Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1999-10-07

MR DEHAL: Thank you, Mr Chairperson.  Mr Chairperson, sorry, the point I was going to raise earlier is that Ms Narkedien was otherwise known as Greta Apelgren, has a blood pressure problem.  She has a low blood pressure. She has some lollies in front of her.  She takes those just to keep her sugar level fine.  I just didn't want that to sound disrespectful if she did so.

CHAIRPERSON: No and Ms Narkedien, if you need to have any break or whatever, just let Mr Dehal know and we can take any short break that you require.

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you wish to take the oath, or do you wish to make an affirmation?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Affirmation, please.

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: (affirms)

MR DEHAL: Thank you.

MR DEHAL: Ms Narkedien, is it correct that you were previously known as Greta Apelgren?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, it's true.

MR DEHAL: Do you confirm your application for amnesty as contained in bundle A1 on pages 180 to 186?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, I do.

MR DEHAL: That application is brought in the name of Zarah Narkedien, correct?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes.

MR DEHAL: I think you clarified in that application how your name came to be changed?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: I'm not sure.

MR DEHAL: Okay, we'll deal with that briefly.  Ms Narkedien, is it correct that you have prepared a written statement and would like to read that into the record?  Perhaps before we begin, if I may just give copies to everybody?  Thank  you.  Do you mind?

CHAIRPERSON: Will this be Exhibit P I think.  Exhibit P.

MR DEHAL: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Yes, we'll mark this Exhibit P and I think that that formerly should be "erly", rather than "ally".

MR DEHAL: I would think so, yes.  I'm sorry.
Ms Narkedien would you read paragraph 1 which deals with identifying particulars, into the record?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Okay.
My name is Zarah Narkedien, formerly Greta Apelgren.  I was born in Durban on the 14th of August 1956.

MR DEHAL: Slower please.  You see the interpreters would have to go through them and interpret them bit by bit. We've just handed a copy to them, so they would be able to do so easily.  Let's just wait until they get it.  Fine, you may proceed.
MS NARKEDIEN
I spent most of my life in the working class township of Wentworth.  I presently reside in Kimberley.  I've been resident in Kimberley since December 1995, when I took up the position as Director of Welfare for the Northern Cape Administration.
		I graduated from the University of the Western Cape in 1978 with majors in Social Work and Sociology.  During the 1976 student protests, I learned the full realities of how oppressive and destructive apartheid was in the lives of black youth,

MR DEHAL: Sorry, slower.
MS NARKEDIEN
particularly in terms of the old black education and the merciless violence of the previous government towards black youth, shooting children in the school yards and in the streets.

MR DEHAL: Ms Narkedien is it correct that your application for amnesty relates to simply four counts in regard to which you were convicted during the trial that we spoke of in which you were the co-accused with Mr McBride?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Actually five counts.

MR DEHAL: Sorry, five counts.  Thank you.  And is it correct that you were acquitted of all the other counts that you were charged with?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, that is correct.

MR DEHAL: And you seek amnesty only in regard to those counts that you were convicted on?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, that's true.

MR DEHAL: Sorry, before I proceed - and this application for amnesty is in your handwriting, correct?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, thank you, it is.

MR DEHAL: Were you assisted in completing this application by any attorney, advocate?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: No, I completed it myself.

MR DEHAL: Thank you.  Now will you go to paragraph 2, which deals with your civic involvement?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Okay.
From 1980 to 1986, I helped establish and manage the Wentworth Development Centre, which focused mostly on the social development needs of the youth of Wentworth.  I was an executive member of the Board of Management of the centre.  I was an executive member of the Local Civic Organisation.  I was an active member of the local Catholic church, working mostly with youth programmes, I was an active member of the Natal Youth Organisation.  Prior to my arrest, I was employed as a professional community development officer by the Durban Child and Family welfare Society, dealing mostly with issues affecting township women and children, impacted upon mainly by the inequalities of apartheid.

MR DEHAL: And the next paragraph in Exhibit P, your statement, deals with your political involvement.  It's purely a very brief summation of your political involvement.  Is it correct that you have precis'd it and brought it down as much as possible to what is now here?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, that is true.

MR DEHAL: Okay. Will you read that please?  Slowly please.

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Okay.
During 1983 to 1985, I was an active member of the political organisation known as the United Democratic Front, UDF, as well as an active member of my local township branch of the UDF, referred to as the Wentworth United Committee of Concern, UCC.  Through these structures, I campaigned actively against the tricameral elections because it deliberately excluded African people from that political dispensation.  African people would continue to be denied their democratic rights to vote.  Shortly after the unbanning of the ANC in 1990, I became an executive member of the Wentworth branch of the ANC, an executive member of the Provincial Natal ANC Youth League, an executive member of the Provincial Natal ANC Welfare Committee.

MR DEHAL: And the next paragraph of course deals with your recruitment into Umkhonto weSizwe, MK, the armed wing of the ANC.  That again you have substantially precis'd.

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, that's true.

MR DEHAL: Will you read what's recorded in paragraph 4, Exhibit P, into the record?
MS NARKEDIEN
In January 1986, I was recruited by comrade Robert McBride to become a member of a Special Operations Unit of Umkhonto weSizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress.  My role at that stage was only to provide support, example transport, money, screening of more women recruits and so on to the Commander and operatives in our unit.  I was involved in this unit from January 1986 to July 1986, when I was arrested together with comrade Robert McBride and his father comrade Derick McBride.

MR DEHAL: Is it correct that you lived in Wentworth with Mr McBride, Robert and Mr Derick McBride in your neighbourhood?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, that's true.

MR DEHAL: And you featured prominently in the social environment, social upliftment of Wentworth?

ZAHRAH NARKEDIEN: Yes, that's true.

MR DEHAL: The next paragraph deals with your amnesty application.  Will you please read that into the record.  That's paragraph 5.
MS NARKEDIEN
I was arrested on the 17th of July 1986.  I was detained under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act until early November, 1986 when I was transferred to Westville Female Prison and held in solitary confinement.  I was charged with 15 counts of furthering the aims of a banned organisation, ANC, terrorism, murder, attempted murder, aiding a prisoner to escape and harbouring a terrorist.  From February to mid May 1987, I stood trial at Pietermaritzburg Supreme Court.  I was convicted of 5 of the 15 counts.  4 counts relate to the escape of Gordon Webster from the Edendale Hospital and one account relates to the reconnaissance I undertook of electrical substations, located between Nigel and Ladismith.  I applied for amnesty for these five counts, that is aiding a prisoner to escape, harbouring a terrorist, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, as regards the two policemen, and terrorism.