Elias P.K. Mandala (EM):May I know your, Sir?
Harry Ngumbalo (HN):I am Ngumbalo Harry.
EM:Oh OK, that’s my first time to hear about that name. Am sure white people in the mine had difficulties with it?
HN:Not at all. It is simple
EM:So, when were you born?
EM:Ok 1951. So, when did you first travel to South Africa for WNLA contract?
EM:Oh 1972 and coming back in 1974? When did you go back?
HN:No! I didn’t travel again.
EM:Ok. So, what motivated you to travel to South Africa to work in the mines?
HN:Primarily, poverty at my home drove me to seek this WNLA contract. The household I came from was so poor. I just had to.
EM:Were you married by then?
HN:No. I was not married yet.
EM:That you decided to leave for South Africa to work, was it through WNLA? What qualifications were they asking for?
HN:Yes, I wanted to travel through WNLA contract. There was no requisite qualification so far.
EM:What was your qualification then?
HN:I had a Standard 8 certification (Grade 8 Leaving Certificate)
EM:Did this certificate help you in anyway?
HN:No, it didn’t help at all as it was necessary.
EM:Tell me, was there any person who was already in South Africa that motivated you to go and work there?
HN:There was no one whom I knew that was there already to motivate me.
EM:So, you decided on your own to travel? So how did your parents feel when you told them that you are travelling to South Africa to work in the mines?
HN:I just told them that considering the situation we have in the family I have decided to travel to South Africa to work in the mines under WNLA. They did not object my proposal at all. They gave me their blessings…… Go son and learn.
EM:So, from here what did you do? Where did you go?
HN:I went to my village headman to get the letter to the Traditional Authority. When I got the headman’s letter, I went to the T/A for his signature, stamp, and blessings. With T/A Mponda’s letter, I went to the Labour Office in Mangochi District Council.
EM:So, you mean, without this T/A signed letter, labour office would not process your application?
HN:Not at all. It was a necessary process that you get the confirmation of the traditional authority.
EM:What happens at the labour office after showing them your confirmation letter from TA?
HN:The labour officer would take it, and file it, then he would tell you when you should come to their office to hear when you would leave. When you come on that day, they tell you go get ready tomorrow you are leaving.
EM:So there were no other measurements whatsoever?
HN:Oh! Yes, there were tests. They would measure your height and weight
EM:Was there specific weight and height required by WNLA?
HN:Yes! And if you don’t meet the required height or weight, the officers could remove you from the list of those travelling to South Africa.
HN:Then we were sent to Mapanga in Blantyre. They used to keep us in that tall house. They kept us there till the date of leaving for South Africa.
EM:Oh, I see. So, what next?
HN:When everything is set, we were taken to the railway station at Limbe. We left for South Africa by train.
EM:From Limbe where were you going? Zambia or Mozambique?
HN:We used to go through Mozambique. Straight to Dondo, Mashipanga, Mutare, Saulsbury now Harare, Bulawayo, Botswana,
HN:In Francestown, then Mafikeng, Johannesburg, Germiston, Pretoria then to the mine, in Rustenburg to Union Section Mine in South Africa
EM:So, you are now at the Mine, what happens?
HN:When we arrived at the Mine, we received food and uniform (mkwacha), after getting food were then shown where we are to put up.
HN:Early in the morning we were taken to the school mine. After that we were taken to see the doctor to get an injection on the chest (bere).
EM:An injection? What was it for?
HN:Not sure. I don’t know what it was. However, others were saying that it was to energize us (mphamvu). That you lift heavy stuff.
EM:Ok I thought it was to reduce sexual feelings especially that you are men only in the mines?
HN:Oh no. Only to give you energy to lift heavy stuff.
EM:After the injection what else?
HN:We then go to school mine. This school was helpful because we learnt all the stuff done in the mine. It helped us know what happens in the mine.
EM:So, in the mine what were you doing?
HN:I was the one making holes for other miners. I was called Tchisa boy. I was very young but with the energy we received I managed to carry out such heavy machinery,
EM:Oh Okay! Interesting. Tell me how were sleeping? Same hostel/accommodation with other nationalities?
HN:Malawians and Shanganis were mixed. But the pongos (locals) were not allowed to me mix with us Malawians and Shanganis.
EM:Oh, that’s great. So, who was izibodo?
HN:This the head, leader in the house we are sleeping. We elected him to take care of our needs and security. He was also a peace maker
EM:So, what was the relationship between Malawians and the leaders in the mine? What about with other nationalities?
HN:We had a very good relationship with our leaders in the mines (pass boys). We were only concentrating on working and leaders were not showing any favoritisms to any nationals. The leaders (pass boys) were encouraging to work hard and realize where we came from.
HN:Oh yes, the mines were always clean. Knowing there is too much dust, those on health department made sure that the mine is always clean. They were first to come to the mines to clean, and clear damages, clear moveable toilets, fix them all for safety of the miners.
EM:That means the mine was taken a good care. You had a good environment.
HN:Very much so, we never complained.
EM:In case there were some issues miners did not like what were doing to make them be heard?
HN:Ommmm to be honest we never had issues in the mine. They create a good environment for us to work hard. In my case I had one man I worked with. The boy was called spanner boy. This boy would be removing the debris after I made the holes. So, we worked just the two of us. We hardly had issues.
EM:Where was this boy coming from? Malawi?
HN:No, he was from Mozambique. In the mine we could mix no problem. Could be from anywhere
EM:In the mine did you have the privilege to watch TV or listening to radio? Watch film?
HN:Ohmmm that time we had no TVs. We had was the radios. We had individual radios to listen to news from home and local. We could listen on our free time.
EM:I know the time you were there; apartheid was at its climax in South Africa. Did this affect you in the mines or outside?
HN:No way. It never affected us all. We hardly went out in the communities to experience. If anything, we could hear on radios.
EM:How about newspapers? Were you accessing them for your readership?
HN:Ohmmmm I was not bothered to get local newspapers from Malawi. I did not even read South African newspapers. If anything, I was only interested in listen to news from Malawi on the radio.
EM:To hear what Dr. Kamuzu Banda said?
HN:Exactly, I wanted to know how he is doing. He was such a tyrant man.
EM:Oh! Ok. While you were working, did you have thoughts or fears of losing your job especially in the middle of the contract?
HN:Oh no. You know what we knew the exact date of the end of our contract. And they made sure we finished our contracts. So, I had no fears unless being sick and then decide to leave for home.
EM:Is that so? So, would they treat you the same way as you travelled to South Africa when returning home?
HN:Exactly same treatment. They made sure we land in Malawi and to our families. They were very caring on that regard.
EM:So, nothing that you complained about on these journeys?
EM:Tell me who was paying for transportation?
HN:I really do not know. Could be them (WNLA) or Malawi government. We were only travelling, being served with food etc. without knowing who is responsible.
EM:While working in the mine, were there some accidents of different nature? What was WNLA doing then? Compensate?
HN:Yes, many accidents. Many were receiving first aid right away. But I know one Malawian who was coming from Ntcheu who was cut fingers. He could not continue working and was sent home. He was given money as part of compensation. I knew this because he was my roommate.
EM:Oh okay. I am told there was too much dust in the mines. Were TB and other diseases common in the mines?
HN:Yes, too much dust. But it was not a big deal.
HN:Me? No, I did not suffer from it. And every six months they took us for TB testing.
EM:Oh! That was good. I asked you earlier on and want to ask again. During your acquiring WNLA contract processes, did you have to bribe any officer to fast track or recommend you?
HN:During those days, no ways. You just had to get the form from the chief and do the needful. Nothing like corrupting anyone unlike these days.
EM:Wow! That was wonderful. Unlike today, without a k2000 kick back to the officer you won’t get any service. So, while in the mines how much were you receiving as your monthly salary? Do you remember?
HN:Oh! Yes, I do remember. It is still in my memory. When were leaving Blantyre for South Africa, they told us per day you were going to receive R0.22 (22 cents)?
EM:It was not reaching R1 (One Rand)? [laughed, jokingly)
HN:[laughed] No ways. There was no one who received one rand per day.
EM:So only 22 Cents? Sad, but anyway it was a while ago, it means it was that much.
HN:Exactly it was money then
EM:Was that after subtracting the one they sent home to your bank accounts?
HN:No that’s the full pay. They would then make all the necessary deductions from that one. Including the one they sent to our saving accounts back home
EM:That was too small indeed.
HN:Yes. And the one they sent home was too small as compared to the one they gave us while in the mine.
EM:Wow! And how did you feel about that injustice?
HN:Nothing, we were that powerless. Not in control at all, they were deciding on anything they wanted.
EM:Tell me while in the mines were you having some sexual relationships within or outside?
HN:No ways (laughs). We were only men no women. Outside ohmmm no, we hardly went outside the mines.
EM:But you were not married then? So, you kept yourself intact, abstaining from sexual activities?
HN:Yes. We had to. Like me I had never even thought about that. We had to work so hard that no time to think of those things.
EM:Could it be that the vaccine they gave you earlier on?
HN:[laughs] No… maybe but I don’t think so.
EM:So, have you received all your money from WNLA? Do they owe you anything like bonuses?
HN:Well, when we were leaving, they gave us a document written as bonus booklet. In it there were all our details. When I asked them what does it mean? They told me that this document will help you to be identified as a former worker and that you will immediately receive first attention to any mine when you report back. That was strange because to me bonus was money. This was contrary to my thinking. I was confused.
EM:Tell me were you able to send money back home? If yes, how was it possible when some of the money was sent directly to your saving accounts?
HN:Oh yes, I used to send some of the money home from the money that we received in South Africa. The one sent to our accounts was not tampered with.
EM:Was that money sent home by you to your family from you’re the 22cents?
HN:Yes, we used to send from our little we received at hand in while in South Africa. We could send 5 kwachas (K5) to Malawi for our family to use.
EM:So why were you sending this money? What was your family using it for?
HN:Just for the family back home to use. Some would use it for school though it was free, a few things needed to pay by parents. Fees was only 8 Tambala.
EM:You did not use this money for your wedding?
HN:No. You know I only married in 1978 when I was back. I just used the money in my saving accounts and blankets I brought from South Africa for my marriage.
EM:Oh, I see, so you did not have to use much as your tribe does not pay lobola (dowry)?
HN:Exactly, I had to go to my wife’s family home. You spend less kkkkkk (laughs)as we don’t have chilowolo (dowry) (money paid to the wife’s parents)
EM:Tell me as we are going towards the end, you are in the mines working, ever thought of quitting mine work to go outside and find some work less difficult, probably with good pay?
HN:Not at all. It was difficult because if they find you, they would arrest you for two weeks and then bring you back to the mine to continue working.
EM:Wow two weeks and then bring you back to the mine? Very interesting. South Africa at that time it was going through difficult times with politics, violence, riots due to apartheid regime, was that having any impact on you?
HN:No. It did not have any impact on us as we hardly went out to mix with the locals. We were always within our own environment.
EM:How about the police in case you met them outside the mines?
HN:When you meet police especially when you are over drunk, they would ask you to show them your ID number on your arm.
HN:Yes, we had mine numbers which we wore in our arms. So, when the police see you with that number, they would leave you without any problem
EM:When you finished your two years of contract, you could have decided to run aways from the mines and start another piece jobs outside the mines. What made you decide to come back home instead?
HN:There was a policy that we had to come back home after the contract, in addition to that, we were nostalgic. We wanted to come home to see parents and people back home after two years away.
EM:That makes sense. However, others wanted to go home and see if that money they were deducted was reaching into their accounts back home. Does that talk about you as well?
HN:Very true we were anxious to know if my money is in my account and how much?
EM:So, what kind of reception did you get upon arriving home?
HN:They were looking forward to meeting me after two years away. A great reception from everyone. They wanted to see what I would bring back home as was the norm to bring blankets etc.
EM:Me; Were there traditional dances arranged for your arrival?
HN:Oh yes, they were [laughs]. A warm welcome
EM:Was there something bothering you about going back?
HN:Not really. Only wanted to see what it is I didn’t do that when I go back, I can do much better?
EM:Weren’t you driven also to see what the family did with the money that you have been sending them? Since others used the money sent abroad by relatives to drink excessively, and mismanage the money in other forms?
EM:Finally, I want to reiterate your consent to the information you have given here. So, you agree that this information be published in the books, websites and be quoted?
HN:Yes! You can go ahead please and do that. You can use my name and the information provided here. Hope my grand children will one day listen to me.
EM:Thank you so much, Mr. Ngumbalo Harry for opening doors to me. We shall meet again on 22nd May in Mangochi for the group interview.
