I Write What I Like by Steve Biko

Author:Steve Biko [Biko, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Published: 1978-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

16

“The Righteousness of our Strength”

If, as has been indicated in the introduction to chapter 13, the Black Consciousness Movement is implacably against the Afrikaner’s “Divide and Rule” policy of the bantustans, what is its own vision for the future of South Africa? “One Azania, one Nation” is the BPC motto. Azania is the name adopted by blacks for South Africa, as Zimbabwe for Rhodesia, and Namibia for South West Africa. In these extracts from Steve’s evidence at the Trial he spells out, in response to leading questions from Defence Counsel Advocate Soggot, what this means in terms of “one man one vote”, the place of whites in an open society, the modifications in a shared society demanded by the insights of African culture and experience, and finally how to achieve the aim of one shared open society. Steve’s advocacy of peaceful means was based on the Movement’s realistic assessment of the power it was up against, and also on his own unquenchable optimism in the power of persuasion if your cause was just. At the moment at least in May 1976, he still believed that “this government is not necessarily set on a Hitlerised course”. It is no comfort to us sadder, but not necessarily wiser men to know he was wrong. It should be added that Steve always recognised the relevance of a guerilla warfare strategy, but that this alone was not enough.

One interesting effect of Steve’s evidence, and particularly of his courage under hostile cross-examination, has been told me by Mr Ben Khoapa. Steve gave his evidence and was cross-examined during the whole first week of May 1976. The proceedings were fully reported in the Rand Daily Mail. Overnight Steve became the toast of the Soweto shebeens (pubs). Here at last was the authentic voice of the people, not afraid to say openly what all blacks think but are too frightened to say. For example, in answer to a question from Counsel for the Prosecution, “What do you think of Africans who work for the Security Police?” came straight and clear, “They are traitors”, and this in a courtroom ringed by armed Security Police, black and white! The Righteousness of our Strength Can the example of this one man’s courage have inspired the boys and girls of Soweto to face death, as they so bravely did just six weeks later? This is not to suggest that Steve was “responsible” for the spontaneous uprising of 16 June; but perhaps the close association of these two events is not just an unrelated coincidence. Courage is infectious.

Soggot: Mr Biko, would you refer to Resolution 42 on page 249. In paragraph (2) there you have referred to the definition of black people which I will not trouble you with, but paragraph (3) I should like you to deal with. “SASO believes”—if you will read (a) please?

Biko: Yes. “SASO believes that (a) South Africa is a country in which both black and white live and shall continue to live together.”

Soggot: Now what does

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.