We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Darkest Before Dawn Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 April 2025
Accused no. 39, David Ramodibe, calls Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe
The Court to Prosecutor. I am making a request, I am not making an order, that the witness’ leg irons be removed. It is only when I receive an assurance to the contrary, that it is essential that we must have the leg irons, that I will permit them to be left on. Now, is the witness going to give evidence in English?
Prosecutor. Yes.
Sobukwe. English.
The Court. Before we go on, I have now requested that the leg irons be taken off you. I hope you realize that as far as this Court is concerned, you will not cause any trouble on that account. Will you give me that understanding?
Sobukwe. Correct.
The Court. Now accused No. 39 in the case will conduct the examination in chief on behalf of the five undefended accused. Ramodibe. Mr. Sobukwe, what was your occupation before the 21st of March, 1960?
Sobukwe. I was lecturer in Bantu languages at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Ramodibe. What was your educational standard?
Sobukwe. I’m a B.A. of the University of South Africa, B.A. Honours, Witwatersrand.
Ramodibe. Do you know an organisation called the Pan African Congress?
Sobukwe. Correct.
Ramodibe. Are you a member there?
Sobukwe. I was the President of the Pan Africanists Congress.
Ramodibe. How old was the organisation before the 21st of March, 1960?
Sobukwe. Just on 11 months. It was founded on the 6th of April, 1959.
The Court. Is there any significance in the fact that it was founded on Van Riebeek day?
Sobukwe. I don't know.
Ramodibe. Mr. Sobukwe, was P.A.C. a registered organisation before the 21st of March?
Sobukwe. African political organisations are not registered. Ramodibe. Can I put the question this way. Was the P.A.C. organisation known by the Government?
Sobukwe. Correct.
Ramodibe. Before the campaign I realized that certain pamphlets were delivered by the P.A.C. […] When was the last pamphlet delivered, or issued?
Sobukwe. It should be round about the 18th of March, the Friday prior to the riots.
Ramodibe. What information did it carry to the people?
Sobukwe. It outlined the nature of the campaign and also gave the date on which the campaign would start.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
