Abstract:
This article draws on a well-known narration of the Gugulethu Seven incident from the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) proceedings with specific reference to testimonies of the
mothers of the Gugulethu Seven. The article focuses on Mrs Konile’s testimony as a case study:
Testimony of a black woman whose son was murdered by the apartheid government’s security
forces. During the TRC hearings, Mrs Konile ‘failed’ to effectively narrate her story, which
resulted in her testimony being dismissed as being incoherent. This article examines the
underlying attributes of Mrs Konile’s testimony and revisits why she was considered
‘incapable’ of articulating her experience in a convincing manner. The analysis aims to
acknowledge, identify and give insights about this woman’s testimony from an African women
theologian viewpoint (specifically with references to the Isixhosa religious cultural background).
