Struggle veterans reminisced about the evils of the apartheid regime as they gathered to celebrate the arrival of the ANC’s Centenary torch.
|||Veterans of the apartheid struggle reminisced about the evils of the apartheid regime and the courage of ordinary Cape Flats communities as they gathered yesterday to celebrate the arrival of the ANC’s Centenary torch at the old Luxurama Theatre in Wynberg.
Many paid tribute to fallen heroes, members of their families and the large number of anti-apartheid activists who fought for freedom.
The ANC torch has entered the final stretch of its journey through the Western Cape, visiting each of the six ANC regions, swapping hands from community to community.
It arrived last week in the Mother City, and has since travelled through suburbs and townships alike throughout the Peninsula.
Yesterday it was the turn of Wynberg, where the gathering was joined by Igshaan Amlay and Wayne Jordaan, two of the Wynberg 7, a group of student activists who were arrested and imprisoned in October 1985 on charges of public violence.
Jordaan, who now lives in Mitchells Plain, said being back at the Luxurama Theatre brought back bitter memories.
“We were of the first middle class families and students who went to prison. I thought I dealt with all those feelings, but clearly there are still unresolved issues. Being back here just brings back all the terrible memories.”
Back then, he said, everyone was part of the United Democratic Front (UDF).
“We were becoming stronger and stronger, that scared a lot of people,” he said.
Amlay said it was sad that so many people who fought against the apartheid regime had never received the recognition they deserved.
“What we did was for the people. Those were hard times but we managed to survive,” he said. “Recognising the past reminds you all the time where you come from, and how far we came. But now we must revisit the values that we fought for in the struggle.”
Begum Pandy, 69, said she had many bad memories about the struggle days.
Remembering how the Wynberg 7 had been arrested at her house, she said: “They ran into my house and tried to hide but police caught up. The police kicked in the doors and were beating those kids, including my son, in my house.”
Back in the 1980s, she added, Wynberg was the place for secret gatherings.
“We had a cause to fight and, after lots of hardship, we finally prevailed.”
Pandy said she believed a lot of good had come after apartheid, but that there were many problems that still needed to be tackled.
Raghmat Jaffer, 85, recalled the hardships that many families had endured during the apartheid days.
An icon in her own right, she and her family were actively involved in the struggle:
“We’ve all come through a great deal of pain, having our sons and daughters arrested, beaten and tortured, people being uprooted and dumped elsewhere. But there has been a great deal of change. We know now that apartheid will not be coming back.”
Jaffer recalled how she would open the windows late at night to set off the alarm when police banged on the door in search of her children.
“When the neighbours heard the alarm, they’d rush outside in their pyjamas to see what was going on. This way police could not just do what they wanted, without anyone knowing.”
Her daughter, Zubeida, who was regularly arrested, detained and even tortured during the apartheid era, said she was very fortunate to have lived through the struggle.
“What those days showed us is that ordinary people who stand up for their rights can be heard, and can make a difference.”
The flame of struggle and hope heads for Robben Island later this week before being handed to the Mpumalanga province by the ANC’s Western Cape leadership.
warda.meyer@inl.co.za