page 451 - Long Walk Original Manuscript [LWOM_451.jpg]

I was reminded of a Rand Daily Mail article written by certain Mr. Layton who claimed that the ANC lacked the distinctive marks of a mature political organisation. He claimed that its membership was small and did not command the support of the African people; that it had no proper offices, full time officials, afficient machinery, transport or records. Reporter Layton deliberately omitted to mention the fact that throughout its history and especially since the Nats came to power in 1948 the enemy had systematically attacked the organisation by means of sustained raids on its offices and homes of its leaders, banned, restricted and deported officials, prohibited government employees from being members, disrupted its machinery by removing records and arresting key figures and by intimidating landlords not to give us offices. If he had examined the matter objectively he would have realised that it was remarkable that we were still active under such semi legal conditions. Nevertheless my visit to the TANU offices showed me what we could have been if we had operated under more favourable conditions.

Oliver Tambo, who had been waiting for me in Dar had left a message that I should follow him to Lagos where he had gone to attend the conference of thee Monravia group of African states. I spent happy moments with Moses Kotane who was returning from a trip abroad, Xola Makiwane, Frene Ginwala, Jimmy Radebe and many of our people there.

One evening we flew to Lagos and met on the plane Hymie Basner and his wife who were bound for Accra where he had been offered employment. About 8 a.m. the following day we landed at