April 9th, 2009
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Interview with Mrs. Thembeka Duna
Click here to download the transcript of this interview.
General Topic of Interview: Life under Apartheid, the Black Consciousness Movement
Date: 15 August, 2008
Location: Mrs. Duna’s residence, King William’s Town, South Africa
Narrator: Mrs. Thembeka Duna
Interviewer: Gqabi Njokweni
Transcriber: Unknown
Biographical Information:
Mrs. Thembeka Duna was born in the town of Port Elizabeth. While still very young her family moved to Ginsberg Township. In Ginsberg, she attended school with Steve Biko. After her marriage, she moved with her husband to KwaZulu Natal where she worked at Greys Hospital. Duna and her husband returned to Ginsberg, however, after fighting broke out in KwaZulu-Natal following Nelson Mandelas release from prison. She still lives in Ginsberg today.
Interview Information:
Mrs. Duna offers a first-hand account of life in a township during Apartheid. She recalls the sense of community that existed during the Apartheid era with nostalia, but also remembers the terror of police raids and the difficulty of keeping employment. Mrs. Duna also discussed her relationship with Steve Biko while they were both growing up and teending the same school, Charles Morgan. She also contextualized and sang two songs: “Senzeni Na?” (“What Have We Done?”) and “Eli lizwe lelokhokho bethu” (“This is our ancestors land, this is the black man’s land”).