This is a letter from an ex-political prisoner that I received by mail, asking question concerning promises that were made to ex-political prisoners. I am publishing the letter as is, with no changes made in the wording. The layout was however changed a bit to suit the layout of the online pages. You are welcome to comment on this item.

"THE ANC HAVE IN THE PAST MADE PROMISES GIVE HELP AND ASSISTANCE TO EX POLITICAL PRISONERS. AND IN MANY CASES THEY HAVE.
BUT MUCH TIME HAS NOW PASSED AND PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN.
THE NEW YOUNG SOUTH AFRICA IS EMERGING AND WE NEED TO MOVE ON, THIS IS A FACT WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGE.
BUT EVEN IF PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THE COMPLAINTS OF THE OLD COMRADES, THE POWERS THAT BE SHOULD HAVE BY NOW ENSURED THAT EX POLITICALS SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.

AM I ZONGA MOKGATLE, (UPINGTON 14 CASE), WHO SAT ON DEATH ROW IN PRETORIA FOR A POLITICAL CRIME, IN ANY WAY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER POLITICAL PRISONER WHO WERE ON DEATH ROW OR INCARCERATED IN ANY OTHER PRISON??..........I THINK NOT.

THEN WHY HAVE I BEEN IGNORED BY THE ANC WHEN OTHER COMRADES HAVE BEEN HELPED??

I AM ASKING THIS QUESTION OF PRESIDENT MBEKI.

I HAVE SENT SEVERAL LETTERS TO HIM ADVISING HIM OF MY SITUATION AND PLEADING WITH HIM FOR HELP..TO DATE I HAVE HAD NO REPLY FROM HIMSELF OR HIS OFFICE.NOT EVEN ONE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECIEPT OF MY LETTERS

I WAS BEATEN, TORTURED AND PUT ON DEATH ROW, WHERE I SAT FOR FIVE YEARS, JUST SITTING IN A DEATH CELL FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME IS A TORTURE IN ITSELF THAT A PERSON WILL NEVER FULLY RECOVER FROM PSYCHOLOGICALLY

I LIVE IN A TOWN(UPINGTON).WHERE I SEE PEOPLE EVERYDAY THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE ACT OF BEATING AND TORTURING ME. THE PEOPLE I MENTION ( I HAVE NAMES BUT WILL NOT QUOTE IN MY LETTER), THESE VERY PEOPLE NOW HAVE POSITIONS, I HAVE NOTHING. BUT DURING THE EIGHTIES THESE VERY PEOPLE WERE SUPPORTING THE APARTHEID SYSTEM.
I HAVE NOTHING, NO JOB AND NO HOME THAT I CAN CALL MY OWN.
I MARRIED AN ENGLISH WOMAN WHILE I WAS IN PRISON. WHEN I WAS FINALLY RELEASED IN THE EARLY NINETIES I RETURNED TO MY HOME TOWN OF UPINGTON, THERE WAS NO HELP THEN AND NO WORK FOR ME , AND SO I WENT OVERSEAS WITH MY WIFE TO WORK THERE.
I RETURNED IN 2005 BECAUSE I WANTED TO COME BACK TO MY OWN COUNTRY AND MAKE A CONTRIBUTION IN MY OWN TROUBLED TOWNSHIP. I WANTED TO WORK AND ONCE AGAIN BE WITH MY PEOPLE., BUT THINGS HAD NOT CHANGED , THERE WAS STILL NO JOB AND NO HELP FOR AN EX POLITICAL.

I CAME BACK FEELING I HAD SO MUCH TO CONTRIBUTE TO MY TOWNSHIP AND SOUTH AFRICA,MY ENTHUSIASM WAS GIVEN A VICIOUS BLOW. I WAS TREATED ATROCIOUSLY BY LOCAL ANC OFFICIALS AND TOTALLY IGNORED BY MY PRESIDENT.
AND SO ONCE AGAIN I WILL HAVE TO LEAVE MY COUNTRY IN ORDER FOR ME AND MY WIFE TO SURVIVE.

I WANT TO STAY AND MAKE A CONTRIBUTION IN MY TOWNSHIP, BUT PRESIDENT MBEKI BY HIS SILENCE IS FORCING ME TO DO SOMETHING I AM DESPERATELY RELUCTANT TO DO.

ZONGA MOKGATLE"