An exhibition running at the Iziko Museum seeks to redeem the unsung heroes and heroines of the anti-apartheid struggle in the Western Cape.
Lynn Abrahams, the curator of the exhibition said her interest to put this exhibition together was sparked during the 40th anniversary of the June 16 uprisings, when a list of Western Cape anti-apartheid fighters was released.
“I began wondering why we have no documented history that speaks of these struggle icons who were youth of 1976 in the Western Cape.
“I gradually grappled with the concept of un-remembering versus remembering, which became a core benchmark that inspired this work.
“The exhibition displays the student uprisings from 1976, right through to the 1980s, 1990s and post apartheid. The student protests documented were largely in Langa, Nyanga and Gugulethu.
“This exhibition is put together to evoke conversations and questions around asking ourselves what contribution we are making to the struggle, because the struggle is not over,” she said.
Regardless of the low budget and many potential stakeholders withdrawing their contributions due to the procurement process, which Abrahams alludes to as tedious and strenuous, the Aluta Continua exhibition came into fruition.
“We benefited from the assistance of many stakeholders such as Independent Media’s African News Agency (ANA) for photographs, the Cape Town Library and the Mayibuye archive,” she said.
Zandile Tshamalambo, the co-curator of the exhibition, said her involvement was sparked when she, a product of Langa felt the need to tell its story in a way the community could be lauded for its contribution.
Sibusiso Mtila, a student activist of 1976 in the Western Cape, who contributed in the exhibition, said the journey to liberation was a multi-faceted effort among students, the community and its leaders.
“Home was in the black township but I attended school in the coloured areas. My job was to organise walk outs to the demonstrations.
“Our demonstrations were mostly in town and we would congregate at a meeting point in town under various political formations. The ANC was banned at the time, and we largely met under the banner of UDF and Azapo.
“There usually was a high level of police presence and law enforcement, which ensured we stuck to the times allocated to us to conduct the demonstrations. We had to apply to demonstrate in town. Our leaders would often walk in front, and we would be joined by the likes of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The marches often had rubber bullets or tear gas thrown at the students,” he said.
Mtila said that history may have not documented the Western Cape freedom fighters due to the secrecy in which they as student leaders moved, everything was done discreetly.
Social activist, Geoff Mamputa who has written many stories on student protests in Langa during apartheid, and contributed to the exhibition said: “The deep and reflective questions that take one back to some of the most painful parts of one's life, the loss of innocence as young children of the day, the death of schoolmates, neighbours, fellow choir boys, girl guides, brownies and young starry-eyed scout boys.
“A dark, young enthusiastic school children in uniform, shouting with innocent, nearly child-like voices not yet ravaged by adolescence, ‘No Afrikaans!’.
“That was the end of the lives of many, that was the end of our innocence.
“Those scenes can never leave us in peace up till today. That horror is part of our lives. That pain is what made and still makes us strong in the face of adversity,” he said.