‘Don’t let the free South Africa die with us’

• Author: Tamlynne Thompson tamlynne.thompson@ACM.co.za
• Published date: 02 September 2022
• Publication title: Sentinel News

Professor Fester, of Table View, launched her book Prison Notebook V2967/88 at the Centre for Memory, Healing and Learning at the Castle of Good Hope on Friday August 12

The former political detainee tells her story of enduring 104 days of solitary confinement under the apartheid-era laws in 1988, before being brought to trial with 13 other political activists in what became known as the Yengeni Trial of 1989, and was later dubbed the Rainbow Trial.

Professor Fester, who is also a human rights activist and a lecturer at UCT’s Centre for African Studies, said putting the book together was a painful process. “I relived the trauma of solitary confinement, but I am much relieved that I’ve achieved this.”

She said the idea to write the book had been coming on for years, however, the inspiration came from her time living and working in Rwanda, where, she said, the healing process after the genocide was very active.

“It was amazing to see the active engagement and this inspired me to try to start a discussion with my then torturer.”

She said she called her then...