I have appealed to the African people to make sure that this campaign is conducted in a spirit of absolute non-violence, and I am quite certain that they will heed my call. I now wish to direct the same call to the police. If the intention is to “maintain law and order,” I say, you can best do so by eschewing violence. Let the Saracens2 have a holiday. The African people do not need to be controlled. They can control themselves. Please do not give my people impossible orders, such as “disperse within three minutes.” Any such order we shall regard as merely an excuse for baton-charging and shooting the people. If the African people are asked to disperse, they will do so orderly and quietly. They have instructions from me to do so. But we will not run away! If the other side so desires, we will provide them with the opportunity to demonstrate to the world how brutal they can be. We are ready to die for our cause; we are not yet ready to kill for it.
Finally, I wish to offer all those non-African individuals and groups who have expressed themselves as bitterly opposed to the Pass Laws, an opportunity to participate in this noble campaign which is aimed at obtaining for the African people those things that the whole civilized world accepts unquestioningly as the right of every individual. Here is an opportunity for you to create history. Be involved in this historical task; the noblest cause to which man can dedicate himself – the breaking asunder of the chains that bind your fellowmen.
Remember: “Every man’s death diminishes me. For I am involved in mankind.”3
Mangaliso R. Sobukwe
PRESIDENT
PAN AFRICANIST CONGRESS
Robert Sobukwe to the Registrar,
University of the Witwatersrand,
21 March 19604 (Aa11)
I hereby wish to tender my resignation from the position of Junior Language Assistant in the Department of Bantu Languages.
Circumstances have arisen which make it necessary, in the interests of the university, that I resign and that my resignation take effect from the earliest date the university may decide.
I wish to thank you for the attitude you adopted in refusing, in the face of terrific pressure, to interest yourself and the university in my political life.5
Thank you
Yours sincerely
R.M. Sobukwe
The Registrar,
University of the
Witwatersrand,
to Robert Sobukwe,
22 March 1960 (Aa10)
Dear Mr. Sobukwe
I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st March, 1960, wherein you tendered your resignation from the post of Junior African Language Assistant on the staff of the Department of Bantu Languages at this University.
I note that you wish your resignation to take effect from the earliest date that the University may decide, and I have to advise you that it will take effect as from 31st March, 1960, after which date you will no longer be a member of the University Staff.
Yours sincerely,
A. de V. Herholdt.
Registrar.
Robert Sobukwe,
Witbank Prison,
to Veronica Sobukwe,
[1961] (Bc43)
Darling,6
I am now at the Witbank Prison, as the address above indicates. I am quite well and would ask you not to be anxious about my health.
The distance from Johannesburg is much greater than it was to Stofberg [Prison] and you might find transport costs prohibitive. Don’t strain your resources.
We are allowed to read approved books and I shall be glad if you will collect two books from Uncle which I left at his place.
We are in open country once more and for that I am thankful. One can see far into the distance.
Give my love to the kids, particularly to Zodwa,7 the best of them all? Please inform me, when you reply, how Mili8 is faring at school.
Cheerio Little Woman.
Your loving husband,
Mangaliso
Robert Sobukwe,
to Benjamin Pogrund,
Pretoria Gaol,
4 October 1961
(Ba1.1)
Dear Benjie,
I have about five letters to reply to and yours was the last to arrive. But I have decided to indulge in a bit of favouritism and write your letter first. Thanks indeed for your letter. It was a real pleasure to read it.
Through the kind permission of the prison authorities, I am able to write and receive one letter per week and have one visit per week. I have, therefore, been able to write regularly to my people in Graaff-Reinet and also to see my wife. Unfortunately children are not permitted inside the grounds, so I last saw my kids at Witbank [Prison].
Thanks for the news about Jennifer.9 I had not received the glad tidings yet. I am glad to have got the news from the proud father himself. Since both of you are so easy to please I don’t think Jennifer’s task, to make you happy, should be a difficult one! I am sorry I cannot come and pay my respects in person to the lady, but hope to do so when I have left gaol.
My daughter is in Basutoland, attending school there. I learn that two weeks ago she was taken ill and that my wife has rushed to Basutoland to see her. Haven’t heard any more since then.
Glad to learn you have taken up Zulu again – particularly Astrid. I was sorry when she had to give it up because of your interference.10
Thanks for remembering me, Benjie – and thank you also for your offer of help. As I said earlier, I am allowed a visit per week so that it should be possible to arrange for my wife to skip one week so that I may meet you.
Zeph11 and Jacob12 remained behind at Witbank. I am with P.K.13 And we both would be happy to see you. You may perhaps be able to send me some books to read. We are allowed to receive approved literature – that EXCLUDES Westerns.
Give my greetings to Astrid and the kid. I wish them the very best. Remember me to Pat14 and Dave15 when you do write to them.
Salani kahle!16
Yours very sincerely
Bob
Robert Sobukwe, Pretoria Gaol,
to Veronica Sobukwe,
19 June 1962 (Bc1)
Darling,
Thank you for your note which I received on Friday. I was extremely sorry to learn that you had come here on the 11th and were turned away. The truth is, child, I have NOT had a visit this month. I do not know the Dan Mabena who is supposed to have visited me. I have never met him when outside or inside jail. I really cannot explain how the mistake occurred because whenever we receive visits we have to produce our tickets from which our particulars are taken. The person who had a visit on the 10th was Stanley but he, too, was not visited by a Dan Mabena. I reported the incident to the Chief and explained the error to him. Of course he, too, could not have done otherwise if it was recorded in the register that I had received a visit. He has, however, undertaken to have the matter put right, so that if you are able, you may still visit me before the end of the month.