page 412 - Long Walk Original Manuscript [LWOM_412.jpg]

I pointed out to him that divisions amongst the oppressed people were a common feature throughout the world and that in South Africa Africans were no more divided on political issues than were the whites. On the second point I referred him to the Treason Trial judgement in which the court had expressly dismissed the allegation and reminded him that the charge was no more than a fear which was used by an oppressive regime to discredit its opponents.

Later that day Walter Sisulu and Duma Nokwe accompanied me to the Vaal River and from there I travelled with fellow Treason Trialist Milner Ntsangane to Port Elizabeth, the first leg of my journey. There I spent a day with Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba and others discussing problems relating to the new structure of the ANC as an underground organisation. We met at the house of Dr. Masla Pather and for this he was subsequently sentenced to two years imprisonment. I also met Sutherland, editor of the Evening Post, and he splashed the campaign the same day in his newspaper.

The editor of the Cape Times, Mr. Norton, was a friend of Professor Matthews and he received me warmly. I stayed in a hotel under a cover name, took all my meals in my room and went out only in the evenings. I would meet Archie Sibeko at a pre arranged spot and he would accompany me to various places. It was on this occasion that I addressed the Committee of the Coloured Convention under the chairmanship of Dr. R.E. van der Ross, now rector of the University of the Western Cape. It brought together influential leaders of the coloured community amongst whom were Reggie