Ray's Story—Part 3

Stones of Blood

Ray rushed from school that afternoon to get the 3 o'clock bus. He disembarked from the bus at the Market near the CBD and walked the rest of the way. The directions read that he must go through the Albert Park and then turn right into the first street. The meeting ended after 9 o'clock that evening, and Sagren, the Indian man who had convened the meeting offered Ray a lift home. Sagren turned out to be a law student at the University of Durban Westville. He explained to Sagren that it was essential that the attack on the public transport system be coordinated across all the Coloured, Black and Indian townships for the maximum impact.

There was much dissatisfaction at the government's proposed installation of the tri-cameral party system. It was a case of all or nothing, especially not the "window-dressing" that this system was to be. The Blacks of South Africa would be completely side-lined in the process. There was much anger in the coloured community, because the older people were excited at the prospect of voting for the first time and wanted to know what the problem was with the "ungrateful younger generation". The students on the other hand wanted to know why vote for somebody who has no say aty all in the legislature of the country. Ray was reminded of the story that he learned in primary school, called "The Emperors New Clothes".

Students around the country started mobilizing and after reading one of the brochures, Ray knew that he could not just stand back and watch. He spoke to Joseph and they met with the commander in the area asking what they do.

Ray and Joseph spearheaded the mobilization among the local students. It was decided that direct action was needed against the regime. Joseph carried the 5-month old memory of the incident at the beachfront, and was out for revenge. That morning, before 5:30AM they put up posters at all the bus pick-up points in the area asking the public not to use the bus service. Ray was happy that Winter had set in because they had pulled the ridiculous balaclavas over their faces.

About eight students from Umlazi, a Black township south of Durban, arrived that morning to assist with the attack. There were only six local students who were willing to participate in the attack and asked Sibusiso, the student representative leader from Umlazi, if they could assist. Ray was tempted to approach some of the gangsters that he knew, but that would only provide the white press with material to blame it on a criminal element.