Upington 26

Explanation
Twenty-six people were charged with participation in the crowd killing of Municipal Policeman Lucas 'Jetta' Sethwala in Paballelo, Upington, on 13 November 1985. Of the 25 convicted of murder on the basis of common purpose, 14 were sentenced to death. The twenty-sixth person was convicted of attempted murder. The death sentences were later overturned on appeal and most were given prison terms instead. Those serving prison terms were later released as political prisoners.

TV Series Hearing Transcripts TRC Final Report TRC Victims

Transcript of episode 22, section 1, starting at: 00:27

... work on the Truth Commission. But let’s start with Upington. First there were the Sharpeville six, then the Delmas Treason Trialists and then the Upington 26. All controversial cases in which entire groups of people were sentenced to death for murder, not because they actually killed someone ...

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Episode 22 | Watch the Episode

This episode covers the HRV Committee hearings held in Upington (2 to 3 October) focusing on the ?Upington 26,? a group of people charged for murder under the ?common purpose? principle and sentenced to death. The episode also covers the HRV hearings held in Thohoyandou (3 to 4 October) where we ...

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Episode 22, Section 2 | Watch the Video

The Upington 26

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Transcript of episode 22, section 2, starting at: 01:59

The story of the Upington 26 is one of murder committed in the frenzy of political upheaval. But it is also a lesson in the horror of the death penalty. Although the accused in the Upington 26 murder trial was saved from the gallows, the death row experienced left deep scars on the entire ...

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Transcript of episode 22, section 2, starting at: 04:19

... on death row for two years before the appeal was heard. Three were acquitted and the others had their sentences commuted to prison terms. Today the Upington 26 are free and some are back in Pabalelo. They carry the horror with them, still claiming their innocence. They are ready neither to ...

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Transcript of episode 68, section 4, starting at: 30:54

Approximately three weeks ago I saw documentation being destroyed by the police and I assume that it was as a result of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission investigators’ pending visit to the police station.

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Transcript of episode 22, section 2, starting at: 11:18

Those convicted on the basis of common purpose and sent to death row say their lives will never be the same. // The death sentence does not only hurt the person who is to hang. Firstly it hurts your family. It kills you twice, it kills you psychologically. By the time they hang you, you are no ...

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Transcript of episode 22, section 2, starting at: 10:22

... at that time, because the mandatory death sentence for murder was still in place. Death sentences for the members of the Sharpeville Six and the Upington 26 sparked an international outcry. // To apply the principle of common purpose in a case of murder, particularly when one is looking at the ...

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Transcript of episode 21, section 7, starting at: 37:05

... with these questions this coming week. And we hope to bring you some straight answers in our programme next Sunday. Our team will also be in Upington and Thohoyandouthis week. We look forward to your company next Sunday evening. Good ...

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Transcript of episode 22, section 2, starting at: 09:25

During the eighties the common purpose principle was widely used in our courts. Sharpeville, Upington and Delmas saw some of the high profile cases in which people were found guilty of murders they had not actually committed. But what exactly is common purpose? // // Common purpose is a principle ...

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