Web diary

We arrived there right on 1pm and there were already several women there and three small girls; three year old twins, Angel and Sunshine, and a four year old, Karabu. Their mothers were very dynamic and articulate women who immediately started telling us about the petition they are getting together to present to President Mbeke. Other women arrived gradually over the next half an hour and we began talking and sharing stories. Benny also arrived with his nine year old daughter Paleka. She was very shy and quiet and kept to herself for the entire day, although she did play with the smaller children for a while.

Charlene announced that it was time to get food, and everyone helped themselves. Then, while we ate, she told the women my story and introduced the idea of the film. She asked who didn’t want to be filmed, and at first everyone said it was fine, and then one woman asked if the film would be shown in South Africa. When I said that this was a possibility, all three of the white women present changed their minds and said they didn’t want to be seen. None of the black women had a problem with the film at all. In fact, Glory, the mother of the twins who had been raped in February this year, said she thought the film would help her attempts to get a petition together and would be a good way to get more attention on the issue of rape. She was very vocal during the lunch and is a very dynamic character and I decided to follow her story, especially her attempt to get this petition together. She was very willing to participate.