The niece of famed ANC freedom fighter Solomon Mahlangu has joined the Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party as its newest member.

Portia Mahlangu was unveiled by the ANC’s splinter party, led by former President Jacob Zuma, yesterday after months of courting her.

Solomon Mahlangu is a famed freedom fighter who was hanged by the apartheid government in 1979 after he was found guilty of murder and terrorism. At that time, he was a member of the ANC and its military wing, Umkhonto Wesizwe, the namesake of the current MK Party.

In a statement, the MK Party said it was honoured to have Mahlangu within its ranks, adding she joined it with the full blessing and support of her father, Chief Lucas Mahlangu.

“Mam Portia Mahlangu assuming membership into the MK Party, approximately 46 years after the brutal murder of her uncle, is especially significant as this serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for the liberation of our people.

“Upon his execution, Solomon Mahlangu’s last words were, “My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom”. It is therefore imperative for the MK Party to amplify the call to our people to, like uMam’Portia Mahlangu, pick up the spear and continue to heed the call to liberate the marginalized,” the MKP said in a statement.

The MK Party added that the hanged Solomon Mahlangu, shared a cherished brotherhood with its leader, Zuma and has always been remembered for his unbroken spirit in the fight for the liberation of black people in South Africa, as well as for his bravery in resisting the apartheid regime through acts of courage and sheer self-determination.