Scene 4 - The Dompas

Summary

Lights up to general.

SDUDLA: You came to Cape Town thinking that all your problems would be solved.

MAMPOMPO: Yes, especially now because Botha has taken the passes away so that I can go wherever I want to.

SDUDLA: Ha! People say I am mad. I never took a dompas, from when it started until now when President Botha says it's over.

MAMBHELE: That Botha has been promising everyone everything.

MAMPOMPO: Ha. You are born in Cape Town, you’ve got all the rights; you’ve got a pass, unepasi wena.

MAMBHELE: If everything was like you say I wouldn't be here with all my section 10s, a, b, c, up to z permits and my pass.

MAMPOMPO: Heyi mfazi, is Sdudla like me, not having a permit or a pass?

SDUDLA: Never, ever in my life, kaloku mfazi.

MAMBHELE: You are like children to that Botha, because he’s telling you fairy tales.

MAMPOMPO: You can say anything about him, I won't listen because he's good to me.

MAMBHELE: He is so tricky. Every day we read in the papers, we listen to the radio that things are changing, but nobody knows what is going on. Do you think that Botha is going to let us do anything, go anywhere, stay anywhere without a permit? They are going to control us. Inkom’ ingazala umntu. You will wait and wait until your eyes are grey.

SDUDLA: Mampompo, if they say the pass is finished why do they say people must keep their passes? Why? Because they are frightened that the women will start burning their passes as they did 30 years ago. What will they do then?

MAMPOMPO: Hayi suka, you Cape Town people say all these things as an excuse not to work. What kind of work do you want to do? I can take any work – domestic … I even worked on a farm. When I came to Cape Town my husband was in hospital with TB. His brother took me to the hospital but they didn't want me to see him because he was so sick. His brother took me back to the hostel. As you know I was not allowed to stay there because of my permit. He took me to Crossroads, where we can build a shack. But I didn't even have money to build a shack.