Impossible Return by Siona O’Connell was officially launched in Harfield, Western Cape on the 20^th of October 2019. The book focuses on the forced removals of people from their homes during the 1970’s as part of the then government policies on land. The untold truths and unjust realities are brought to light through the stories told in this book.  

More than 40 years later, families still feel the pain from losing the lives they knew. Harfield, like many suburbs around South Africa saw traumatic loss of community and belonging as families were forced into designated areas as determined by the government. Professor O’Connell was one of the many to have come from one such a family and as such, this story is very personal. She was one of the lucky few able to change her predetermined narrative. Others were not so lucky, and this is reiterated through the stories she captures in the book.  

Photos by the late David Brown help make this narrative so much more relatable. His images of families before the forced removals, together with the stories of those same families years later provides the reader with a sense of understanding of the pain this community, and these people specifically, endured. Many people who read this book may understand the pain, the sadness and the anger but only those who have in their past personally felt the full extent of forced removals can understand the long-term effect as shown within this book.

Impossible Return was written as part of an ongoing project through the University of Pretoria. In 2015 An Impossible Return, the documentary, was released and after the death of the photographer, O’Connell continued to identify the names behind the faces from photos taken decades ago.  Once this was done and the interviews started, many people including those who had moved into the houses after the removals, had a chance to reflect on the past. It was difficult and emotional for everyone involved. Such conversations continue to happen and many help others to solve the problems left by the past.

Siona O’Connell was born in Cape Town and studied at UCT. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Arts and a PhD in African Studies. Her book launch took place in the St. Matthews church in Harfield, where it reunited old residents and introduced new communities to each other. Panelists who spoke during the book launch included:  Professor Murray Leibbrandt, Mrs Mary Burton and Prof Pippa Skotnes of UCT. The launch was a huge success and we look forward to seeing the success of the book.

For more information on the book, you can visit http://www.kwela.com/en/view-book/?id=9780795708961.