page 300 - Long Walk Original Manuscript [LWOM_300.jpg]

Treason Trial, the government has a special interest in the selection of the judges and in the judgement of the court. The court becomes a weapon to enforce the existing policy. This is specially the case in a country like South Africa where all the judges are white and where justice in political trials involving blacks might be administered secretly.

But there have been individual judges in this country and elsewhere who have honoured their profession even when trying political cases and who have risen above their prejudices. In this regard the Treason Trial tended to broaden one's understanding of the complexities of human nature and warned of the dangers of oversimplification, of classifying human beings either as totally good or totally bad. There is a streak of goodness in all men, something to be admired. One is able to draw a distinction between the social system, the established institutions that have evolved definite policies over the years and the men who administer these institutions. Frequently the feelings and views of the individuals may clash with their official duties and men may do a lot of things which indicate their concern about human suffering and their anxiety to soften such hardships.

Throughout the proceedings Rumpff remained cold and aloof and gave me the impression that he tended to look at issues from the point of view of the ruling white minority and that he upheld racial discrimination and did not wish to make any orders that might undermine the present set up. During our detention Adv. Kentridge complained formally in court about the inferior quality of the diet supplied to us by the Prison Department and asked the court to adjourn for the purpose of examining the lunch.