KENNY Motsamai will match the 27 years that former president Nelson Mandela spent in prison for political activities in January next year.

He has spent 26 years in jail, the first five under apartheid and the next 21 under the ANC government.

The mother of one of his two children, Mantombi Magagula, was pregnant with Motsamai's daughter when the Azanian People's Liberation Army (Apla) commander was sent to prison in January 1989.

Motsamai was 26 when he was jailed for the murder of a white traffic officer in Rustenburg during an Apla-sanctioned robbery.

He was later sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment after democracy.

Mantombi's daughter, Busi, has only seen her father in prison fatigues.

"He has served his time, they worked hard to free the country," said Mantombi, who was only 16 when she met Motsamai, now 52, at an Apla training camp in Tanzania.

According to Busi, her father counsels new prisoners, works as a handyman and has even converted to Islam.

"He works for the very same government that does not want to release him," she complained.

Mantombi and her daughter believe Motsamai has given up hope of ever being released.

Former-Apla member Chris Sankara put the number of his fellow PAC comrades still imprisoned for political activities at more than 1950.

"The number was larger. Some were released, others died in jail. All of them were arrested before 1994. Their only crime was to fight against apartheid," Sankara said.

He insisted that the robbery was sanctioned by Apla bosses.

"Traffic cops were also part of the apartheid security apparatus," said Sankara.

He said former Apla combatants were in prisons across South Africa.

Now the PAC has asked the international community for support to force the government to release the Apla soldiers.

Motsamai has previously stated that he never appeared before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's amnesty committee, but was represented by the law firm of judges Willie Seriti and Moses Mavundla.

He was denied a blanket amnesty.

During TRC hearings, some Apla and PAC members were denied amnesty because their offences were deemed to be not "sufficiently political".

The PAC's Gcobani Katiya said the government has forgotten about ex-Apla members.

"There is no will in this government to take care of people, generally," said Katiya.

He said even former-Apla members integrated into the SA National Defence Force are neglected and constantly complaining about not being promoted and sent to training courses.

Katiya said the new PAC leadership's programme includes a "robust campaign" to have former-Apla members released.

The Justice Department referred enquiries to the Presidency. However, President Jacob Zuma's spokesman Mac Maharaj asked for questions to be sent via e-mail but had not responded by the time of going to print late yesterday.sidimbal@sowetan.co.za