by Karabo Matalajoe and Maleruo Leponesa
Rhodes University hosted an impassioned book launch event spotlighting two significant memoirs that delve into South Africa’s liberation history: Fighting for my country by Sandi Sijake and On the stage of time by Sikose Mje. The event, a collaboration by the departments of political and international studies, African studies and history, spotlighted the university’s commitment to preserve and reflect on the nation’s complex past and its heroes.
Sandi Sijake’s memoir provides a detailed account of his life as a freedom fighter. Born in 1945 in the Eastern Cape, Sijake became a member of the ANC in 1959 and went into exile in 1963. His story spans his training with uMkhonto weSizwe across Africa, his imprisonment on Robben Island from 1973 to 1988 and his later roles in the SANDF and as president of the ANC Veterans League. The memoir is hailed as a groundbreaking narrative that reveals the untold story of the early days of MK and the vital international support that equipped and trained South Africa’s freedom fighters.
“I always thought the [apartheid]government was a person,” said Sijake, “he stays this evening in Pretoria. He has a lot of keys around his waist. That is the guy who is a government. He makes all these decisions. Then I said, ‘if I had to tie some wooden stickers around my waist I could open every door to education, so that everybody has enough credit and so forth.’ And we enjoyed that, because this guy in Pretoria was very brutal and needed to be replaced. And also those keys could be actually given to somebody who will be open… I thought, it would be a good contribution, I hope I would have been better for you, for government,” he said recounting a childhood belief.
Sikose Mji’s “On the Stage of Time” is a poetic and profoundly reflective memoir that tells the story of her life as an activist, woman, and cultural guardian in South Africa. With grace and determination, Mji explores her upbringing, political awakening, and the emotional and spiritual challenges of resistance that are often overlooked. The book is not only a personal account but also a contemplation on identity, legacy, and the quiet strength needed to confront systemic injustice.
At the event, the authors were engaged in dialogue with Professor Siphokazi Magadla and Postgraduate student Zukhanye Peter, who took the audience through different phases of each book and engaged in a wonderful conversation with the veterans, emphasising the importance of the history that the struggle carries and the impact it has on people now, in this age.
“History is important. It’s not just about what happened in the past — it’s about understanding where you come from and what you must do to move forward. Your ancestors fought for this country, for you. You need to honour that,” said Sijake.
Mji mentioned the anxieties she felt during her return to South Africa with her partner after years of exile and the uncertainty she carried. “We were sitting in that bus, nervous, thinking — what if they arrest us? But then I saw this old man and thought: ‘We’re going to be okay.’” That old man was Nelson Mandela.
The conversation explored the struggles they experienced and the lengths they went to to ensure the safety of their families during that period of their lives. Mji said: “My daughter in particular, was thrown from pillar to post at age 15 months. I took her to my aunt in Lesotho because it was not safe for her to be with me. We were moving from safe house to safe house because the boys were doing cross border raids. So, I left, rather than that, she could have died. I told myself that she’s innocent, let me bring her home.”
The two authors urged young people to learn the history of their grandparents and the struggles they have experienced in order to understand and appreciate the freedom and liberties which they now have.
“We are here as your grandparents and parents. We need to talk, and you must see us as a bridge for you guys to go forward, because our future is with you. Without you, there’s no future. The moment you want to separate yourself from us, then you won’t go far. We are very much willing to help you through talking,” said Mji.
Drawing the event to a close head of politics Professor Eduard Jordaan spoke about the balance between joy and sorrow, lightness and heaviness, that had been so evident in the speaker’s words. “What strikes me most is the lightness in your words despite all the struggles and sacrifices. You speak with a joy for life, a love for your country and its people. That, to me, is the true spirit of liberation. Your words today were priceless. They remind us that history is not just something to remember, it’s something we must live by every day.”
