special Prison Hearings 1997-07-21 THE FORT - JOHNNESBURG 1 MRS ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=56365&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/special/prison/narkedie.htm DR BORAINE MRS NARKEDIEN My father. DR BORAINE MRS ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN (sworn states) DR BORAINE MR DLAMINI MRS NARKEDIEN Yes it was long after that. We were trying to leave to go to Botswana and that morning they arrested us. MR DLAMINI After that you were taken back to Durban under very ... conditions with balaclavas pulled over your faces, is that right? MRS NARKEDIEN Yes. MR DLAMINI Can you tell us what happened from the time you arrived in Durban? MRS NARKEDIEN You mean at the Seerswart Square police station? MR DLAMINI Yes. MRS NARKEDIEN MR DLAMINI Can you take us to your experience when you were actually in prison? MRS NARKEDIEN MR DLAMINI MRS NARKEDIEN I think before I got to Klerksdorp if I can just say that when I was Pietermaritzburg Female Prison for two or three months when I was attending the trial at the Pietermaritzburg Supreme Court, I was charged with about eighteen different counts of terrorism, furthering the aims of the ANC, the Magoo bombing, the raid we did on the Edenvale hospital to rescue Gordon Webster. MR DLAMINI MRS NARKEDIEN MR DLAMINI MRS NARKEDIEN So I had to pay the price just for being a coloured person. It was the first time that I had to face the fact that I was part of a minority. Other than that I was just an African woman so even my comrades used the fact that I was not really an African in their eyes. It was painful for them to also deny me that right to be an African woman because my parents have always taught me that my Zulu ancestors mean a lot to them so it hurt to also be tortured by your own comrades. I understand that they were in prison longer than me and they were more disturbed than I was but I suffered unnecessarily because of this Coloured issue. I think I should end on this isolation. When you were asking the question earlier on about isolation I feel that the Correctional Services and the Human Rights Organisation must ensure that they visit the prisons and no prisoner other than a really violent one should be alone for more than three months. I did complain to the Magistrates as you also asked earlier on but the were utterly uncaring. All the Magistrates that visited us in the prisons even in the Section 29, at every prison they came there but they just took record and they did nothing so ... they should also be charged because they were just as brutal in ignoring us, taking our complaints but doing absolutely nothing. MR DLAMINI MRS NARKEDIEN MR DLAMINI In order to make sure that this kind of abuse of human rights does not happen again, do you have any suggestions? MRS NARKEDIEN MR DLAMINI Mr Chairman before I hand back to you I just want to for your information, mention that Mrs Narkedien has applied for amnesty in respect of the ... she touched on earlier on. I just mention this so that if questions are being asked people are aware of that. On a lighter note Zahrah I notice that when you were relating your traumatic experiences, it would appear that prayer and worshipping sustained you but when the Chairperson asked you to take an oath you were not comfortable. MRS NARKEDIEN MR DLAMINI I was wondering whether perhaps when you were praying to God during your detentions and imprisonment God did not answer you and you had given up. MRS NARKEDIEN MR DLAMINI Thank you Mr Chairman can I hand over to you? DR BORAINE Are there any questions? Mrs Seroke? MRS SEROKE Zahrah do you think that they deliberately reared those rats in that prison to terrorize you? MISS NARKEDIEN MRS SEROKE MISS NARKEDIEN MRS SEROKE Thank you Mr Chairperson. DR BORAINE Anyone else? Tom Manthata? MR MANTHATA Sorry my question is, having experienced this feeling of rejection as a minority, is there any way or any means that you are trying to address it where you can even tell it to us for the benefit of others. MISS NARKEDIEN DR BORAINE MISS NARKEDIEN Thank you. DR BORAINE HEARING ADJOURNS