Exactly 30 years after her daughter was brutally killed in Gugulethu, Linda Biehl returned to the site where her child spent the last few minutes of her life on Friday 25 August 1993.
Biehl from the United States of America (USA) joined scores of Gugulethu residents who braved Friday’s chilly weather to commemorate her daughter’s life Amy.
The event, held at the Motale properties, also marked the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Amy Foundation Trust. The trust is designed to keep Amy’s legacy by empowering needy people from previously disadvantaged communities with different skills.
Following a brief service at the Motale properties, residents made their way to the site where Amy was killed to lay the flowers.
Amy Biehl was a young student and activist who was killed by mob justice in Gugulethu in 1993 during the apartheid era.
In an interview with City Vision, Linda described the commemoration as something that evoked memories about her daughter. She stated it was also an opportunity for the nation to reflect and heal from the atrocities of the past.
“My daughter’s death taught me a lot of things including love and experience. When I arrived at her monument I could feel her spirit,” she explained.
Linda said every time she visited South Africa, she learned something new. “I learn new things like culture, music and so on. I wish we could work together as a community. In the country, I see a lot of division, but it is not only here, but worldwide,” said Linda, and urged the youth not to give up.
Gugulethu Development Forum secretary Vincent Domingo described the commemoration as part of the ongoing efforts to heal and restore the nation.
He said it not only reminded the community about the old days but also promoted unity among different cultures. “It is important for our government to put our local history in the curriculum so that our young children can learn about it at school,” said Domingo.