South Africa: Unasked Questions and Unquestionable Answers

Extract

Before Americans fought their British parents for freedom, we black Africans had fought the Boers in several wars for the preservation of ours. Kings Tshaka, Sekhukhuni and Makhado were continuing where their foreparents had left off. Before today's racist Nationalist Party was born in 1914, we had already established, in 1912, the Native National Congress, today's African National Congress. Before I knew the word “politics,” I had already been uprooted with my community three times in 1951, 1959 and 1961, to make room for whites in newly declared white areas. Before I knew the word “torture,” I had witnessed the brutal beatings of men and women on farms in the Northern Transvaal. Before I knew the word “apartheid,” I had already been denied timely education and daily bread. Before I learned anything about percentages and equality, I already knew that “white” meant more food, more land, more money, more cattle, better housing, better schooling, better health facilities. Before I heard the word “terrorist,” I was already being terrorized. I was already being chased around in Louis Trichardt for a passbook, or for being in town after 9:00 p.m., or for fun. Before I knew the concepts of oppression and exploitation, I knew that our people were killed and buried on the Bethal potato farms.