Ginn Fourie and Letlapa Mphahlele
Short Bios
Ginn and Letlapa form an unlikely pair: a black atheist man and a white Christian woman. One has suffered directly from actions of the other, but both have been victims - and risen beyond their pain. What brings them together is a profound story of tragedy and hope.
They set up the Lyndi Fourie Foundation in 2003 to further reconciliation in in post-Apartheid South Africa. It is named after Ginn's daughter, Lyndi, who was killed at the Heidelberg Tavern Massacre in December 1993, organized by Letlapa, four months before the first free and fair democratic elections in South Africa.
Ginn trained as a physiotherapist and has practiced and enjoyed the profession, culminating in 18 years of teaching at UCT's Faculty of Health Sciences. She took early retirement in July 2003 to dedicate her time and passion her daughter's memory and legacy, by setting up the Lyndi Fourie Foundation, with Letlapa as co-founder.
Ginn explains how mercy was the only possible exit from her tunnel of grief. 'I define forgiveness as a process in which you take a principled decision to give up your justifiable right to revenge.' 'Forgiveness is part of moving from victim to survivor to wounded healer.'
Letlapa is the former leader of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and member of South Africa Parliament. Back in 1993 he was Director of Operations of APLA (Azanian Peoples Liberation Army) during #Apartheid and ordered the Heidelberg Tavern Massacre in Cape Town, a reprisal attack in response to the killing of black school children.
He is currently actively committed to healing and reconciliation work with ex-combatants and victims of violence in all groups in post-apartheid South Africa.
He is a published poet and philosopher. His autobiography, 'A Child of this Soil - the journey of a Freedom Fighter', tells his story of armed struggle and exile. 'Matlalela - The Flood is Coming' is a book of his poignant poetry.
‘Getting to know Ginn has been a profound and humbling experience for me. From our first meeting in 2002, Ginn understood me. While others couldn’t understand why these terrorists were still unapologetic, Ginn said that she detected remorse in me.’
‘I have changed since that time and I no longer believe you should meet violence with violence. ... My mission now is to reach out to those who survived, because by meeting together we are able to restore each other’s humanity.’
Beyond Forgiving
The award-winning film ‘Beyond Forgiving’, an Initiatives of Change production, tells the inspiring story of forgiveness and reconciliation between Ginn and Letlapa and their journey to bring healing to their country.
The trailer of the film, 'Beyond Forgiving', can be watched on YouTube.
