Axel-Ivar Berglund - Nordic Documentation on the Liberation ...

from the various theological schools, seminaries, call them what you please,
throughout South Africa, in order to raise our own standards as staff members
and to support one another in our efforts to improve theological education.
Theological education in the situation in which we had to work in South Africa
was anything but a neutral kind of academic exercise. It was an involvement
in the situation of South Africa, the presence of the Church in that situation.
What was the message of the Church to the South African way of living,
apartheid? That’s where I worked. I became right-hand man to John Reese to
begin with, and subsequently to Desmond Tutu, as General Secretary.
Bertil Högberg: Where was the funding for SACC coming from?
<strong>Axel</strong>-<strong>Ivar</strong> <strong>Berglund</strong>: Chiefly from Europe. Considerable sums came from the
mission in Uppsala, CSM. There was also funding to the various parts of the
council from various donor agencies in Germany, Holland and England,
particularly when it came to human rights and human dignity, and the support
of families whose fathers were in prison. That was of course regarded as very
dangerous indeed.
Bertil Högberg: Was there any other Swedish support apart from CSM?
<strong>Axel</strong>-<strong>Ivar</strong> <strong>Berglund</strong>: SIDA.
Bertil Högberg: Through the Ecumenical council or what was the channel?
Was the channel through CSM?
<strong>Axel</strong>-<strong>Ivar</strong> <strong>Berglund</strong>: CSM, yes. Subsequently I think it became a larger united
effort in Sweden, because SACC could swallow any amount of money. I
mean, all the families of banned people had no income. One would hear that
Mrs So and So has to work because her husband is on Robben Island, but
many wouldn’t employ her. So the family had to be supported and the children
given an education and if at all possible be given funds to allow them to visit
their folk on Robben Island. You know, those visits were terrible things. I
accompanied a large number of people to Robben Island. I recall with disgust
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