Dimitri Tsafendas… son of a Greek man who had “mated” with a Mozambican woman, the woman was of mixed Tsonga (mother) and British (father) ancestry; is the man who took a decision to end Hendrik Verwoerd’s madness.
Dimitri, by virtue of having a Tsonga maternal grandmother, and a mother of mixed race, appeared to be a White male of darker complexion. You see, among Blacks, he was White and among Whites, he was either Kaffir or Coloured (Amper Baas).
Dimitri, out of anger, pain, and anguish had asked the National Party race classifiers, to remove him from the White Classification to Coloured Classification, so that, he could live with his Coloured girlfriend. The crazy Nats REFUSED. They kept him White, yet ridiculed him for being a darker White.
You see, some political organisations had been leading “peaceful” toyi-toyi against the brutal Apartheid Regime. By the way, Dimitri was a member of a certain political party that, even today, claims to be “radical and revolutionary”. The “Anti-Apartheid” Movements made long religious speeches, held sermons, and berated Apartheid.
But Dimitri was being “eaten” from the inside…
One day, Dimitri, took a dagger (Brutus way) and stabbed the then Prime Minister, Hendrik Verwoerd.
Guess what, those who were “Anti-Apartheid”, made speeches, “distancing” themselves, not only from Dimitri, but from his actions. His political party “disowned” him, so did his Church. They (Anti-Apartheid Movements) NEVER forgave Dimitri for killing Verwoerd (The genius architect of Apartheid).
Even today, they regard Dimitri as a criminal.
But, Dimitri, ntukulu wa hahani… Wisa hi kurhula! To me, you are a hero.
Image: Sansimera