African Oral Narratives
Military Intelligence in Apartheid-era South Africa

Interviews

Grants

Of the several thousand people inhabiting the Maandagshoek community, the vast majority survive on state grants and small-scale farming. One female resident is adamant that the impact of child grants has destroyed their culture. She blames former South African president Thabo Mbeki for helping "the children who bear children, as to us it does not help … our culture has been destroyed. Children get grants and we don't." A physically disabled resident feels that although the disabled now receive disability grants "they don't get jobs which means they are still discriminated [against]." Of the estimated population of almost 30,000 in Rammolutsi, a considerable portion consists of pensioners, women and children and most survive predominantly on state welfare/pension/social grants and remuneration from relatives working outside the community. Many Sebokeng residents rely on government grants as their only means of survival since industrial 'restructuring' and privatization resulted in a huge increase in the levels of general unemployment from 1994 onwards. Some residents, in agreement with those of Maandagshoek, feel that the child grants have created some sort of dependency. More babies are being born for the purpose of getting the grant. "…because if a person is not working she just gets a baby and she gets R170, she gets a Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) house then it's fine. But it's not solving the problem." A similar problem occurs where residents with HIV/AIDS allow their CD4 cell count to drop by not taking their treatment (Antiretroviral - ARVs) in order to continue receiving grants.

This interview with Simon Siloane, who is physically disabled and unemployed, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Maandagshoek in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with Flora Mpusi and Flora Makwa, both elderly women in Chief Vilakazi’s household, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Maandagshoek in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with Mokete Tsolotlo, an unemployed worker and lifelong Rammolutsi resident, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Rammolutsi in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with pensioner Molefi John Phasha was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Rammolutsi in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

The first part of the interview with Gabriel Mashakhale, pastor of the local branch of the Apostolic Church and ex-ward councillor, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Rammolutsi in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

The second part of the interview with Gabriel Mashakhale, pastor of the local branch of the Apostolic Church and ex-ward councillor, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Rammolutsi in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with Ouma Ngelele, who runs a home for 18 orphans and abused children in her 5-room shack and is wholly supported by sympathetic local businesses and a white church in town, along with a few child grants, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Rammolutsi in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with Ndaba David Nzunga, an unemployed community youth activist and music enthusiast, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Rammolutsi in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with Alinah Malekgosi Obie, a home-based care giver working through local hospice, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Rammolutsi in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with Bramage Edmond Sekete, a local community activist and traditional healer, was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Rammolutsi in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with retired policeman Siqelo Fredrick Mkhize was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Sebokeng in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

This interview with government social worker Priscilla Matshidiso Ramogale was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Sebokeng in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

The first interview with widowed pensioner Daniel Serame Masemola was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Sebokeng in 2007 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

The first part of the second interview with widowed pensioner Daniel Serame Masemola was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Sebokeng in 2008 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

The second part of the second interview with widowed pensioner Daniel Serame Masemola was conducted by Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava in Sebokeng in 2008 as part of the South African History Archive's Alternative History Project, titled 'Forgotten Voices in the Present'.

Validate: XHTML | CSS