Mbuzini marks 40 years since Samora Machel tragedy, renews call for African unity

By: De-Shark

South Africa and Mozambique have renewed their commitment to strengthening African unity, economic cooperation and social development as they commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Mbuzini plane crash that claimed the life of Mozambican founding president Samora Machel and 34 other people. The commemoration, held at the Samora Machel Monument and Museum in Mbuzini on Monday, 19 October 2026, brought together Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu, members of the Machel family led by Graça Machel and other dignitaries from both countries.

The tragedy occurred on 19 October 1986 when the aircraft carrying Machel crashed in the hills of Mbuzini. Among those who died alongside the president were Cuban doctors and ambassadors from Zambia and what was then known as Zaire.

Addressing the gathering, Lamola described the tragedy as one of the most painful chapters in the history of Southern Africa’s liberation struggle, while emphasising that it also symbolised the shared sacrifices and enduring bonds between South Africa and Mozambique. He paid tribute to Machel as a committed Pan-Africanist and liberation leader who understood that Mozambique’s freedom could not be complete while South Africans remained under apartheid. Lamola recalled Mozambique’s support for South Africa’s liberation movements during the apartheid era, noting that the country and other Frontline States endured significant political, economic and human costs for standing against oppression.

He said the memorial served as a reminder of the price paid for freedom and the responsibility of present generations to preserve the ideals of human dignity, justice and self-determination. “The task of our generation is to give concrete meaning to the vision they championed,” Lamola said, calling for an Africa that is united, peaceful and prosperous, where people can live with dignity and fulfil their potential. He stressed that political liberation must be accompanied by tangible improvements in people’s lives, particularly through tackling poverty, inequality, unemployment and exclusion. Lamola also highlighted the importance of regional economic integration, industrialisation, food security, education and skills development. He pointed to the strategic importance of the Maputo Corridor, through which more than 2,500 commercial trucks travel daily, transporting goods between the two countries and onward to other markets. He called for greater investment in local manufacturing and beneficiation so that Africa’s natural resources could create jobs and support industrial development rather than being exported mainly as raw materials.

Premier Ndlovu, in his welcoming remarks, said Mbuzini remained a place of immense historical significance for South Africa, Mozambique and the wider Southern African Development Community. He paid tribute to the people of Mbuzini, particularly the elders who risked their safety by rushing to the crash site to assist the injured and search for survivors despite the presence of security forces. The community later donated the land on which the memorial was built. Ndlovu said the monument and museum attracted approximately 6,800 visitors every month, demonstrating their importance as places of remembrance, education and reflection. He urged government to preserve the heritage site and ensure that young people understood that the freedoms enjoyed today were secured through immense sacrifice. “The best way to honour President Samora Machel and his generation of African leaders is not only through the monuments we build in their memory, but also through our commitment to transforming the material conditions of our people today,” Ndlovu said.

He called for intensified efforts to fight poverty, create employment, improve access to quality education and healthcare and ensure that communities lived with dignity. The commemoration was jointly hosted by the South African and Mozambican governments, reaffirming their longstanding friendship and cooperation.