page 095 - Long Walk Original Manuscript [LWOM_095.jpg]

In the evening that day Walter Sisulu and I were in Orlando West and the police were camped across a stream about five hundred yards away from us. Suddenly a volley was fired in our direction and we took cover but the bullets hit the houses and in some cases even shattered windows. That was the reckless act of irresponsible men and typical of police behaviour towards Africans under the Nationalist regime. There was no provocation whatsoever for the indiscriminate firing; the police were not in danger nor were there any gatherings they wished to disperse. It is not surprising that on that day alone they killed no less than eighteen Africans.

Early in 1950 I was co opted into the National Executive of the ANC in place of Dr. Xuma, who had since resigned. We were now preparing for the National Day of Protest on June 26th 1950. On this occasion we closed ranks and the ANC, SAICand APO, and nationalists and Marxists, conservatives and progressives, priests and laymen worked together harmoniously. In preparation for June 26th Walter Sisulu toured the country and left me in charge of the office. The whole place buzzed with activity and Moses Kotane, Dr. Dadoo, J.B. Marks (now Transvaal president of the ANC), Yusuf Cahcalia and his brother Maulvi Cachalia, Gaur Radebe (secretary of the Coucil of Action), James Phillips, V.T. Safera, Michael L. Harmel, Jack Hodgson, Diliza Mji, Peter Raboroka, Ntatho Motlana were amongst those who called in daily to see that things were moving according to plan.

A political strike based on the demands of a general nature and not on such clear cut issues as higher wages, shorter hours of work and a reduction of house rents and transport costs is a difficult