The SA State Theatre; Pambili Productions; and The Solomon Mahlangu Foundation presents Kalushi - the Story of Solomon Mahlangu.

Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was an Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) cadre who was wrongfully accused on charges of murder and terrorism in 1977 and executed by hanging in 1979. Born on 10 July 1956, Kalushi joined the African National Congress in September 1976 and left the country to be trained as an Umkhonto We Sizwe soldier in Angola and Mozambique. He returned to South Africa on 11 June 1977. On 13 June 1977, Mahlangu and his companions, Mondy Johannes Motloung and George Lucky Mahlangu were accosted by police in Goch Street, Johannesburg. In the ensuing gun battle two civilian men were killed and two were wounded. Lucky Mahlangu managed to escape, Solomon and Motloung were arrested.

Solomon was charged with two counts of murder and several charges under the Terrorism Act. Motloung, who was brutally beaten during their arrest, suffered severe brain damage and was unfit to stand trial. Solomon was sentenced to death by hanging on 2 March 1978. He was refused leave to appeal his sentence by the Rand Supreme Court and was again refused in the Bloemfontein Appeal Court. Although various governments; the United Nations; international organisations; and prominent individuals attempted to intercede on Solomon’s behalf, Solomon was executed on 6 April 1979.

Aubrey Sekhabi, the Artistic Director of The State Theatre, is not new to staging the true stories of The Legends of Freedom. In May 2009, Mantolo The Tenth Step, a true story about the Living Legend of Freedom, Sibusiso Sanele Masuku, was staged at The State Theatre. In 1986 Masuku, an MK cadre, was arrested and charged with terrorism and murder and he was sentenced to hang. When the time came to face the gallows his first appeal was successful, and the execution was stayed for the first time.

The Apartheid regime did not relent and he was again given notice of execution – and 10 minutes before the sentence could be carried out the execution was stayed for the second time. He was released from prison in 1994 after 39 days on hunger strike, 'a day less than Jesus' - as he puts it.

A photo exhibition of The Legends of Freedom by National Archives will be held at The Arena Foyer throughout the run of the show. Rivonia Trial and Silverton Siege will also be staged at The State Theatre before the end of 2010. Kalushi – the Story of Solomon Mahlangu will run at The South African Theatre from 20 April until 23 May.

Previews: 20, 21, 22 and 23 April
Press night: 24 April