Parliament hosts former female prisoners

9 February 2006

Cape Town - Parliament is currently hosting a group of 10 women who were
former prisoners incarcerated at the old Johannesburg Prison - popularly known
amongst political prisoners as “No. 4” – who have embarked on a campaign to
transform the bitter life of prison into joy of heritage for South
Africans.

The group who have organised themselves into Sizoya Sibuye Forum (“We will
go to prison and return intact”) are currently working from the Women’s Jail at
the Constitution Hill, in Johannesburg – the site of the old Johannesburg
Prison.

The have been attending a three-day workshop on Robben Island where they met
with the representatives of the Robben Island Museum and Heritage Council to
learn from best practices as far as heritage is concerned.

The co–ordinator of the forum, Ms Debra Matshoba says the forum aims to be
an educational facility for women, youth and children.

She says the objective is to portray the hardships and humiliation of jail
into a heritage for women at large, hence, the need to forge closer relations
with women who have had similar experiences.

The 10 women are part of a task team that has been tasked to expand the
forum so as to reach out to other former women prisoners in a bid to act as a
their beacon of hope. The forum currently exhibits at the Women’s Jail at the
Constitution Hill, memories of the various struggles spearheaded by women in
the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, which feature prominent veterans of the struggle
for democracy.

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mrs Gwen Mahlangu–Nkabinde will
host a luncheon for the group at G26, New Wing at 12h00 before they attend
President Thabo Mbeki’s reply to the debate on the State of the Nation Address
at 14h00.

For more enquiries, contact:

Ms Debra Matshoba
Co–ordinator: Sizoya Sibuye Forum
Cell: 084 991 9452

Luphumzo Kebeni
Manager: Media Relations
Parliament of RSA
Tel: (021) – 403 2242
Cell: 083 658 3338

Nolizwi Magwagwa
Media Officer
SA Parliament
Tel: (021) 403 2465
Cell: 083 313 1323

Issued by: SA Parliament
9 February 2006