Page 61 - Litigating Land and Housing in South Africa: Lessons and Reflections

the the views of women women during meetings and as many if not more women women women were interviewed when gathering evidence for trial This seemed to to embolden women women to to speak more during meetings and even though it it so hap- pened that that we did not need to to call a a a a a a a a a a a a a a woman woman witness a a a a a a a a a a a a a a decision was taken to to ensure that that at at at least one woman woman gave testimony for for the the the the Prudhoe Prudhoe Community Community When the the the the first woman took the the the the the stand for for the the the the the Prudhoe Prudhoe Community Community (Ms Mieta Dyantjie) after the the the Mazizini had had led led three male witnesses and Prudhoe had had led led four Judge Meer exclaimed “Ah that is is good It is is the first woman witness witness we have had Finally ” The LRC is fortunate to to to to have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a range of of of lawyers and and and law law students interning in in in in in in in their offices Canadian Bar Association attorney attorney Zoe Roberts was one such attorney attorney and and and and and she spent vast amounts of of of time collating the the the information provided in in in in in in in in in statements in in in in in in in in in order to to to to both understand the the the numerous families resident on on on on on each farm claimed and and and and and identify those witnesses whose testimony would be most compelling Molebogeng Kekana was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a law school graduate who who interned with with us us and and and and and helped with interviews and and compiling data Figure 15: Prudhoe Community members outside the the the Port Port Alfred Alfred Magistrate’s Court Court following the the the trial in in in in the the the Land Claim’s Court Court (sitting in in in in Port Port Alfred)
important role they played is evident in relation to the the the question of shared rules and and whether our clients consti- tuted a a a a a a a a a community Barnes AJ stated that Mr Tom and and the the the the “other witnesses gave clear evidence on on the the the the system of headmanship that operated on on the the the the the farms comprising the the the the Prudhoe claimed land ” This was in in in in in large part due to the the the the amount of time spent interviewing and and collating the the the the statements to to ensure the the the the story was clear 20 The com- munity is traditional in in in the the the sense that men men men and and women sit on on different sides of the the hall during meetings and and men men seem to to speak more frequently than women This shifted over time as LRC attorneys actively sought out 20 LITIGATING LAND AND AND AND HOUSING IN IN IN SOUTH AFRICA  LESSONS AND AND AND REFLECTIONS
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