page 368 - Long Walk Original Manuscript [LWOM_368.jpg]

On 21st March Robert Sobukwe and his executive walked to the Orlando Police Station to hand themselves in. The tens of thousands of people going to work all but ignored the PAC men. Hardly any people turned out in solidarity and even the batches of volunteers was much smaller than announced. In Johannesburg the campaign was a dismal failure.

In three other centres however the response was tremendous. In Evaton ZB Molete, ably assisted by the experienced Joe Molefe mustered the support of the whole township. In Sharpeville Location, Vereeniging thousands of people stayed away from work and demonstrated outside the police station. Cape Town witnessed one of the biggest anti pass demonstrations in the history of that city. Apart from these three areas there was little activity in the rest of the country.

But it was the massacre of the people of Sharpeville in which 80 people were killed and hundreds wounded, and the shotting at Langa that brought the PAC into the limelight.

Prior to the 21st March attempts were made to organise the PAC in Natal. Robert Sobukwe, Potlako Leballo, Selby Ngendane, Peter Molotsi, Madzunya and other leading members of the organisation visited Durban where a meeting was organised for them. They were welcomed by A.B. Mgcobo and Howard Ngcobo and the hall was packed out. But there was trouble right from the start when the audience demanded to be addressed by speakers elected by themselves. During the heated exchanges that ensued Steve Dlamini rose and called upon the followers of Chief Luthuli to