Katharina Riebesel
THEY fought for decades against social injustice and limited human rights. Now young curators are standing up to preserve their contribution to South Africa’s apartheid past.
Dineo Mosia and Debbie Mubulayi are among youngsters who interviewed anti-apartheid activists from District Six and will present those individual stories at the Homecoming Centre of the District Six Museum (D6M). The exhibition, “From the shadows into the light”, can be seen until Freedom Day on April 27.
Every year the D6M and the South African Constitutional Literacy and Service Initiative (Clasi) provide high school pupils the opportunity to interpret and visualise life stories of anti-apartheid activists and keep the memories of District Six alive.
Mosia talked to Faldilah de Vries, also known as “Aunty De Vries”, whose family was forcibly removed from District Six.
The activist explained to the youngster from Immaculata Secondary School in Wynberg that she experienced discrimination in her daily life, for example, on the school bus where certain sections were reserved for specific people based on race categories.
Those forms of social injustice motivated her to join the ANC. Today, De Vries is still politically active and manages the Manenberg People’s Centre.
According to De Vries, political activism exists today, but it is not as widespread as it should be. She told Mosia that the youth had to learn more about their constitutional rights and make a plan for their future.
“I have learnt a lot from her. Ordinary people can make a change as well,” the 16-year-old said.
Mubulayi, also a pupil from Immaculata Secondary School, had the chance to get insights into the life of Ntombomzi Kate Ncisana. He found it “really interesting”.
Ncisana spent 23 days on a hunger strike at St George’s Cathedral to protest against the forced removals while she was breast-feeding her baby.
The activist had to give birth to her second child in the bush, which shocked the 15-year-old high school pupil. “We have got all those opportunities today,” Mubulayi said.
A few years after the hunger strike, Ncisana was struck by lightning.
“She had to go to a hospital, but they did not let her in because she was black,” Mubulayi said.
One of the nurses pretended to be related to Ncisana to provide her with the necessary medical treatment.
During the launch of their exhibition last weekend, the young curators explained that the inter-generational conversations have enriched their understanding of life under unjust apartheid laws.
They said it was important to tackle constitutional and human rights in today’s society.