[South Africa] Many former political prisoners living in poverty

from The Mail and Guardian

Thousands of former political prisoners and their families are living in dire poverty, Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota said in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Lekota was addressing business people in the presence of former president Nelson Mandela and the Ex-Political Prisoners Committee (EPPC), where they asked that business "come on board to assist those who fought for this democracy.

"It becomes an issue of conscience. We shared cells with these people, some on Robben Island.

"We were lucky to get jobs in government, but what about the others?"

The EPPC was masterminded by Mandela, who in 1995 called for a reunion of all former political prisoners on Robben Island to celebrate the victory against apartheid. It was then that it came to light that most of them were living in poverty and could not survive with their families.

Lekota said after the struggle for freedom, most prisoners suffered setbacks because of torture and mental battering. Some even committed suicide. "Some left the country when they were teenagers, only to return to no roofs over their heads ... nothing. Some of their family members are even dead."

Mandela was at first called on to assist in raising funds for these people, but has since handed that task over to Lekota.

Mandela said: "Lekota has not forgotten where he comes from. We must honour those who sacrificed for our land.

"I have given the fund-raising task to Terror [Lekota]. It is through men like him that this country can be the place we want it to be. For me, these prisoners sacrificed in pursuit of justice and freedom."

A trust was created for this cause, but Lekota said it needs to be sustainable.

Also present was the executive of the committee. Chairperson David Mwisi said its main objective is to broaden the education of the former prisoners and their families, to ensure their well-being and for them to be included in HIV/Aids assistance programmes, as many are infected and affected.

"Some comrades have never recovered," Mwisi said.

The meeting heard that 3 000 former political prisoners and their families are on the database for support by the trust, but it is believed that many more have not yet enlisted.

Lekota said R40-million has been raised previously to assist these people.

"At first we told them to invest the money. But, we later gave in because the people we are talking had nothing; they needed help there and then. So, with the backing of business, we can help these people."

The committee has branches in several provinces that will ensure nobody is left out.

Businesses represented were Levi Strauss South Africa, De Beers, Altech, Bidvest, Anglo American and Macsteel.