Book review 9: The Knock on the Door: The Story of the Detainees’ Parents Support Committee Terry Shakinovsky and Sharon Cort 

Growing up in an African household, we were taught to knock on every door before entering a room. A knock symbolised alertness, preparation and respect. 

But what happens when a knock on the door symbolises terror under colonial and apartheid rule? 

Personally,  I never had any issues with door knocks. However, reading “The Knock on the Door” widened my perspective. 

It all began to make sense- being silenced when guests knocked or approached the gate. The careful steps taken before opening the door, peeping through the window to confirm who was outside and listening closely to their voice. 

We moved with precision before letting anyone in. 

At the time, we were told this was simply preparation. But in reality, this was a trauma response shaped by the apartheid regime. 

In those years, every knock on the door often meant the arrival of the police in search of yet another victim. Victims would be beaten, silenced or killed in the pursuit of  information. 

This was normalised within the system. But that job perpetuated injustice and stripped people of their dignity.  Apartheid was, without question, a heinous violation against humanity.

While South Africa is now a constitutional democracy, we are still not entirely free. We are in a constant process of transformation– unlearning the deeply embedded systems of oppression that once defined our existence. 

We are trying to find our place in a democracy that was never designed with us in mind. We are learning to live with wounds that have not fully healed. 

In the process, forgiveness remains complex. Many still seek acknowledgement, accountability and apology. 

We are often told that we are a resilient people. Naturally, resilience was born out of necessity. The expectation was to endure and survive. 

Another expectation placed upon us was to accept our fate. 

But perhaps the most painful form of acceptance was that of  a parent– forced to accept the fate of their child. 

This book calls for honest and necessary conversations about the role of the parents during apartheid and the devastating reality of detained and displaced children.  

Because at its core, this is a story of the Detainees’ Parents Support Committee and the courage of those who refused to remain silent. 

Book 9 of 2026

Insightful and informative read. 

Phiwe Mncwabe is a pan-African storyteller, blogger and founder of Botlhale Hub Afrika.

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