Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1997-06-12

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mrs Jako.  Thank you so much with your story.  As Mr 
Sandi said, it was long, and it is very painful.  You were just a bride at the time.  You 
knew nothing about politics.  You did not even know that your husband was a 
member of the PAC.  You have given up a lot in your life.  You even left your own 
home, went into exile hoping that one day you will be a free woman in your own 
country.  However, you came back home with no family, with no job, with no home, 
you had nothing.  This is very painful.  Thank you for opening your heart up like this 
before us.  We trust that the requests that you have given us, as we are going to take 
them before the President, perhaps something can be done for you.  Thank you Mrs 
Jako.  You may take your place.
 We have taken our last ladies.  We want to ask for forgiveness, Mrs Priscilla 
Maxongo, who was going to give a background and a summary of the struggle for 
women.  If we can continue tomorrow with her, because of the circumstances.  I want 
to thank all the women who gave themselves time to be with us here today.  We thank 
especially, because they came here under such circumstances in this weather, 
struggling, having no electricity lost a lot of hours.  However, they showed a lot of 
patience, long suffering.  We did not think that you would be here until this time 
opening up your hearts to hear your stories.  We thank you for the respect that you 
have given us.  We want you to know that the intention we had for today, the struggle 
for liberation is usually perceived as being a mens' world, but I want you to know that 
we are aware of the contribution women have had to the liberation and the struggle for 
liberation in this country.  Because of the way we are socialised women mostly stay at 
home and look after the children, bringing up the children so that the men are able to 
be out there.  Unfortunately, because women are socialised to do that and as I perceive 
it, it is the most important struggle.  If women were not there, the children would 
suffer a lot.  Women tend to be altruistic in that sense.  
 Men, sons and husbands have lost their lives being shot in the struggle.  We, as 
a Commission as well, have listened mostly to men.  We thought we would dedicate 
this day to you so that you may tell us your stories about yourselves in your own 
special day.  We thank you.  We want you to know that in the South African history 
your stories are very important and documented so that we get all details and nothing 
is hidden.  We trust that as you have opened your hearts up like this, these stories will 
play or contribute a lot to reconciliation in our country.  However, lastly, I would like 
to say we have won the struggle for liberation, but the struggle for women continues, 
because we are twice oppressed.  Apartheid oppressed by the police, the past regime.  
Secondly, we are looked as the lower gender.  We want everybody to know that 
womens' rights are also human rights.  Thank you very much. I am going to hand over 
to Reverend Finca, telling us what is going to happen with our yesterdays witnesses.

BONGANI FINCA: Thank you Mrs Chairperson.  We said yesterday that after this hearing 
we will try to continue with people left over from yesterday.  However, it is rather late. 
 We would like to continue tomorrow.  If we could start at nine o' clock tomorrow so 
that at around 12 we are through.  Thank you Mrs Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: We close todays hearing.  We will start tomorrow at nine.  
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