by Madikizela-Mandela, Winnie; Kathrada, Ahmed; Kathrada, Ahmed
Friday 16.1.70
(1) 4 or 5 am woken up by severe stomach cramp – diarrhoea – feel like bringing up. Report to Matron and request to see the doctor (2) Shortly af. break told by matron Z doctor not available today – given something for diarrh and my usual treatment – tabl
(2) Dizzy
26.7.70
BRIEF MEMORANDUM ON NATURE OF COMPLAINTS96
(a) Cells:
We, the detainees occupy a block of cells originally designed for punishment. It has been explained to us that this is the best accommodation available for us at the moment. We quite appreciate this problem. Due to the size of these cells movement is highly restricted. We are locked up in one of these during the day, we almost sit on top of each other. As awaiting-trial prisoners we request that the cell doors be left open to allow us free movement like the other awaiting-trial prisoners who move freely within a specific yard. We understand that the gate would be kept locked to separate us from the other prisoners. For hygiene reasons it is necessary in any case to keep the cells opened during the day, especially in view of their size and the fact that we are confined to them day and night.
(b) Food and clothing:
There has been a great deal of misunderstanding between us and members of the staff as a result of new instructions concerning our food from relatives. These instructions are completely different from those which were applicable under Lieutenant Britz, matron Wessels and matron Jacobs.
We are aware of the prison regulation with regard to food. Last year we made special representation to Brig Aucamp to allow us to receive all the food brought by our relatives in view of the fact that our relatives come all the way from Johannesburg and we needed the food to augment the prison diet until the next visit. We share the food normally and there has never been any danger of us keeping excess food because we seldom all get visitors on one day. Brig Aucamp then authorised us to receive all the food our relatives brought. He further instructed that food such as sweets, biscuits, dried fruit, cigarettes, cheese etc. which is often in transparent paper should not be opened. Thus we received our food hygienically wrapped with no danger of germs contaminating our food.
The present set-up is as follows:
(1) We are allowed only one meal’s worth, the rest has to be taken back by our relatives.
(2) The food is taken out of clean containers, if it is tinned food it is opened and mixed up into one dixie, cheese is unwrapped, cigarette containers thrown away and these given to us loose, often cosmetics and soap are put on top of the food thus rendering even this little one meal’s worth inedible.
(3) The food is kept until supper time thus making it difficult for the individual to share, if she so wishes, with the others.
(4) The parcel of food and clothing from the relative is not shown to the detainee during the visit, this means we only know after the relatives have left what they brought. If there are items of clothing the detainee perhaps wanted to send back this waits for the next visit whereas this could be eliminated by the relative simply showing the detainee and the wardress on duty what has been brought as is the case with the other awaiting-trial prisoners. There would be no need to keep the lists of what the detainee was given, what was returned etc. We request that we be treated like last year on this question of food and clothing. This has been raised with Brig Aucamp.
(c) Shower:
A special shower was made for us just behind our cells and this we appreciated very much. The shower is however unsuitable for us in winter as it is just an enclosure outside. As a result we have declined to go for a shower in this weather. We request the use of the ordinary prison shower which we used originally until warmer weather. I personally last had a shower in April 1970 due to this weather problem.
(d) Exercise:
We do not get sufficient exercise. For instance this week ending on the 15th we had exercise only once on Thursday the 23rd. We are often locked up from Friday to Monday without a breath of fresh air. I have noticed however that when matron Wessels is on duty over weekends we get our exercises as usual.
(e) Sanitary buckets:
Our pons are emptied once a day. This means keeping a dirty pon right through the day and night, this is terribly unhygienic. We request that these be emptied twice a day.
(f) Weekend detention:
We request to be allowed to be together over weekends especially because these weekend days are the longest in prison. Because of the situation of the cells it does not take the wardress on duty five minutes to put us together. In fact it is less work to open one cell instead of five. We do understand that it may be difficult to give us exercise during the weekend as the prison has skeleton staff.
(g) Basins:
We request an extra basin in which we may wash our spoons, mugs and dixies after supper especially. At the moment after each meal we wash our spoons onto the sanitary bucket and this is very unhealthy.
(h) Washing facilities:
We have insufficient washing facilities for our clothes. We wash our clothes in the buckets which we use for washing our bodies. These buckets are rusty and some are used for scrubbing floors so they are full of black floor polish whilst others leak badly. Very often it’s difficult to get rinsing water in a separate bucket because there aren’t enough buckets as they are used for scrubbing.
Could we be rather taken to the laundry yard at least once a week to do our washing properly. We would be prepared to forego our exercise time on such days. This was the case on our arrival in prison during our first detention. Then we were taken individually, it would be far better now that we are awaiting-trial prisoners as we can wash together.
(i) Lunch:
We are at a loss as to what the actual position is with lunching together. Sometimes we are locked up individually, at other times we are left together. As we are now awaiting-trial prisoners could we kindly be left to lunch together.
(j) Visitors time:
We request the extension of other visitors time. We do not know actually how much time we are allowed to speak to our relatives but at the moment it is rather too short.
(k) Games, books and hankies:
On the 8.7.70 the above items were brought for us. Could we be granted permission to receive them now please?
(l) Newspaper censorship:
We are of the impression that whoever carries out Brig Aucamp’s instructions to censor newspapers is either suffering from gross ignorance or deliberately exceeds Brig Aucamp’s instructions. We accept the fact that we may not be allowed to read all the news but what is going on now has reached alarming proportions. So much is cut out that we sometimes get half a paper with whole pages missing or articles cut out in the middle.
Newspapers are kept for such long periods that for instance on the 26th we got newspapers dated the 13th. If newspapers are left to accumulate naturally the work for whoever censors is doubled.
(m) Ironing facilities:
Lieutenant Britz made arrangements for us last year to have our clothes ironed once a week when we were attending court. We handed our clothes to whoever was on duty and they were ironed for us. If we had ironing facilities we would not mind doing this on our own. We request the resumption of same. She also furnished us with nails on the wall on which we hung our clothes as we have no clothes [sic] and cannot possibly take clothes from the suitcase and wear them. These were removed on our detention. Could we kindly be furnished with these?
(n) Dispensary:
It is often a struggle to get proper medical care. We do not know what the actual problem is as we report to whoever is on duty if we are not well and we wish either to see the doctor or the hospital orderly. We have to keep reporting for days on end before we get even ordinary tablets for headaches etc.
In conclusion we would like to point out that it is our desire to have a peaceful atmosphere between ourselves and members of the staff. We have adhered to Brig Aucamp’s suggestion that we should concern ourselves with defence matters only. It is our
sincere wish that these matters be solved without going any further. In this way there shall be a harmonious relationship for all concerned.
6-8-70
FOR ATTENTION: MATRON WESSELS97
1. For the past three weeks I have been getting my tablets meant to be taken three times a day, once a day in the evening only. I am aware that this is the hospital’s responsibility. Would you please attend to this.
2. Please check up what happened to our games – we would like to have them. They were brought on 8/7/70 with handkerchiefs – the latter we got. The games are: Drafts, Snakes and Ladders & Solitaire.
3. There is also two weeks supply of our weekly biscuits which we did not get. The only supply we got is the one received by you which you gave to us. As you know the packets have sweets and cigarettes like the one you gave us and have our names marked on them.
Matron Zeelie told us to check these with you yesterday.
With thanks
[Signed] W Mandela
31-8-7098
FOR MATRON ZEELIE’S ATTENTION (A)
In June 1969 I was given the following clothes by Matron Wessels which had been sent by my relatives in a cardboard box:
1 brown pr slacks
2 pairs black pantyhose
1 pr winter socks (black)
1 brown corduroy jacket
(B)
In the same parcel were the following items which were not given to me:
1 pr brand new boots size 8 (long)
1 pr brand new gloves
1 black twin set jersey (new)
2 winter panties (they were 4 originally. I was given two on the 6th May 1970, a whole year later)
1 fawn jersey (washed once) new
4 tubes Weleda toothpaste
1 black pr fishnet stockings
In January 1970 I was given dresses by Matron Jacobs nothing was said about the above clothes. Brig Aucamp has a copy of a letter acknowledging the said clothes, the other copy is with my defence as I wished to keep a record of these clothes. On the 6th of May 1970 I was given a travelling leather bag with some of my winter clothes which have been at this prison from May 1969 although I had been writing letters to my relatives requesting that I be furnished with clothes. In the leather bag the clothes marked B above were missing. Please note that I was in solitary confinement when these clothes were brought to me by the Security Branch.
I kindly request that these clothes be given to me at your earliest convenience together with the two doeks99 removed from my bed during a search in my cell.
[Signed] W Mandela
[undated note]
In the leather bag the following items were contained:
2 skirts, 1 brown, 1 check
1 navy twin set (new)
1 red skipper
1 new winter night dress
1 new winter pyjamas
2 new winter panties
1 blue dress
1 yellow jersey
The leather bag was given to the Security Branch on the 16th of May 1969 and given to me on the 6th of May 1970 upon my admission to hospital.
[Signed] W Mandela
On 14 September 1970 the accused appeared in the Old Synagogue in Pretoria for the last time. On behalf of the defence team, Advocate Sydney Kentridge had applied to have Ramotse’s prosecution set aside as he had been kidnapped from a foreign territory and unlawfully handed to the South African authorities. Kentridge had also applied to have the charges against the other clients withdrawn on the basis that they were similar to the charges in the first case.
Judge Gerrit Viljoen declared the Ramotse capture lawful. Then he said: ‘In the final result, therefore, the special plea for accused 1 fails but the special plea of accused 2-20 succeeds’. It meant that all but Ramotse were free to go. He was eventually sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Joel Carlson hosted a celebration at his house for his jubilant nineteen clients. Winnie Mandela was reunited with her children but she was again placed under house arrest and her banning order was re-imposed on 20 September 1970 for another five years. According to a report in the Rand Daily Mail she was given two weeks of freedom from restriction in error. Justice Minister Pelser had signed the order on 18 September. After her release, she travelled to see her father, Mr Columbus Madikizela, and on her return she was served with the orders.
The day after her release she applied to visit her husband on Robben Island and permission was granted on 23 September. She was prevented from going when the new banning order was imposed. After intervention by Joel Carlson, she was finally allowed to see him on 3 November 1970. They had last seen each other on 21 December 1968.
90. Joseph Zikalala.
91. One of the prosecutors.
92. Lawyer Michael Kuny.
93. A wardress.
94. These few scraps of paper were found in Mrs Mandela’s file at the National Archives of South Africa.
95. Found in Mrs Mandela’s file in the National Archives of South Africa.
96. Found in Mrs Mandela’s file in the National Archives of South Africa.
97. Found in Winnie Mandela’s file in the National Archives of South Africa.
98. Found in Winnie Mandela’s file at the National Archives of South Africa.
99. Head scarves.
Part Two
Letters
Background
Nelson Mandela was arrested on 5 August 1962 after being underground for seventeen months, mostly on a trip around Africa to raise support for the armed struggle against apartheid. On 7 November 1962, he was sentenced to five years in prison for leaving the country illegally and inciting workers to strike. He was a sentenced prisoner when his colleagues were arrested in the Rivonia raid on 11 July 1963 and stood trial with them for sabotage. On 12 June 1964, he and seven others were sentenced to life imprisonment.
The first time his wife was allowed to visit him on Robben Island was 28 August 1964 but it was through thick glass and for a mere 30 minutes. They had eight more visits in the next four years. The last time, before she was detained on 12 May 1969 was on 21 December 1968. The next time they saw each other was on 7 November 1970.
He was informed of her detention by a letter from his lawyer, Joel Carlson, and responded in a telegram, which, it appears, was never received.
During this period of her detention Nelson Mandela’s eldest child and son, Thembi,100 by his first wife Evelyn Mase, was killed in a car accident.
Mrs Mandela was informed in this way: ‘One day she was taken to see him [Swanepoel] and he asked her abruptly, “Who is Thembi Mandela?” When she explained this was her eldest stepson, he said, “He is dead. He was killed in a car accident.” And he walked off. She lost all control and broke down and wept.’101
LETTER TO NELSON MANDELA
FROM JOEL CARLSON INFORMING HIM OF HIS WIFE’S ARREST
Mr Nelson Mandela,
No. 466/64102
c/o Officer Commanding,
ROBBEN ISLAND
16 May 1969
Registered
Dear Sir,
re: YOUR WIFE
This serves to advise you that Mrs. Winnie Mandela was arrested by Police early on Monday morning and is at present in custody. I am unable to advise you whether she has been arrested on any particular charge, or whether she is at present detained as I have been unable to obtain this information from the Head of the Security Police Brigadier Venter.
However the children are being cared for by the relatives in Johannesburg, and Mr. Ludumo Xaba103 was present when Mrs Mandela was removed by the police.
I understand that the Security Police have also allowed Mrs. Mandela to receive a change of clothing. I shall advise you further as soon as further information comes to hand.
Yours faithfully
J. Carlson104
LETTER FROM NELSON MANDELA
TO THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF ROBBEN ISLAND
18th May 1969
I have received information that my wife has been arrested and I should b
e pleased if you would kindly authorise the dispatch of the following telegram to attorney Carlson of Johannesburg at my own cost.
[Signed] Nelson Mandela
JOEL CARLSON. ‘LAWCARLSON’ JOHANNESBURG.
re. Arrest Winnie stop require full details of date of arrest charge names and addresses of her co-detainees and bail. Did she receive letter of fourth April.
Nelson Mandela
LETTER FROM JOEL CARLSON
TO THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF ROBBEN ISLAND
19th May 1969
Dear Sir,
RE: LETTER TO MR. NELSON MANDELA NO. 466/64.
On the 16th of May I wrote a letter reading as follows:
to Nelson Mandela: –
‘This serves to advise you that Mrs. Winnie Mandela was arrested by Police early on Monday morning and is at present in custody. I am unable to advise you whether she has been arrested on any charge, or whether she is at present detained as I have been unable to obtain this information from the Head of the Security Police Brigadier Venter.
However the children are being cared for by the relatives in Johannesburg, and Mr. Ludomo Xaba was present when Mrs. Mandela was removed by the Police.
I understand that the Security Police had also allowed Mrs. Mandela to receive a change of clothing. I shall advise you further as soon as further information comes to hand.
Please acknowledge receipt hereof.’
Although the letter was sent by registered post, it has not been acknowledged by the Postal Authorities. I have received no acknowledgements or reply to this letter which was addressed to your office. I shall be pleased to have your acknowledgement and receipt of same.
Yours faithfully,