page 284 - Long Walk Original Manuscript [LWOM_284.jpg]

all forms of integration between black and white, and regards separate development as a matter of life and death. The Nationalists will survive as a political party only as long as the links between the various sections of the population remain few and slender. Only an ignorant electorate that is isolated from the broad stream of thought amongst the black South Africans, that has been indoctrinated with the fear of being swamped by Africans, can support the monstrous philosophies propogated by the Nationalist Party.

At the request of the Crown we held no consultation with Helen Joseph and Leon Levy on weekends; but I frequently visited the former at the Central and brought her the record of the proceedings, exhibits and other documents. On these occasions I met the other women detainees and consulted them as possible witnesses. Even visits like these aroused considerable interest among white wardresses who had never known that there were professional men amongst Africans. Seeing prominent white women discuss serious matters with a black man on basis of perfect equality could not but lead to a weakening of many false assumptions.

When the proceedings resumed Farid Adams called Helen and led her evidence in chief. He did fairly well and quickly grasped the intricacies of court procedure. He frequently argued with the judges and, considering that he was a layman, he came out quite well in these exchanges. The accused, who, until this stage of the proceedings had sat passively watching the battle between the defence and Crown teams, suddenly moved right into the front line and showed a lot of common sense and initiative. They cross examined the witness, argued with the judges and the prosecution