Michael Roller “Clement” Molapo: The Lion of the East Rand
On 26 July 1986, Michael Roller Molapo (aka “Clement”) was shot dead by the apartheid South African policemen, with an AK-47 rifle, an RPG-7 rocket launcher and ammunition found in his possession. “Clement” entered South Africa on 19 June 1986, in a green BMW registered SD 026, driven by Simon Dladla, and in the company of Acton Maseko. Both Dladla and Maseko belonged to the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Transvaal Implementation Machinery that was involved in Operation Cetshwayo, focusing on landmine warfare.
When “Clement” entered the country, he was equipped with hand grenades, limpet mines, AK-47 rifles, an RPG-7 launcher and rockets. He then, together with Maseko, disembarked from the car and jumped the fence before the car went through the border control post. After the BMW went through, Dladla picked up Maseko and “Clement” on the other side of the border fence and transported them further into the country. On 22 June 1986, when Dladla and Maseko had consummated what they had to do inside the country, they returned from Johannesburg to Swaziland, with two other persons, but without “Clement”.
Following the realisation that “Clement” did not return to Swaziland, on 5 July 1986, a few minutes after midnight, six policemen of the East Rand Administration Board were patrolling in Vosloorus Township when a white Cressida with three men inside, including “Clement”, drove past them.
