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Content
A listing of transcripts of the dialogue and narrative of this section.
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Structure
The list provides the transcript, info about the text, and links to references contained in the text.
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Special Report
Transcripts for Section 4 of Episode 15
| Time | Summary | | | 20:09 | In Beaufort West this week the Truth Commission heard evidence from Karoo towns such as Kanaven and Mariesburg. But tonight we take you with us to the small town of Victoria West, home of three witnesses before the Truth Commission. Anneliese Burgess looks at two events that still haunt this town. | Full Transcript | | 20:26 | Victoria West is a sleepy town in the middle of the Great Karoo. But it, like most other towns dotted across this vast landscape, carries its battle scars from the past. The first dates back to false rumours of an attack on white inhabitants of the town in 1968. The other took place almost 20 years later when an entire family became the target of another rumour campaign, this time of being sell-outs. Both took place here, in the small black township of Mashinosane. When the police knocked on Alwinus Mgalasi’s door at four o’clock one morning in 1968 the first thought that crossed his mind was that he might be behind with his poll tax. But when he stepped out of his door he realized there was more to his arrest than met the eye. // The whole street was full of vans even the street on the other side and the street in front of that. My goodness, something else is going on here. I got a fright. Although you could not see it you could feel something was going on. I went into the office ...more | Full Transcript and References | | 22:16 | But despite their disbelief at the allegations the state’s case against the 26 arrested men soon emerged. It was based on information received from five state witnesses. // First they said we were terrorists who were going to be trained in Tanzania. They dropped that then we were accused of being Poqo members of planning to poison the town’s water and cut off the electricity and telephone lines. They also said the 26 of us were planning to attack the town from the mountain. | Full Transcript | | 23:04 | The case went to the Cape Town Supreme Court. The 26 men spent almost 18 months in prison before the state star witness finally admitted to lying. // This x54 who testified in court was a boy from Victoria West. We never really noticed him. He’s originally from Molteno this Harry Maphiri. He was born there. In Molteno he did the same thing. He told the same story and people were also arrested. | Full Transcript | | 23:44 | Alwinus Mgalasi was the first one to be released. // I cried. My heart was sore because I thought we were all going to be released. I was the last to testify. I had closed the case. But anyway, I was given a train ticket. The men all gave me messages to take back home. They all cried and we hugged. I said ‘guys, remember you will also get out.’ Then I went home. | Full Transcript | | 24:20 | For him the pain lies in remembering his family suffering during his detention. His son, born while he was in prison did not know who he was when he came home. // One morning he came to me and I put him in my lap. I thought he was going to cry again. Then he put his arm around me and kissed me. My child kissed me. He still loves me. Never forsake your own blood. Never. | Full Transcript | | 25:03 | William Makulani is the only other member of the 26 who still lives in Victoria West. He was also the one most severely tortured by the police and it is for this that he went to the Truth Commission. // Because they beat me up so badly for something I did not do. // But was there any truth in the rumours? // It’s not true. It’s not true. Those people know the stories they told were not true. // So there was no plan to attack the town? // No. | Full Transcript | | 25:44 | Then, almost 20 years later a second event rocked the town. The Manong family was branded as impimpis. Some say it was because the one brother was a councillor, but it was Emily Manong a grandmother, who was burnt to death. // It was 1985, August the 27th, it was on Saturday. But before that, it was before UDFs before ANCs, there was always, when they sing they used to sing my mother’s name in between what they sing: She’s impimpi. The Xhosa name is xombela, impimpi. // I just saw the smoke billow and flames spill out of the roof. A lot of men were on the roof. Some were pulling out the TV aerials into the house. My husband asked what was going on. Three of them threw petrol and paraffin. He then ran to the police. // The children were wounded. My sister was burned but my mother was most badly burned from her face downwards the last thing she said in hospital was ‘They got me but they didn’t get my soul.’ // The whole location was there. There were so many you couldn’t ...more | Full Transcript and References | | 27:22 | Today Daniel and Susan Manong are the only family members left in Victoria West. // We were very, very sad about my mother who was burned for no reason. Even today I struggle. I had to turn to God to help me. But we are not angry with them. I walk amongst them. But I gave them over to God. He will deal with them. | Full Transcript |
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