Abstract
Although the anti-apartheid struggle witnessed the involvement of women revolutionaries and members from several other ethnic groups, its grand narrative highlights the idea that it was basically a conflict between the white male oppressors and black male revolutionaries. As this overarching male-centric binary remained at the centre of apartheid historiography, women's contribution and their immense sacrifice have remained largely undermined. This treatment of subservience results in a flawed and inadequate representation, and, therefore, requires critical intervention. It is within this context that Women in Solitary by Shanthini Naidoo offers a compelling narrative of the struggle and resistance shown by the women revolutionaries and “weaves their experiences into the historical development of the anti-apartheid movement” (iii). Combining her years of journalistic experiences and academic research, the author develops this investigative anthology and brings to light an alternate history with all its subtleties and nuances.
The “women” in the title refers to apartheid activists Joyce Sikhakhane, Shanthie Naidoo, Rita Ndzanga and Nondwe Mankahla. The life and times of Winnie Mandela is also recorded based on her shared lived experiences with them. In fact, Winnie has an abiding influence in the inception of this anthology. The prologue sets the backdrop as the author, along with photographer Alan Skuy, went to explore Winnie's time in the Pretoria Central Prison as part of a media coverage shortly after Winnie's death. She came upon the virtually obscure record of Trial of 1969 that involved 22 revolutionaries, detained due to their alleged activities under the Suppression of Communism Act.
The prologue is followed by 12 chapters and a conclusion. These chapters capture in detail the testimonies of the women revolutionaries and inform of a past, filled with unimaginable horrors of incarceration and bloodshed. Instead of providing mere facts and figures regarding the trial, the author digs deeper into the journeys of these women as they relate their experiences of negotiating the terrible consequences of solitary confinement.
In the first chapter, the author claims that even after the abolition of apartheid, its lingering effects have led to other forms of discrimination. The failure of South African state-administration, judiciary and media in acknowledging the contribution of the women activists has resulted in severe epistemological injustice. Disregarding this part of history has shaped Africa's present, reflecting a frail form of democracy and ingrained psychological distress. While the majority has allowed this past to fade into oblivion, the author considers it her responsibility to recognise and re-locate it in the map of collective consciousness.
Chapter 2 describes author's first encounter with the activists at Winnie's funeral. Delving further into the intriguing history of the surviving women revolutionaries, she establishes the historical context in Chapter 3, “The Trial.” It discusses the pejorative rationale behind the detention and provides a complete list of the allegedly accused. The many phases of the courtroom proceedings also provide clarity regarding the oppressive machinery of apartheid law and justice.
Chapter 4 recounts the history of Joyce Sikhakhane as a political organiser for groups like ASA and PAC. Her work as a journalist gained particular traction as she narrativised the life of abject misery that Africans endured throughout apartheid. Though the chapter aims to provide increased visibility to Joyce's contribution in attaining glorious democracy, it also highlights the enormous expense her family had to bear in the process.
Chapter 5 is a veritable exhibition on the involvement of one Indian family through several generations in Africa's anti-apartheid resistance. Shanthie Naidoo came from a family of Indian passenger traders, strongly influenced by the spirit of Gandhi's satyagraha. It was evident in their engagement in several protests against unethical atrocities towards the indentured immigrants and other people of colour. Shanthie's struggle in the solitary confinement and her refusal to testify against her comrades speak volumes of this unwavering spirit. The chapter is unique as it illustrates the idea of nationalism in a diasporic context and promotes the notion of racial unity that played a crucial part in achieving independence.
Chapter 6 shows how forced eviction through generations resulted in politically induced precarity for Rita Ndzanga and her family. Apartheid added to the woes as Rita and her husband were subjected to extreme incarceration in solitary confinement. Drawing on their experiences, the chapter provides a graphic account of the gender-specific acts of police brutality.
Chapter 7 records Nondwe Mankhala's experiences leading to the trial, and addresses how following the trial, it was difficult to find employment for the “ex-rebels.” The chapter serves as a strong critique of the decolonised nation-state and its continuous decline, showing how the situation after independence became considerably worse as certain leaders started abusing their newly acquired political authority for their own vested interests.
Chapter 8 is an important intervention in the field of historical criminology as it explores how Theunis Swanepoel along with his “sabotage squad” attended specialised training programmes to learn crude methods of cross-examination. It reveals in great detail how they carried out state-sponsored atrocities in “The Truth Room” through the “table treatment,” “brick treatment” or “sleep torture” (95–97).
Chapter 9 stays away from the monomyth surrounding Nelson Mandela and attempts to reconfigure Winnie's individual identity in contrast to her reductive representation as his wife. Her journey through the hardships of the trial raises the question of why the Rivonia Trial, which led to the imprisonment of renowned male leaders, has always been held in highest regard while the Trial of 1969 remained seemingly absent from the annals of apartheid struggle.
Chapter 10, “Aftermath,” elaborates upon the residual impact of the political upheavals on the mental wellbeing of the family members of the women activists. While addressing the intractable issues of absent parents and traumatic childhood, the chapter highlights how memory of trauma travels through generations and negotiating it has been a never ending process.
Chapter 11, “Latter Days,” informs the readers how, in 2017, the State Order of Luthuli was conferred upon the activists. Chapter 12, “On Healing,” records the measures taken by welfare organisations in archiving their testimonies, extending financial compensation and seeking amnesty on their behalf. The author, taking recourse to professionals like Graham Dawson and Marjorie Jobson, cites effective ways of healing through storytelling, digital exhibitions, and support groups.
The conclusion outlines the possibilities of further research into the newer arenas of apartheid discourse which have hitherto remained uncharted territory for academia, journalism and judico-political scholarship.
Women in Solitary fuses significant aspects of life-writing, feminist critical inquiry, historical criminology and memory studies to record history in a way that is both authentic and empathetic. It relates the stories of loss only to move beyond the loss. Texts such as this will help to build a network of solidarity, facilitating the process of nation-building and collective welfare. They essentially offer a space where scholastic urgency coupled with political relevance transports the readers, legislators and activists to engage and analyse the process of redefining history and its diverse arrangements.
