Elias P.K. Mandala (EM):In the first place and before we start with our interview, can you introduce yourself, Sir?
Mmadi Kalonga Masudi (MKM):Ok, my name is Mmadi Kalonga Masudi. I am the Vice Board Chair of Ex-Miners Association of Malawi. I am also the District Secretary of Mangochi
EM:Ok Ex-miners association of Malawi?
EM:Oh well, thank you so much for being available for this interview
EM:Am very grateful. This interview will be different from the rest of the other guys.
EM:I will concentrate on asking you questions as a beneficiary. Your father travelled to South Africa to work in the mines under WNLA, and that he came back. So, when did your father travel first? How many times?
MKM:OK, my dad only travelled once in 1973 to 1974. But he came back sick
MKM:It is for this reason that he only travelled once. He was diagnosed of TB.
EM:Ok, ohm sorry to hear that
MKM:When he came back home, he didn’t live long. He passed on of TB. His death brought untold problems to our family.
EM:Would you know where he contracted this disease, TB?
EM:So, what happened that he came back home while sick? Why he didn’t seek health assistance while there?
MKM:Relative that saw him struggling in South Africa advised him to better go back home and access local health services.
MKM:But my dad insisted to stay on until the end of his contract. Which he did.
MKM:When he got home, he told us that he was sick hence he was not going back to South Africa. So, my family decided to take him to different hospitals where we sought medical attention. Out effort proved futile as he passed on.
EM:Indeed, very sorry for the loss.
MKM:However, before his death, he had given me all his documents
EM:Oh okay. These are the documents? I will scan them at the end of the interview. So, he travelled under WNLA to South Africa in 1973 and back in 1974?
EM:Ok. I know that WNLA closed doors for Malawians in 1975, hence no one from Malawi joined.
EM:Ok. So, for the short period your dad spent in South Africa (1973-1974) do you think was valuable? If so explain?
MKM:It was very valuable especially that when he left, we were destitute. He left me when I developed polio. Only his relative were there to assist me and my family. However, when he got there, he frequently supported us financially. He never forgot us.
EM:Oh okay, Good to hear that
MKM:At times when we had nothing to eat, relatives who were farmers helped with maize and other food. Having said that, my dad frequently sent us money to support our family. Our life changed really. Other neighbours envied us due to his financial support
EM:What was the intention of sending you the money? Was he sending for food? School fees? Or other reasons?
MKM:My dad used to send money to help his brothers especially those who were doing well school. He also supported us through school fees. He also bought us a big house as he had left us in a small house then. On top of that he bought a land for future use when he is dead. A thing that happened eventually
EM:Oh! So, he bought you a new land? Paid your school fees? And bought you a bigger house? And provided food?
MKM:He was really a loving and supportive dad. This is why we still remember him with fond memories. [visible tears, pauses]
EM:It is a pity he died early.
MKM:Not sure really. But he should in his early 50s
EM:Would you know why he decided to go to South Africa or WNLA?
MKM:Yes, yes primarily that we go to school. Before that he used to be a farmer and was not making enough money to feed us and pay for our school fees. So, his peers advised him to also travel to South Africa through WNLA if he was to educate us.
MKM:So, he came home and brought the issue on the table. My mother and us children felt pleased as we knew now, we will be rich like our peers whose parents went to South Africa to work in the mines.
EM:Oh, oh! great. Good to know.
MKM:For real, (with some smile in the face)
EM:Back to his health. When he was diagnosed with TB in South Africa, what did WNLA do? Any assistance?
MKM:You know WNLA took advantage of him not being educated. He didn’t know his rights. But when he came home, I took it upon myself and my mother to get him to various hospitals to receive medical care. We did that though we didn’t know people who could help. But the good thing was that he had given us the letters and other documents about his disease.
EM:Oh! so those papers and documents indicated that he was suffering from TB? And that he contracted it while in South Africa in the mines?
MKM:Yes, and I only knew about this when a certain nurse who felt sorry for me at Zomba Central Hospital, told me. She said your dad got TB from the mines in South Africa. Just be strong as he could be alive or dead.
MKM:So, we just accepted really. We were then ready for whatever happens. It can only be God’s plan.
EM:It baffles me that in South Africa there are better hospitals then that your dad could receive better treatment there. What made him come back home?
MKM:Indeed, there were better treatment there, but my dad wanted to be closer to his wife and kids while suffering.
EM:So, it means the decision to come home wasn’t made by the WNLA management? It was him instead?
MKM:Yes, it was his decision, though he managed to finish his contract. Then he decided to come home.
EM:So, did he manage to get his bonuses?
MKM:No. He told us that he did not receive his bonus. He was told only if he went back then, he would get it. We tried through his relatives who were still in South Africa, but we failed.
EM:So, you did not try to push to receive these bonuses from WNLA?
MKM:Actually, we tried then, but with no success. Now we are pushing through EMAM to get those forgotten bonuses.
EM:Oh okay. But does EMAM have a lawyer?
EM:I think if you have a lawyer, he can assist in this regard. The second option is tp get to Ombudsman, or Legal Aid who can assist you by reaching to WNLA officials in South Africa.
EM:So, do you have Legal aid or ombudsman offices here in Mangochi?
MKM:Yes, they have offices here.
EM:So, I propose you and your mom to go to one of these offices to present this issue
MKM:I will try my best to do that, thank you.
EM:Also try private lawyers. Or let your mom approach the Women Lawyers association. They can help too on pro bono.
MKM:Oh really? Is that possible?
EM:Yes. I have one who most often, depending on the case, does on pro bono. For instance, the evicted residents of Malawi Housing at Ngumbe. He assisted them freely
MKM: Okay maybe we need to explore more to get my dad’s bonuses
EM:What about his savings while working in the mines? The ones the government kept for him. Did he receive it before his death?
MKM:Ommmmm am not sure. He never told us anything on that. I was his first born hence he used to tell me many things. Nothing on that.
EM:So, you need task about that as well. It was his entitlement.
MKM:Oh okay. I will indeed find out about that as well
EM:As we go towards the end of our chat, we talked about why he had to leave for South Africa? To which you said, he wanted to get more money to alleviate family poverty by sending his children to school, build a descent house, and bought a land. We also talked abut his health and how he finished his contract. That he did not access his bonus, that he died of TB.
EM:I also asked about your consent to publish these materials in books or on website?
MKM:Yes, I have no problem at all to get these materials published either in my name or any other form.
EM:Thank you so much for your time and value to this project.
EM:So, what was the full name of your dad? I see on this identity card that he was also a chief.
MKM:Exactly, he was the son of chief Masudi. So, his full name was Kalonga Masudi.
