Full Woods story yet untold
WHEN I read “Tribute to diplomat who helped Woods escape” (DD, December 30) it brought back sad and also happy memories of the past. It boggles the mind to think that it took 40 years to expose the details of how Jim Moffatt, the then acting UK High Commissioner in Lesotho, assisted Donald Woods and his family to move from Lesotho to Botswana. But there is plenty intrigue still not told. Is it going to take another 40 years before the story of who the pilot of this light plane was, who did not only have the Woods family on board but also a Lesotho member of parliament, who was present to resist radio instructions from the South African authorities?
The pilot was in fact, a well-known Transkei born-man, who at one time owned numerous businesses in Transkei.
The full story of Steve Biko and Donald Woods has never been told because when Donald Woods wrote his book Asking for Trouble and when the film Cry Freedom was made those who assisted in his escape, if exposed at that time, would have spent time behind bars. Maybe one day the full story of Donald Woods will be written and those who despised him for supporting Steve Biko will change their minds. — Donald Card, Gonubie of the back streets have spectacular potholes. The beach and river are beautiful. The beach was spotless, but up the river at the Tidewaters picnic site the rubbish bins were broken and overflowing and there was trash everywhere.”
Christmas and New Year visitors to Gonubie were a fraction of previous years. The economy is tight and people are taking their holiday money elsewhere despite the best efforts of generous local businesses, charities and volunteers to keep the town tidy and safe. Thank you to all of them, but it is time for BCM to step up in 2018. — Name supplied, Gonubie