We should also study apartheid in the context of Botswana

I really enjoyed reading Justice Key Dingake’s tribute to George Bizos in the Mmegi last night.

It supports my argument that Botswana should not understand apartheid as something that had only affected (and continues to) South Africa, but should insist in telling the whole story and show how a lot of Batswana were directly affected too.

People such as Fish Keitseng, Mpho Motsamai, and Key’s brother, Michael Dingake. Michael was imprisoned on Robben Island for 15 years.

Yes, we should extend the story beyond those who were active in the liberation struggle against apartheid. How did ordinary people cope with the bombing of Bontleng in 1985? Who was affected? Where are they now?

How about those who worked in South Africa then? The domestic workers, the gold miners, the farm workers? What did they exactly go through? How did they cope? Where are they now? What can they teach us? What can they teach future generations? How much are they willing to share?

Should we remember or should we try to forget? For whom do we document and remember and for whom do we erase and forget?