I am bearing in mind that yours and Mili’s birthdays are coming up soon. I hope to be able to get appropriate gifts for the occasions.
Well, Little Girl, this was merely to say “how do you do?” Just a phone call! I’ll write again, soon. Remember, I am proud of you!
Love to Mama and the kids. I am writing to Fabian, too.
Your loving husband,
Mangi.
Robert Sobukwe
to Nell Marquard,
15 May1964 (Bd1.4)
Dear Mrs Marquard,
Your “note” arrived before I had answered your letter. Thank you for both of them. Particularly the letter. It was so AFRICAN! As Prof. Wilson18 will tell you, when you ask an African how he is, you’re in for it. You’ll get a report on the weather and the state of the crops, the state of health of his family relatives friends, recent deaths and births and finally the assurance – with which, incidentally, the report was prefaced – that by and large things are not bad. A carry-over, most probably from the days when communications were primitive. Common, perhaps, to all peasant populations so that, strictly speaking, I have no right to make the chauvinistic claim that it is TYPICALLY AFRICAN!
Please say “thank you” for me to the person who has given you the money to buy me books. What I should like to have are the dramatic works of the younger English playwrights, particularly (John?) Osborne and Brendan Behan. ANY work of theirs will do, though Borstal Boy by the latter, judging by reviews, is a masterpiece.19 The only stipulation I shall make then, with your gracious permission, is that the money be spent on the works of modern dramatists – excluding G.B.S.20 (I have all his works). I still have plenty of reading material so that you can take your time over the bargaining.
No, I did not know Prof. [W.M.] Macmillan.21 He was at Wits before my time. I have read his books though, including “The Cape Coloured Question”.22 That was when I did “Native Administration” for my degree.23 Nor is Governor Barkly24 a complete stranger to me. I met him in that involved series of “Kaffir Wars”.25
Yes, I read about Mary Harrison and her old friend at Paarl. It’s not only been a pleasant friendship, though: it’s been rewarding too. Thank you also for the spicy bit on Mrs Sigcau no. 5.26 Talk of Hollywood!
I have been puzzling over the identity of Gladys Mgudlandlu.27 I still am not sure whether it is the same woman as was at Healdtown at the time I was there 1940–46. She does appear to be making her mark in the art world which to me is an absolutely foreign one.
Thank you also for the garden stuff. I haven’t received it yet but it most probably is on its way.
The Catholic priest, Father Webber, who cared for me while I was in Pretoria jail is on a fund-raising mission in the U.S.A. He spent a few days in Britain and while there sent me a postcard with a picture of Piccadilly Circus. He then passed on to New York from where he sent me another postcard, with a picture of Lower Manhattan & Brooklyn Bridge. What a contrast the two pictures present! Mature age and aggressive youth: culture and wealth.
I know this is not in your line but it is just possible that you have read in the papers about the decision of the Ghana Boxing Board to declare their boy the world champion.28 I had a good laugh over that one. That’s the Dark Continent for you – always something new! What an editorial I would have written on the subject! That’s where Britain stands streets above us. The British can laugh very heartily at themselves. We’re losing all sense of humour.
Thank you for the quotation from [W.B.] Yeats. We’ll get there, don’t you worry. “The cow and the bear shall feed: their young ones shall lie down together …”29 in this world of ours! God bless you.
Yours sincerely,
RM Sobukwe
Robert Sobukwe
to Veronica Sobukwe,
22 May 1964 (Bc17)
Hullo Darling!
You’ve been complaining rather consistently about my silence and yet I know that I write at least two letters to your one, Child. For instance, I wrote you one on the 8th of this month. I have not yet received a reply to it but because it is a pleasure to me merely to write to you, I am writing this one.
If I did not thank you for the Easter card and the R10 (Ten Rands) please accept my most humble apologies, darling. Not only was the Easter message your card contained a lovely one but the very idea of your sending me one warmed my heart immensely. You belong to a rare class of women. I want you to know that and remember it, so that should I one day so forget myself as to hurt you in any way – I am mortal, after all, and “to err is human” – you will remind me of this, my testament!
Thanks for news about the kids. I need not tell you I miss you all. […]
Mercy has written to tell me she failed. She is taking her failure very hard indeed and I really do sympathise with her. It can’t be pleasant to think that she has to go back to Bara30 when she thought she had finished with the place for good.
I shall be writing to Benjie next week. In the meantime, please tell him I have received the books he sent. I shall read the two that concern his subject very carefully and will make necessary comments. Tell him also that Father Flexmoor of the Roman Catholic Church came to see me on Sunday, 17th May. He has promised to call again.
Winter has set in with a vengeance and I am consuming gallons of coffee. I shall have to take your advice and alternate with tea, otherwise I’ll end up with CCF31 (that’s the correct terminology, isn’t it?)
I am expecting some records of the “Messiah” and will be able to play and hear again “For Unto us a Child is Born”32 which always reminds me of Dini’s babyhood.
The fruit arrangements are working out fine and I am having plenty of fruit, so you need not worry over that score. I had intended, for your sake, to give up smoking. But I feel it will be too much of a strain just now. So I hope you won’t feel I have let you down. Don’t worry your head about cancer. I won’t contract it. I’ll die from old age, Little Girl, quietly, in a cool room with my children and great grandchildren around me. That’s a promise!
I’ll write again, very soon. Keep that head high, Sweet. “Underneath are the everlasting arms.”33
Incidentally, I shall have to write to Mama and thank her for bringing you up. She did a splendid job!
Love to them all and particularly to Zodwa!
Your loving husband,
Mangi
Robert Sobukwe
to Benjamin Pogrund,
30 May 1964 (Ba2.21)
Dear Benjie,
Thank you for the books, the needle, and the sponge. I am happy also about the arrangements you have made for fruit. What hasn’t arrived yet is the tobacco assignment and I am just wondering whether you intend to make alternative arrangements about that also.
I have finished reading An African Student in China34 and am now busy with Africa and the Communist World.35 I am finding the latter most interesting. It is scholarly and well-documented and I am sure will provide you with a number of hints with regard to your own studies. Incidentally, I hope that the latter are going on