, Natal plus Botswana more often.

After Mozambique gain independence, directive come from late T. M. Ntantala, Mothopeng plus Maboza wey visit PAC underground structures talk say dem need cadres for outside work, make dem go through different training programs plus duties. Sabelo join de first group wey lef for Tanzania insyd 1975. From June go August 1975, he go party plus army building course for China. As e like military activities pass diplomatic work, he later lead platoon of cadres go China for military training. He do ein basic infantry training for Tanzania then China. For 1976, he return to South Africa with late APLA commander, Eddie Phiri (wey dem dey call Lancelot Dube), plus 25 APLA cadres; he dey platoon wey consist mainly of commissars plus intelligence units. Dem mission na to prepare underground structure for intake of cadres wey train outside, make dem gradually integrate PAC ein liberation struggle. Dem call dis "Operation Curtain Raiser."

Wen de late Chairman, John Nyathi Pokela take over as PAC leader, he instruct many comrades make dem strengthen de external headquarters, Sabelo Phama dey among dem. He turn one of de APLA leaders plus later, for December 1981, dem appoint am as Secretary for Defence plus commander of APLA. As APLA commander plus Secretary for Defence, he visit many countries for orientation plus upgrade, like Yugoslavia, China, Libya plus Uganda.

Under Sabelo Phama ein leadership, APLA ein campaign gather momentum plus e capture de attention of popular media. Reports plus analysis dey appear on top big pages and editorial columns. APLA dey clash with South African Defence Force (SADF) for border areas plus inside townships. Dem continue to dey exchange fire with police plus army, wey include serious confrontations for Lichtenburg, Port Elizabeth, East London, Pietermaritzburg, Bloemfontein plus other places.

### 1993 attacks on civilian targets
Insyd 1993, as APLA ein chief commander, Phama talk say he "go aim ein guns at children" make e pain white people for where e go pain dem pass. Phama name 1993 as "De Year of de Great Storm" plus he give approval make dem attack civilians, including:

* King William’s Town Golf Club insyd 28 November 1992, wey four people die.
* Saint James Church massacre insyd Kenilworth on 25 July 1993, wey 11 people die during church service.
* Heidelberg Tavern Massacre for Observatory on 31 December 1993, wey four people die.
* Mdantsane for 11 March 1994, wey three Iranians die. APLA claim responsibility for de attacks, talk say: "Dem men be shot make we show say no place dey for de new South Africa for any race wey invent apartheid or suppress de black masses."

Altogether, thirty-two applications enter for attacks against civilians. Insyd all dis attacks, 24 people die and 122 people seriously injure.

De Truth and Reconciliation Commission don talk say de PAC-sanctioned actions wey target white South Africans be "serious violations of human rights wey PAC and APLA leadership go bear de moral plus political responsibility and accountability for."

## Death
On 9 February 1994, Phama die insyd motor accident insyd Morogoro, wey dey about 200 kilometres west from Dar es Salaam insyd Tanzania, as he dey go South Africa through Zimbabwe. Dem talk say de motor wey he dey inside jam parked truck, wey kill Phama straight. Dem bury am for ein hometown, Baziya. Ein parents, ein wife Dudu, plus two sons still dey alive after ein death.

## References


## External links