Thank you to Haron, Wrankmore families

THE article “Celebrating Imam Haron and Reverend Wrankmore” refers (Monday, September 27).

Thank you for this article and for the reminder of what took place 52 years ago. This horrific ordeal was the first time that I personally was politically aware and in particular aware of the evils of apartheid.

I vividly recall my late father coming home and bringing this horrific news to our family approximately 52 years ago. Our dinner table was normally the place where the family discussed our parochial daily events as opposed to politics and philosophy.

On that particular evening my dad shocked all of us by telling us that a learned man of the cloth had been murdered by the police. My late father tried desperately to steer clear of politics and also to try to shield his family from the horrors of apartheid.

On this particular occasion he said it was absolutely necessary for all of us to understand the circumstances of the politics and how it was going to affect all our lives. My dad went on to explain that he knew Imam Haron, who was a gentle man who would never do any wrong.

It was just two years later when our family went to go and sit at the Signal Hill Kramat every Sunday for almost two months.

It was during these Sunday sit-ins that I was able to engage with others who were different to me, but with the same beliefs. It was these discussions that led to our family's engagement in political discourse.

Although we couldn't do anything for Imam Haron, we could pray for his soul and make sure that his death would awaken not only us, but many, many others.

Thank you to both the Haron and Wrankmore families who sacrificed everything for our freedom today. MICHAEL BAGRAIM