ST ANTONY’S ACTIVISTS

The Story of St Anthony’s United Church (Congregational & Presbyterian) Pageview, Johannesburg 1975-1990

R J D Robertson

Cape Town

1999

First Published 1999 © R. J. D. Robertson 1999

Address: 1002 Atlantica, Loxton Rd., Milnerton, Cape Town 7441

Telephone (021) 552-6298 Dedicated to the All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval one hundred and fifty-eight system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, members and associate members recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author. of St Anthony’s United Church whose faith turned dreams ISBN 0-620-24010-5 into deeds. Originally printed in South Africa by Salty Print, Cape Town. Typesetting by Nick Curwell. PDF version available online at: PDF generated by Hugh M., Ian N., and Pam I. Robertson 2008.

By the same author: The Small Beginnings – the story of North End Presbyterian Church, East London 1962-1970. Published 1997. PDF version available online at:

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I pray that the example of St Antony's activists will be one of many, however small, to assist us to solve the problems of violence, bloodshed and warfare in the spirit of Jesus FOREWORD Christ. I am convinced that increasingly the world will turn to the philosophy, the example and the sacrifice of people like Gandhi, Martin Luther King and others to bring us the answer to this problem. by Dr C F B Naudé It is my hope and prayer that, inspired by this publication, a number of young people, including committed Christians, would set up discussion groups throughout the country regularly to debate, evaluate and engage in nonviolence as suggested in the closing chapter of this book in order to help the future generation to solve the problems of human conflict Rob Robertson, in his own quiet way, has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of without violence, bloodshed and warfare. pacifism in South Africa. Many of us, including myself, did not understand the full meaning of this concept till he, through his preaching, teaching and example, illustrated it to us. His ministry at St Antony's, Pageview, supported by that congregation, conveyed that message so clearly. I am thinking here of the way in which he treated and responded to the security police and to all of his adversaries. Many of them must have been flabbergasted by his response, simply because they did not understand the basic philosophy of nonviolence to which he, like Gandhi before him, had committed his life. I am deeply grateful that I can express in this foreword my appreciation of twice being invited to preach at St Antony's worship services when I was still under a banning order, knowing full well the possible implications that this action could have had for the Church Council and the minister, his wife and family. I am also expressing on behalf of the hundreds of worshippers at St Antony's our gratitude not only for the way Rob conducted the worship services, but also how he shared his deep conviction of non-violent resistance in the manner in which he led the activities of the congregation. If we contemplate more meaningfully the message and ministry of people like Rob Robertson, we slowly begin to understand the depth and significance of the message which his congregation as described in these pages conveyed through their life and ministry. It seems to me that it will take decades for the world fully to grasp the significance of the philosophy of non-violent resistance that Gandhi, followed by people like Rob and others, have demonstrated. If we look at the way in which nations, tribes and ethnic groups currently are attempting to resolve their conflicts by way of bloodshed and warfare, it becomes increasingly clear that none of them have the real answer to the need of rebuilding the world to ensure a peaceful future. Slowly but increasingly the world is beginning to realise that war brings no solution to our human problems.

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Light Coming in the Morning CONTENTS 20. Sing, John Ball - 1986 ……………………………………………………………143 Page 21. The Word became Flesh …………………………………………………………154 Foreword………………………………………………………………………………..v - vi 22. State of Emergency - 1987 ……………………………………………………....158 Author's Note……………………………………………………………………….….ix - xi 23. Developments Galore - 1988 …………………………………………………….162 The Small Beginning 24. Turning Dreams into Deeds - 1989 ………………………………………………169 1. At the Turning Point ………….……………………………………………………..3 2. The Turning Point that Might Have Been ………..…………………………………5 The Culmination 3. St Alban's And St Anthony's Mission ……….……………………………………9 25. Carrying the Cross - 1990 ………………………………………………………..179 4. Exploring – 1974 ………...………………….……………...……………………...12 26. Let Us Make the World an Alleluia! ……………………………………………..188 5. Pageview – Fietas ……………………………….………………………..……….19 APPENDICES 6. Lift-off – 1975 ………..……………………………………………………………23 1. Forms of Church Government ……………………………………………………193 7. The Ethos of St Ant's ………..……………………..……...………………………33 2. Advance Conceptions of the Task ………………………………………………..194 8. Some Principles ………...……………………………….…………………………41 3. St Antony's Values ………………………………………………………………..196

From Church to World 4. The Secular Mission of the Church ………………………………………………197 9. After "Soweto" - 1976 ………...…………………………...………………………51 5. Members and Associate Members of St Antony's ………………………………..198 10. Change of Direction - 1977 ………………………………………………………..59 6. Glossary …………………………………………………………………………..203 11. Going it alone – 1978 ……………………………………………………………...71 7. Acronyms ………………………………………………………………………....205

Nonviolent Direct Action for Social Change MAPS 12. Action at Last - 1979 ………………………………………………………………81 1. Pageview and Environs …………………..……………………………………….20 13. Some Arresting Events - 1980 …………………………………………………….95 2. Greater Johannesburg …………………………………………………………...…22 14. Engaging the State - 1981 ………………………………………………………...103 15. "Branching Out" - 1982 …………………………………………………………111 16. The Rapids of History - 1983 …………………………………………………….119 17. Stubborn Ounces - 1984 ………………………………………………………….123 18. Wealth, Poverty and Change – 1985 (1) …………………………………………128 19. Naught for Your Comfort – 1985 (2) …………………………………………….135

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AUTHOR’S NOTE Please read this first.

Denis Beckett, of Frontline, Sidelines and Beckett's Trek fame, gives a micro-chip Acknowledgements description of this congregation where he was a regular attender: There was a church in Vrededorp - St Antony's..... It was multi-everything back when andersdenkendes were kommuniste, and its happy band of pioneers had no doubts Grateful thanks to: about our pioneerhood. We would overcome. We were before our time but in due course the nation would work as St Antony's worked - everybody trying to come to Dr.Margaret Nash and Denis Beckett who gave helpful criticism on content. terms with everybody. Marjorie Hope and James Young for permission to reproduce an extract from "The South This story is written for those happy pioneers in thankfulness for their companionship in a African Churches in a Revolutionary Situation". great adventure of faith. Some of them will shed tears as they read it! Some who were lean Dorothy Steele for reading the proofs. activists and have moved into more comfortable modes may be reminded of the sacrifices and high moral purpose of those days. I hope other interested readers will also gain Nick Curwell who designed the cover and set the type. something from it. It is also written by some of those pioneers. In the text I acknowledge the contributions that many of them have sent me. Some say nice things about my wife and myself, and Four impressions for illustrations have been taken from The Rand Daily Mail, one from there are also criticisms of my attitudes. I swallow both modesty and pride and include The Star, one from The Sunday Express and one from Die Beeld. The map on page 20 is some of each. And I was one of the activists, so please put up with reading many of what reproduced by kind permission of The Readers’ Digest of South Africa. my wife once called "silly escapades". The title, perhaps presumptuously, is meant to relate to the New Testament "Acts of the Apostles". Those apostles were not teachers of a new religion. They were people who acted because of their faith in Jesus. They often met under threat and surveillance, they travelled dangerous roads and were imprisoned, they healed and the largest portion of the book of Acts tells how they gently challenged the "powers that be". Not much is recorded of their sermons or their worship, nor of the many ordinary persons who made up their assemblies. The same applies to my story. Comparatively little is said of worship, sermons and prayers, but these were the regular diet from which the activists drew their strength and direction. Neither were all St Antony's members activists, but all supported those who

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were, even at the risk of a midnight visit from the Security Police. It is impossible to There were no static years at St Antony's. Each held its own adventures and I have mention everyone, but all members and associate members are listed in Appendix 5. arranged most chapters each to cover one year. Note that prior to 1975 the spelling is "St Anthony's" with the "h". Then it changes to "St Antony's". This will help the reader Remember too that this was a group of black and white people all at different stages in distinguish the two phases of this story. For short, members used to speak of "St Ant's". finding their way out of the apartheid mentality, and later out of male-dominated sexism. Many of the hymns we sang are reproduced here. Some were original or unfamiliar to There was much that we were slow to learn, and I will try to be honest about this. We were mainline churches. The music and complete words can be had on request from the author. also a congregation on the "frontier" of the Church. We were a first contact for some atheists, and about half those who joined had been "lapsed" Christians. We were also a last The value of the Rand changed considerably over the period 1975 to 1990. For the 1999 toe-hold for some who would long since have left the Church, and we said goodbye to equivalent value multiply the figure given by the number following it in brackets ( ). them without recrimination. This story frequently uses terms from the Presbyterian system of Church government and This book is a sequel to "The Small Beginning", the story of North End Presbyterian some-times the Congregational system. If you are not familiar with these please first read Church in East London through the years 1962 to 1970. St Antony's was not merely a Appendix 1. Appendix 6 provides a Glossary of other terms and Appendix 7 provides a sequel in time, however. It grew out of and far beyond that small beginning. For List of Acronyms. comparison I occasionally refer back to that East London experience. North End was an Most ministers dream of serving the ideal congregation. St Antony's developed into endeavour at integration within the Presbyterian Church. But St Antony's story will something beyond any ideal that I could have dreamed of. I'm grateful that I could have 16 oscillate between events inside and outside the institutional church. This interaction with years of this ideal before my ministry ended and strength ebbed. Most men dream of the the world is the essence of its activism. ideal wife. What I have just said of St Antony's can also be said of the woman who There are some remarkable personal stories to tell. At points I take excursions following accompanied me through those years - and the other 29 before and since! the lives of these activists or the consequences of their actions, through the years, rather than expecting readers to pick up the fragments of each person's story as they go through the book. ““” marks the end of each excursion. My account is not meant to glorify these activists. Any honour really belongs to the One in whom they had faith.

As in the North End story, for the sake of historical accuracy and flavour and to avoid distortion due to later insights, I quote as much as possible directly from my occasional diary, News Letters, press articles, correspondence, Church Council Minutes and recorded sermons. These direct quotations enable the reader to enter into the adventure as it unfolded. For clarity they appear in different print styles. My diary and the News letters which I wrote are in italics and quotations from other sources are in smaller type. They retain the then current racial, sexist and political terms. Explanatory editorial additions to these records are in square brackets [ ]. I hope these live fragments break any monotony in a story told in retrospect. For reference these diaries and other records are lodged in the Archives of the University of the Witwatersrand among other material of the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (Ref No Fi 5. 5. 39b. 1-7). You will read a lot about nonviolence in this story. Those years were for me a learning experience in this form of social action and it became part of the ethos of St Antony's. The single word “nonviolence” is now used to convey a positive concept in place of the negativeness of “non-violence”. I retain the hyphen where it appears in quotations.

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The Small Beginning

St Anthony’s Activists At The Turning Point 1. AT THE TURNING-POINT

Thoughtful people knew it had to come. Those with an ear to the ground predicted it days before it happened. On that Wednesday morning, 16th June 1976, my wife Gert was at a function in a sheltered employment workplace in Orlando East, Soweto. Across the valley in Orlando West the turning-point in South Africa's history had been reached as Brigadier "Rooi Rus" Swanepoel ordered the police to open fire on demonstrating students who had answered teargas with stones. The Rev John Thorne, Congregational Church minister with an ear nearer the ground than ours, phoned me about 11 o'clock to say that in Soweto 25 youngsters had been shot dead. Gert (short for Gertrude) came home at noon, unaware of what was happening. That Saturday Richard Gqotso, Presbyterian minister in Orlando, took me round Soweto to see the burned-out Bantu Administration Department (BAD) buildings and the torched buses, banks and bottle-stores. The next morning St Antony's small congregation gathered for worship in its Pageview building. Namedi Mphahlele, Presbyterian minister living in Klipspruit, was there with a school principal from Soweto. Black students were there too. None had been involved in the actual march that triggered the event but all were alive with excitement and indignation. During every service we shared news. This day people from outside Soweto, whites, blacks and Coloureds, listened to the Sowetans' assessment of what was afoot. The Principal explained how teachers had advised the Department of Bantu Education that they were inadequate for teaching half their subjects through the medium of Afrikaans, but were told they had better knuckle down and do it. Likewise parents had complained, only to be told that this was an academic matter and had nothing to do with them. Only then did the students become involved and now the battle was joined. Thank God, we were in the right community, a small but city-wide inter-racial Christian fellowship, developed in anticipation of major change. The student revolt spread through the country over the next few months. "This day will be remembered as the El Alamein of the black man's struggle for this country", I told the August meeting of the Johannesburg Presbytery. (El Alamein is the tiny railway siding

3 St Anthony’s Activists At The Turning Point St Anthony’s Activists The Turning Point That Might Have Been next to the Qatara Depression in Egypt where the Allied forces in World War 2 turned back the German and Italian armies of Field Marshal Rommel.) 2. THE TURNING-POINT Years later Alan Paton and Ahmed Kathrada, better judges than I, marked that day as the point at which black power surfaced and white power started to decline, the day when THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN black children in Paton's words decided that "they would not be treated as the conquered any more" (Readers' Digest, August 1988 p.27). Remarkably it was also the calendar antipode of the 16th December, the day the Boers observed as the turning-point in their struggle. "In reply to your application, I have to advise you that it is not the policy of the African On 16th December 1975, the Minister of the Interior, Dr Connie Mulder, had said National Congress to enrol European members. We suggest you apply to join our Alliance prophetically that the next two years would be more important for Southern Africa than the partners, the Congress of Democrats." Great Trek! I doubt if he anticipated what actually happened. It was 1959. I had great admiration for Chief Albert Luthuli, then President of the ANC, as The Presbytery of Johannesburg had given St Antony's three years, starting January 1975, a Christian committed to non-violence. Believing also that the ANC would play a decisive to prove its validity and viability. The Soweto uprising happened half way through that role in the future of South Africa and that I should be involved, I had applied to their Port period. What follows is the story of that congregation and its eventual 16 years of Elizabeth branch for membership. This was the gist of their reply. ANC spokespersons adventure far beyond what was envisaged in the initial three years. Its life spanned the sometimes speak of the organisation "always being non-racial" but it was 1985, at its period between the June 1976 and February 1990 turning-points in South Africa’s history. Kabwe Conference, before this racial exclusiveness was actually abandoned. But it was not a reaction to them. Both were anticipated, as you will see. This response made me realise that I already belonged to a racially defined organisation However, I must first refer back to what could have been an earlier turning point in South the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA) - and that my efforts must begin there Africa's history and to what Gert and I were doing at that earlier time. in the hope of contributing to political and social change in our country. Yes, the PCSA, although "multi-racial", still defined its congregations as European, Coloured, and Indian, with African Missions functioning under a Committee and in terms of a separate chapter in the constitution of the church. (See Appendix 1 for a description of the Presbyterian and Congregational Church systems of government). What does a young idealist do about this? Complain at the General Assembly, agitate, write letters to "The Leader", the PCSA's periodical at the time? Or does he blow apart the congregation where he is serving? Years later I realised that through the guidance of God and the wisdom of my wife we chose instead what Gandhi called a "constructive programme". It was Gandhi's civil disobedience which caught world attention, but before that started in India he had persuaded the Indian National Congress to adopt a Constructive Programme to build a self-reliant country, independent of British rule. It involved, for example, communal unity to end untouchability and the inequality of women; self-reliance through village industries; promotion of health and the development of a new and basic education system; labour unions and economic equality; the development of a national language. Civil disobedience was not his main purpose. It was used only to remove obstacles in the way of the programme.

4 5 St Anthony’s Activists The Turning Point That Might Have Been St Anthony’s Activists The Turning Point That Might Have Been

Gandhi wrote: "Civil Disobedience can never be diverted for a general cause such as Independence. The issue must be definite and capable of being clearly understood and Here's how I looked back on the whole process after a 1989 visit to Russia, which was to within the power of the opponent to yield. Civil Disobedience.... without the cooperation have included Beijing. However the British government advised British tour operators of the millions by way of the constructive effort is mere bravado and worse than useless.” against taking its passport holders to China at that time. (Basic Works Vol IV pp 369, 370). Did Tiananmen Square fail as non-violent direct action? Time will tell, but my reading It seems to me this was only partially understood in South Africa's struggle. The 1955 Freedom Charter remained a future blue-print, rather than an immediate action is that if students can maintain their nonviolence it will mark the turning-point in their programme. Effort was directed primarily at destroying apartheid, and with only limited struggle for a democratic China. The massacre of 4th June does not represent the programmes to reconstruct a better society. Consequently in the post-apartheid era we strength but the weakness of the present rulers of China. As Prof Walter Wink says, it is when the Powers are almost beaten that they unleash brutal responses. have still a long way to go. To my simple mind June 4th in China corresponds to Bloody Sunday at the Winter Here I must explain my attitude to apartheid, for there will be many references to it in what Palace in Leningrad where about 200 lives were lost in a non-violent demonstration follows. Although the word was invented as an election slogan that brought the National which turned the tide against the Tsar. He abdicated twelve years later. Party to power in 1948 it was not a sudden aberration spawned by Afrikaners. The spirit of it goes back to the day when a technologically advanced civilisation with guns landed on In South Africa I believe the tide would have turned at Sharpeville had the liberation the southern point of the African continent and collided with a pastoral and nomadic movements been able to maintain their non-violence. Understandable as the armed community that had neither writing nor the wheel and was armed with spears and shields. struggle is, I think the long view will show that it has extended the life of apartheid and put off the turning-point to the less clearly non-violent and more costly events of Human nature being what it is, the one was almost bound to dominate the other until the Soweto 1976. In the even tougher circumstances of Namibia, the death of 11 unarmed technology and abilities crossed the gap. Apartheid was the last resort to prevent this demonstrators in "Old Location" in December 1959 might have marked the same happening. It was ruthless because the days of white hegemony were already running out turning point. after World War 2. Apartheid threw back the slow process of integration and maintained the status of haves and have-nots for another half century. Its removal involved the (Non-Violence News, 4th Quarter 1989) resolution of the dual problems of the relationship of black to white and of rich to poor. Gert and I had tried without success to break the racial pattern in two "European" It seems there is a point of initial loss that a non-violent movement has to weather and congregations, St Ninian's, Johannesburg and Cambridge, East London. In 1959, keep its nerve. In India 379 persons died in the Amritsar massacre of 1919, but the anticipating the Sharpeville eruption, I set about the ground work for the formation from Indian National Congress kept its faith in nonviolence and went on to triumph. scratch of a racially inclusive congregation in East London. With the approval of the (Non-Violence News, 4th Quarter 1992) General Assembly of the PCSA this opened in March 1962. It was known as North End

Presbyterian Church and turned out to be the first deliberate attempt to reverse the social process that was eliminating the few remaining pockets of racially shared congregational This is no criticism of the PAC and ANC. My own journey to active nonviolence was life in any of the denominations of the Christian Church in South Africa. Thankfully some pitifully slow. of these pockets, particularly in Anglican and Catholic churches in the Cape, persisted Another great sadness of the "armed struggle" choice made by these liberation movements throughout the apartheid years. is that some of their best leaders consequently spent so much of their lives in jail. For all Sharpeville could have been an earlier turning-point for Black South Africa. On 21st his civil disobedience and conviction on a charge of sedition, Gandhi spent less than seven March 1960 Pan African Congress (PAC) supporters set out to demonstrate their rejection of his 78 years behind bars. of the pass system, just as sixteen years later Soweto students marched against the The 1960s were a time when churches and liberals were stuck in a rearguard action, imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in their high schools. protesting apartheid and ameliorating its hardships. The armed struggle of the liberation movements was hardly to be seen. Among others I was looking for a way through to a

6 7 St Anthony’s Activists The Turning Point That Might Have Been St Anthony’s Activists St Alban’s and St Anthony’s Missions shared future beyond apartheid that would get us there without enmity or bloodshed. We were not many, but we thought we had the key in nonviolent direct action. 3. ST ALBAN'S AND Had North End quickly become the pilot of an overall programme in the PCSA, spreading to other denominations as our 1981 Marriage Act resistance did (see Chapter 14), I believe ST ANTHONY'S MISSIONS apartheid would much sooner have died a natural death.

The aim of North End was to demonstrate that racial integration in congregations was possible and beneficial. It ran for nine years (1962 - 1970), handed its commission back to the General Assembly, and dispersed to achieve the integration of two other congregations "Hey, Ian, that chap is taking your radio," said one of the helpers at the party or vagrants in East London. After serving one of these, Stirling Presbyterian Church, for the ensuing held in St Alban's Rectory. four years I was invited to follow up the Johannesburg Inner City Mission of the Rev Ian "Perhaps he needs it more than I do," was Ian Thomson's response. Thomson and welcomed this as the next step in a constructive programme. Today vagrants are termed "homeless people" and substantial efforts are made to help their Let us see what Ian had been doing. increasing numbers. In the early 1970s Ian and Valerie Thomson, friends of the underdog, were among the first to attempt to get close to their suffering and that of street children. Ian "sat where they sat" - on the pavements! Upon his admission to the ministry of the PCSA in 1963 Ian Thomson was appointed for a two year probationary period to St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Fairview, Johannesburg. It was an old congregation with a traditional building, and most of its members had moved out of somewhat industrialised Fairview to more comfortable suburbs. Encouraged by what I was doing in East London, Ian set about integrating St Andrew's. But when he brought the young black caretaker to the all-white Youth Fellowship meetings there was an explosion and the Session made it quite clear to the Presbytery that they did not want Ian's appointment to continue when his two years were over. So he studied Industrial Mission and in 1968 took a year's appointment on such work with the Interdenominational Committee for Industrial Mission on the Witwatersrand. When the year and the money ran out the Thomsons stayed on, largely at their own expense, in the vacant St Alban's Rectory, a double storey building next to a vast Anglican church building in Ferreirastown. While continuing some work among the staff of Phillips factory, they also turned office-based industrial mission into a social ministry on the streets. The Thomsons and their helpers got to know the vagrants who begged in the city during the week and drank themselves into a stupor at the weekends. Their home was always open. I stayed a weekend with them in September 1970. Their car was parked outside and 16 homeless people were sleeping in the empty double garage. Some of these were successfully re-located with their families and came off the methylated spirits. Others were imprisoned repeatedly for lack of pass books, and simply came back to St Alban's garage or slept in the grounds of the church.

8 9 St Anthony’s Activists St Alban’s and St Anthony’s Missions St Anthony’s Activists St Alban’s and St Anthony’s Missions

For the city's derelicts Ian and Val organised everything from medical help to Sunday 13 December 1973 services followed by community tea. "It is a joy to have the kind of service where the most Due to see the Committee today I went down to the bottom end of Dr.Keen's garden ragged, dirty person will feel at ease," they reported. "Our approach is reverent but free- and read how Jesus ordered his disciples out into the deep. "Do not be afraid" - for wheeling, and afterwards people relax and chat - and the children play ball and looking at the vastness of Johannesburg I am afraid. gramophone records." (The records of St Alban's Mission, including a critical assessment in a dissertation by Diana Schaerer, are lodged in the Archives of the University of the The job seemed vague to me. My conceptions of what was needed are recorded in Witwatersrand, Reference No. F1. 5. 5. 39a) Appendix 2. The Thomson's ministry extended to detainees families and support for Laurence Gandar's Ian's two remaining co-workers were present at my meeting with the Committee. Peter exposure of prison conditions in the Rand Daily Mail in the late 1960s. Sekhukhune, a Roman Catholic, impressed me as full of compassion. Richard Schaerer had done two years of Electrical Engineering at Wits University then switched to Social After five years of this draining service, Ian and Val planned a 1974 Sabbatical year at the Studies. Illness interrupted his third year, and Ian Thomson had invited him onto the team. Federal Theological Seminary in Alice. Gert and I met them on their way there at the The Rev Neville Kretzmann of St Peter's-by-the-Lake Lutheran Church was in the chair. Dimbaza home of the Rev David Russell, now Anglican bishop of Grahamstown. He, like them, had taken on to share the sufferings of displaced rural black people (see Colour The Diocese, needing St Alban's Rectory as its new headquarters, had instead offered the Plates p 1). mission the use of the vestry and kitchen of St Anthony's Church, Pageview, and the work now centered there. The Thomsons had moved to a house in Berea. Ian suggested we take over his work in Johannesburg. I had often hoped that the congregational integration we had pioneered in East London could spread to one of the Then we set off on holiday, and Peter Sekhukhune was murdered the next night. On the major cities. Furthermore, I was born and "born again" in Johannesburg. It had to be tried. way home we heard what had happened.

16 October 1973 5 January 1974 It is 30 years today that I responded to [Evangelist] Archie Gush's preaching in Zion Richard [Schaerer] told me that Peter and a friend had been surrounded by tsotsis as Church [de Villiers St]. This morning I phoned the Rev Alan Maker about taking Ian they crossed the road leaving Dube station. Peter had R17 (x20) of mission money on Thomson's job in Jo'burg. It will be something like North End only in a city ten times him and tried to flee to the safety of a shop. They stabbed him and he fell to the ground the size and about ten times as fast. Meanwhile I am slowing down... but I want to where they stabbed him again. Eventually the two made it to the shop, but Peter died in throw the latter part of my life into something worthwhile and can think of nothing the ambulance. Ian Thomson and Richard went to the funeral in Sekhukhuneland. more appropriate than to do battle with that great city where I was born, using all that Jo'burg is so vast and its problems so immense and intractable. I wondered if ever I I have learned from other places. could cope. Then my reading took me to Luke 9:1 where Jesus "gave the Twelve power and authority to overcome all the devils and to cure diseases". So I was reassured that it could be faced. I arranged to meet the Inner City Mission's committee the next month when passing through Johannesburg en route for a holiday in the then Rhodesia. We returned to East London to make the decision.

12 December 1973 In the caravan park at Ficksburg... I read Luke 4 on which I will be preaching shortly. "So he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up...." and told them his mission to announce good news to the poor, release to prisoners, etc. That night we lodged with Dr Paul and Mary Keen, members of St Ninian's, my first congregation back in 1953.

10 11 St Anthony’s Activists Exploring - 1974 St Anthony’s Activists Exploring - 1974

Knowing my interest in the St Anthony's possibility he added: "Obviously, from the point 4. EXPLORING - 1974 of view of doing something solid for the Church, the Cape Town proposition is infinitely more important." But the Spirit of God was moving us to action beyond church boundaries.

What to find out? Was there room and support for another pilot multi-racial congregation like North End? In Vrededorp or Braamfontein? A building to meet in, a manse to live in? Were there interested people from all sections? Would local Presbyterian Churches put up Change was obviously on the way for South Africa. enough money for the minimum stipend for three years? "You're the only person who can get money out of the Church for experiments," said Munro. 25 April 1974 I spoke first to the Presbytery of Johannesburg: "North End was needed as a witness in the I sat up till 4 am this morning listening to election results. Six Progressives in apartheid situation. The end of that situation is in sight. Now something is needed to Parliament [where Helen Suzman had been the only one]. And Jan van Eck, an "old witness and serve through future tests of social change, even possibly war. My aim would boy" of North End congregation collected 1703 votes in Stellenbosch! Then today news be to gather representatives of all sections and strata of the city, rich and poor, black and came in of the army revolt in Portugal....This will have a real effect on Southern Africa. white. This can be done in Pageview, and I would need at least three years." Portugal's rule in Angola and Mozambique soon ended and the South African liberation movements drew new hope. Extracts from the notes I made and letters written home will give the feel of my exploration. Another option open to us was to work in one or two Cape Town churches. These were established congregations in Indian, Coloured and African "group areas" that I felt might be as reluctant to open up to one another as existing white congregations. We visited Cape 19 June 1974 Town, but declined the invitation to work there. Richard [Schaerer] and I have been round Vrededorp to one or two homes, sat with The Presbytery and Stirling congregation then allowed me two months of unpaid leave vagrants on those vacant lots in Fordsburg and sung hymns and said a prayer. Have along with my annual holiday to reconnoitre in Johannesburg. Silence Bebelele, station met some quite sensible folk in Newclare and been out to Eldorado Park and Kliptown, superintendent at Mtsotso, Mdantsane, and a stalwart of North End congregation, was on about 10 miles SW of the city. Ian Thomson purposely kept no records as he said this his platform to wave as the train hurtled through on Tuesday 11th June. In my pocket was dehumanises people. But as far as I can see Richard knows about 60 people to whom a list of things I wanted to find out. they have some real ministry. A very alert teacher [Terry Thomas] occupies the house alongside the church and is looking out for a place for me in Vrededorp. My hope at that time was simply to initiate the integration of Presbyterian congregations in Johannesburg, where all were still racially segregated. And we would take care of Ian Dan Matsobane, expelled from Turfloop University in his third year of a BA degree at the Thomson's vagrants by building a cross-strata congregation where the poor would feel at same time as Abraham Tiro, was seconded from Wilgespruit Fellowship Center for a home. So I was still concerned with "improving the church" and could not guess that this couple of days per week to help Richard who was now alone and using the vestry of St venture would take us far beyond its formal confines. It would bring us to the heart of the Anthony's. Dorcas Sekhukhune, wife of White Sekhukhune the elder brother of murdered struggle that, among other things, ended the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act and Peter, also helped Richard (see Colour Plates p1). And Catholic Christians from The Grail turned the tide against the Group Areas Act and military conscription. and the Little Sisters of Jesus served on the Committee. A bill board greeted me as I entered Vrededorp. CAPE TOWN IS CALLING YOU, said Ministers of adjacent Presbyterian Churches gave me a warmer reception than when we the bikini girl, against the famous Table Mountain backdrop. The Rev Harold Munro, started at North End thirteen years earlier. Heinrich Asch's congregation in Mayfair had Convener of the PCSA Church Extension Committee, and the most powerful helped Ian Thomson financially. Dennis Clarke at Hamilton Memorial Church in the administrative figure in the Church, thought so too. "Slumming again?" he asked when we Coloured area of Coronationville/Westbury gathered 25 people to see our colour slides on met. North End. The Rev Alasdair Paterson at St George's, the impressive Joubert Park

12 13 St Anthony’s Activists Exploring - 1974 St Anthony’s Activists Exploring - 1974 citadel built during the ministry of Ronald Liddell, was most sympathetic. He agreed that Cathedral is upper class and something more humble is urgently needed. Beyers Naudé his was the obvious congregation for St Antony's to be connected to, but it was almost [Christian Institute] says there is nothing like North End in Jo'burg and the need is bankrupt and could offer no financial support. (see Colour Plates p16) great. Although the city is liberal it is also harder and the job would not be a walk- over. He anticipates a very tense situation within a few years. Dale White [Director, Next I met Timothy Bavin, at that time Dean of St Mary's Anglican Cathedral. St Wilgespruit Fellowship Centre] was priest at St Alban's before Ian moved in. He says Cyprian's in Anderson Street, City & Suburban, had served black Anglicans until 1963. ministry is needed to the folk who have to move [from their homes] because they are Then under pressure of the Urban Areas Act and having to make way for a highway, it had very deeply hurt by this. merged with the white and Coloured Cathedral congregation. Apart from a small Quaker meeting in Soweto, the Cathedral was the only inter-racial Christian fellowship I could Group Areas removals were proceeding apace in Johannesburg, Indians to Lenasia and find in the whole of Johannesburg, and they had difficulty retaining Soweto attenders. Coloured people to Eldorado Park. St Mary's had few social functions and nowhere to hold them since Darragh House had been turned into shops and flats to provide income for Cathedral upkeep. St Antony's 5 July 1974 eventually afforded a closer, smaller fellowship probably with more real contact, and The Regional Representative of the Community Development Board told me he is members of the Cathedral like the Rev Michael Carmichael and his young wife Liz regularly attended St Antony's. These two later made and donated the simple wooden cross supposed to have Pageview cleared in three years time, but expects it to take 10. There that hung within our walls. are 1,850 non-European families there. So St Anthony's will not be isolated for some time. I gratefully lodged the first week with Richard's parents, Vic Schaerer, a consulting Civil Last night I talked again to Attewell who owns the corner house and he has agreed to Engineer, and his wife Toodie, also Cathedral members. They gave us steady support right let it to me for a month. Only half the place has electricity and there's no geyser, but through the next 16 years. Then I moved to the old Tramway Hotel in Fordsburg, now there is a bedroom suite, wardrobe and some chairs. The address is 85 Princess Street, demolished. Mayfair. Not much interest could be aroused. During this time I showed the North End slides on 14 27 June 1974 occasions with a total of 700 present, but only 10 people definitely responded. I also began visiting old friends, including members of my first congregation, St Ninian's in Parktown On Tuesday I found a house for sale in Mayfair, on a corner stand looking out on a bit North, and a few acquaintances from East London. Some of these who eventually joined St of park, 250 yards [230m] from St Anthony's. It's a semi-detached pair made into one Antony's were Martin and Doris Fleming, Paul and Mary Keen, John and Pam Halliday. providing three bedrooms, one with bathroom en suite, big lounge, dining room and kitchen next to each other, bathroom and toilet, plus two servants rooms at the rear. No John Halliday and I had played together as children, he a little younger than I, our fathers garage but the back yard could possibly be opened up to provide a port. The owner having been colleagues on the staff of Wits University. John was now a Deacon at Trinity wants R11,000 (x 20). Congregational Church, Yeoville, which looked after a small group meeting in the chapel of the UCCSA headquarters in Braamfontein. There the Revs John Thorne and Bernard The stand was 50 x 50 feet, i.e. 15 m each way, and the house covered two thirds of that Spong talked of also forming a multi-racial congregation. But the UCCSA lacked area. It stood right on the pavement on its East and South sides. ministers and nothing happened. John and Pam were pioneers in St Antony's and my There's room [in this letter] for a digest of things people have said to me. Fred van Wyk decision to take the job hinged largely on their support. [Institute of Race Relations Director] says there is a crying need for what I am proposing. He says to expect a big response if the thing is well led. Peter Storey says Gert flew up to Johannesburg for a few days to experience the corner house and to attend Ian did something very real. St Anthony's has lots of goodwill but people think that only the St Anthony's Committee meeting on 17th July. They agreed that a formal congregation "nuts" work in it! Jo'burg is the one city that Africans feel they own; no cringing here be set up to continue the Mission, that it be Presbyterian with an ecumenical dimension, any more. He feels St Anthony's must have a validity as ministry to the poor apart from and that the Anglican Diocese be asked for the continued use of St Anthony's building in the multi-racial aspect. Olive Gibson [Quaker Service social worker] was critical of Pageview. But the Committee struggled with my requirement that, for the first year at the type of social work it had attempted. John Rees [SACC General Secretary] says the

14 15 St Anthony’s Activists Exploring - 1974 St Anthony’s Activists Exploring - 1974 least, there be no programme of handing out material relief and that all cases of need be personal friends, and only a few people who have been helped by the mission. None of referred to recognised welfare agencies. I wanted to keep my radio! I had put my reasons the vagrants came nor anyone from Eldorado Park where there would normally have for this in a Memorandum: been a service. Now for the 18th we plan a slide show that will be advertised by handbills around the immediate Pageview and Mayfair to see how much response there "In the Dissertation by Diana Schaerer St Anthony's manner of offering material is from that quarter. assistance to people comes in for some criticism from social welfare agencies. I share these misgivings, and feel that it is dangerous to have this programme going on while After the sermon Bev Wilkinson, secretary to Beyers Naudé of the Christian Institute, forming a congregation because one tends then to collect 'rice Christians'. Once a spontaneously left her seat, came forward and hugged me. Touching support, since this congregation is established a more natural sharing will take place between its members gesture was not so common in those days! and beyond." I analysed the August 18th slide show audience. Present were 47 adults and 10 children, 15 of them from Pageview, 11 from Soweto, 4 from Mayfair, 6 from other white suburbs. 29 July 1974 Adults by "race group": 17 Coloured, 17 African, 8 white and 5 Indian. Things looked promising. Harold Munro started by asking how I was enjoying my holiday! When I outlined what we are aiming at he asked why I don't get myself a Call to St George's. Harold thinks St Two lifeless weekends living in the Milner Hotel, Juta Street, Braamfontein convinced me George's will soon be "available for any fool who wants to take it". that Pageview, multi-racial, warm and peopled, was the place. Debt is about R35,000 (x20) and repayments are R5,000 (x20) per annum which they "It was like an auction," said the Rev Doug Crawford describing the support offered for St are finding difficult to meet. Since then I have shown slides to the Tsonga folk in St Antony's at the October Presbytery meeting. The bidders were Bryanston, Linden, George's hall and had a good look round. It is a vast place. Harold says the Church Mayfair, St Columba's in Parkview, St Giles’ in Orchards, St John's in Sandton, St Mark’s Extension Committee will withdraw from supporting St Antony's as soon as possible. in Yeoville, and Civic Centre Methodist Church, who together put up R310 (x20) per month. Furthermore, the Church Extension Committee offered R100 (x20) for two years. They had given R100 (x20) per month to Ian Thomson's stipend. St George's Church agreed to have us as a Preaching Station under its care. Such an arrangement was one of my conditions. No more lone ranger! The Presbytery viewed my "We could close down tomorrow," said Louis Ilett, Anglican priest at Riverlea, who also proposal as an interim measure. "Should such a congregation prove effective it would be looked after a small group worshipping at St Anthony's. And it so happened that their one desirable that its work be linked or eventually merge with one of our city churches." And remaining "pillar" died in September thus precipitating the closure. The ground did not in the end that's what happened. belong to the Church and would be forfeited to the City Council if church use ceased, so the Diocese happily let us use it. The rental was R1 (x20) per annum provided we did the Back at Stirling, East London, we showed slides of the Johannesburg exploration to upkeep and paid light and water. Eventually we paid rent in advance up to the end of the interested people. The Rev Leo Duze, Congregational minister at Mdantsane, was present century! with ten of his congregation. He urged us not to go. "Working with those people will be an endless job, a recurring decimal," he said, referring to the vagrant component. I planned a trial-run service at St Anthony's for the 4th of August and advertised it round all the contacts so far made, individuals and churches. 18 December 1974 Today I called to say goodbye to the Security Branch fellows. Cols. Muller and Nel 4 August 1974 were there but Jooste was on leave. The whole top floor of Cambridge Police Station is The service at 3 p.m. was a happy affair. I hoped for 100 and feared we might only now caged off. What a pleasure to live in a cage! Anyway we had a friendly chat [and a have 20. It turned out at about 60 adults and 10 children. Good mixture. They all cup of tea]. Like the vagrants round John Vorster Square "they are people, after all". greeted each other very warmly during the service. But analysing the attendance I saw "You're the only minister who has ever been to say goodbye" said Muller. "I'm the only that in fact we are getting negligible support from Presbyterians other than my one you took an interest in," I responded, leaving them my new Johannesburg address.

16 17 St Anthony’s Activists Exploring - 1974 St Anthony’s Activists Pagevuew - Fietas

Apart from occasional evidence of surveillance of my mail I saw little trace of them for the next ten years. 5. PAGEVIEW - FIETAS Stirling congregation gave us a great send-off. Norman Cummings, Session Clerk, ended his speech with a poem written by J G Holland (USA 1819-1881), God give us men. A time like this demands "Stand 9001, Malay Location" said the record card of the electricity meter in St Anthony's Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; Church. Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; The small stands that make up the present Vrededorp and Pageview were laid out in 1893 Men who possess opinions and a will; as land given to compensate transport drivers who lost their livelihood when the railway Men who have honour; men who will not lie; from the Cape reached the Rand in 1892. "Ons gee hulle nie plase nie" said President Men who can stand before a demagogue Kruger, "Net sitplekke". (We are not giving them farms, just squat spots.) And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking; Then the Vrededorp Stands Act of 1907 forced all Coloured, Malay and Indian people into Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog the area South of 11th Street between de la Rey and Krause Streets. This was "Malay In public duty and in private thinking. Location", later in 1943 named Pageview after J J Page, then Mayor of Johannesburg. The Malay title stuck to those few erven on the West side of Krause Street where St Antony's Thank you, Norman. This verse put steel into my resolve. stood, technically outside of Pageview. "They had a peculiar title - as long as they paid a stand licence they couldn't be deprived of occupation. Few of them bought the stands upon which their buildings stood because it was cheaper to pay site rental.... Pageview in the 1940s had a similar kind of richness. You would find Indians, Coloureds, Malays, Africans and Whites together.” (The Passing of Pageview, Manfred Hermer, 1978.) This mixture, even by the 70s, suited us fine. No one felt a stranger there. Vrededorp and Pageview were locally known as "Fietas". Unknowing outsiders tended to call the whole area Vrededorp.(see Colour Plates p 5) There is a myth that Pageview was always Indian and even totally Indian. This fallacy developed because of the prominence of Indian merchants in their later struggle to retain a foothold in Pageview. But the original dwellers were mainly Malay, which broadly meant Coloured people of Muslim belief. Coloured members of our congregation who had grown up in Fietas told how, after the Depression, poor families often sold their buildings to rural Indian traders who assured them of continued occupancy. "The first stands were transferred to Indians in 1903. By 1935 Indian people held most of the stands.” (The Passing of Pageview). When apartheid pressure forced out these rural traders they moved into their Pageview properties and evicted Coloured and other tenants. Some of these found refuge with Father Sigamoney, "the fighting priest of Fietas", who erected tents for them in the grounds of St Anthony's and found low-cost bread for them.

18 19 St Anthony’s Activists Pagevuew - Fietas St Anthony’s Activists Pagevuew - Fietas

The Johannesburg Star's "Man on the Reef" described Sigamoney in 1953: Sigamoney also organised "non-European" trade unions, schools and sporting clubs. His family were allowed to stay on in the Rectory next to the church after his death. And we The scene is Vrededorp, that melting pot of all colours and conditions of men. Along its narrow streets, between the squat houses, a short, thick-set man in clerical garb stumps his way. He knows were entering into his legacy. where dagga is sold, where the shebeen "queens" ply their trade and the streets where, on a dark In 1956 the whole of Pageview was declared "white" in terms of the 1950 Group Areas night, it is not wise to loiter. Act, and it became the task of the ironically named "Department of Community The clergyman of the back streets is the Rev B L E Sigamoney, known to Christians, Moslems, Development" to resettle all those thus disqualified from living there. Faced with this Hindus, heathens and hooligans as "Father Sigamoney" - priest-in-charge of St Anthony's Indian eventual removal, owners tended to make only essential repairs to their properties and the Mission, Vrededorp, and the only Indian Christian minister in the Transvaal. whole area began to deteriorate. District Six in Cape Town, South End in Port Elizabeth For more than 20 years he has been known in... Vrededorp, Fordsburg and Doornfontein as a and North End in East London suffered in the same way. champion of the poor and oppressed. The 1970 Census enumerated 3 800 Indians and 1 400 Coloured persons in Pageview. The former were to move to Lenasia, 35 km out of town to the South West, and the Coloureds to Eldorado Park, almost as far (see map of Johannesburg on the next page). But first the Department tackled the Indian Traders, the backbone of that community, by relocating them to the Oriental Plaza in Fordsburg. It opened while I was there in June 1974, with 260 shops and more than 1500 parking bays. The traders' resistance to moving was broken in 1976 and by 1977 the Department of Community Development believed that it had resettled all Coloured families, including Frikkie von Schaeffer and his wife Sophia living directly opposite St Antony's who were among our foundation members. Born of a German father, Frikkie was a tough little carpenter and had been a heavy drinker. Now on the water wagon he did many repair jobs on the building. He worked till his last day, dying of a heart attack on his way home from work. The Government did not succeed in moving everyone, however, and that story is told in Chapter 12. St Anthony's stood amid a row of institutional buildings. On the North side was the Jajbhay Centre, an old school now occupied by homeless people. Then came the Tamil Hall followed by the Queen's Park Girls' School. To the South stood a disused Methodist Church which later housed a Pentecostal group calling itself "Satisfaction Guaranteed Ministries", and next to it the Krause Street Primary School. On the opposite side of Krause Street were two mosques, one at each end of Pageview. Behind St Anthony's lay two soccer fields used by local teams. They played every Sunday morning, and occasionally a high ball would land on our roof with a mighty bang that awoke those who slept through sermons. The building itself was a simple rectangle with a semi-circular apse added at one end, and a bell tower at the other with a lean-to kitchen and vestry behind. At a push it seated 100 people. Map of Pageview and environs 20 21 St Anthony’s Activists Pagevuew - Fietas St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975

As the year ended things fell into place. Architect Neil Duncan, third cousin to Gert and husband of Black Sash President Sheena Duncan, and Ginger McLean, a builder who as a 6. LIFT-OFF - 1975 teenage World War 2 evacuee from Britain had shared our home, advised us on repairing the house. Alex Douglas, former Sunday School superintendent at St Ninian's, handled its transfer. Ginger's wife Joan gave us an electric organ for the church.

Richard Schaerer planned to complete his studies in 1975, and Dorcas Sekhukhune stayed on at two mornings per week, helping us in the manse on Tuesdays and cleaning the 31 Jan 1975 church on Saturdays. Dorcas was another key person in getting St Antony's going. "Yugh!" said our daughter, Pam, when she saw the house. "Let's get out to the suburbs At this point readers should note the change of name from St Anthony's, the mission up to and recover" said our younger son, Ian. 1975, to St Antony's, the work from then on. Four years in affluent Stirling had spoiled them! But they had endured a long drive all the way from East London that day and it was dusk when they inspected their new home. We spent the night at the Bryanston residence of ex-Stirling members Ray and Freda Cole, after swimming in their pool. The next day we set about breaking down the central wall dividing the two semis and soon made it our home. We even squeezed a circular portapool, with a homemade springboard and solar heater, into the tiny back yard. The house turned out to be ideally placed on the route taken by our Soweto members from Mayfair Station to the church. And from the lounge window we had a night view of Braamfontein city lights. We started keeping a Visitors' Book. At North End we had been scared to do this in case the Special Branch collared it and started harassing those who had recorded their names. The first names are Myra Moore and her daughter Frances. They came from Pretoria to back up a letter of encouragement that Michael Moore, later to be Moderator of the PCSA Assembly, had sent. 5 January 1975 (Sunday) Gert and I attended worship at Mayfair Presbyterian Church, an all-white congregation. In the afternoon we drove out to the Zoo Lake, totally integrated, including the use of boats, a marvelous sight except that nowhere did we see white and black in the same group. The tide of events is bringing us together willy-nilly, but we are not yet a community in brotherhood. This is my task. We went to St Columba's evening service. Totally white and rather self-centered. Here also is my task - to awake these congregations to the future which will either be shaped by Christ or will be chaos. First task was to develop a congregation of black and white, rich and poor, spanning as much of the city as possible. It happened more easily and quicker than the uphill toil at North End thirteen years earlier. My diary entry in October 1976 summarised it. Map of Johannesburg including Soweto, Lenasia

and Coloured Group Areas 22 23 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975

October 1976 wonder" and ending with "Oh, freedom!" But the favourite in that first section was "Pass The revolution began on the 16th June and it looks as though one should get back to my love around", a song we picked up from the PCSA Youth Committee. keeping a diary. Pass my love around. It seemed St Antony's would be a rather feeble replica of North End, and I neglected to Pick right up and take my brother's hand keep notes. It got off the ground quicker, friendships were made, home gatherings …. and pass my love around. started, and often very warm and exciting services were held in the little church. I gave my body and my blood for you, Nevertheless I have seldom felt a great enthusiasm in the work. The congregation was a Now this is all that I ask you to do, tonic to me rather than I to it. Every day it has been hard to get out of bed. Now this is all that I ask, just.... Memorable highlights have been the first Home Gathering in Harold Patel's Pass my love around... etc. [Coronationville] flat when Martin Fleming in tears confessed his return to Christ, and

the final mission gathering in November 1975 when 25 new folk from Pageview and 25 At its last verse we matched word with action, brothers singing "sister" and vice versa. The from elsewhere sang, danced and had a party together. That one evening was worth the place vibrated and the singing didn't stop until everyone had shaken hands with everyone whole year's work. else. "Martin's sense of humour, his childlike amazement at the extraordinary phenomenon of his own faith, and his generosity in time, energy and money, helped to build St Antony's as Pentecost saw our first shared sermon; anybody could speak. It was the forerunner of a small part of the rich and many-faceted story of Christ's Church" was our tribute to him regular Participation Services in which the minister made no preparation except to set a when Martin died fourteen years later. theme. The seats were arranged in a circle round the Communion table and congregants came with their choice of hymns, their prayers, sermonettes, symbols, actions, even "Gathering the scattered children of God" (John 11:52) was the sermon subject at the first dances. Once on its way, a participation service was hard to stop - the minister's other job! service on 9th March 1975. There were 60 of them there, including 20 children. We sang in English, Afrikaans and Sotho from Cantate, the polyglot hymnbook prepared by the Please note! The advantage in starting from scratch was that the pioneers could set the Rev Max Buchler for the Transvaal Missionary Association in 1961. (see Colour Plates p pattern for an inclusive congregation. Briefly, we aimed to be inter-active, informal, a 2) vehicle for action, and not striving for money or numbers. News Letter April 1975 The first 14 members and 22 Associate Members were publicly recognised on July 6th 1975 in a service conducted by the Moderator of Presbytery, John Hawkridge, and The more the gathering represents the community and all its different peoples the Alasdair Paterson, minister of St George's. In Appendix 5 you'll find the names of the 115 richer is the fellowship of the feast. members, their dates of joining and leaving, and the pages in this book where they are For example, a doctor [Paul Keen] who was formerly Medical Superintendent of the mentioned. Non-European Hospitals in this city found at our first service that he was worshipping St Antony's never grew beyond 60 members and a dozen associate members at any one with a man whose ailment he had once healed [White Sekhukhune] and with a lady who time. The advantages of being a small congregation, according to an unknown source, had been his interpreter [Elaine Mabatle, by that time a sangoma]. Being white and should be noted: black respectively they had never before met in worship although they had met in the wards. 1. Every member can know all the other members. How rich! How totally healing Christ's gathering can be!.... Our orders are to "go into 2. The individuality of each person is recognised, making sharing, support and caring the streets and invite them to come in" and those who have hardly any other place to possible. live than in the streets are welcome here. 3. Decisions can easily be discussed and taken, directions can be changed, and unusual By Pentecost we had developed the first section of our own hymnbook containing 32 ideas can be adopted - for there are less people to convince! hymns and songs, all in English, starting with "O Lord my God! when I in awesome

24 25 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975

4. They are enough to have an impact on their "area of incarnation", e.g. their Between us we did get the eldest into school and Aaron into Millsite Sanatorium . A lady helping neighbourhood, or social situation. in the soup kitchen had a son who was a specialist in hand surgery and I took little Thomas to this doctor who examined him and referred him to Baragwanath Hospital. He was there on and off for 5. Management, finance, property do not become the over-riding considerations that hinder about a year while a plastic surgeon worked wonders on his arm. The Bara diet benefitted him Gospel action. greatly and in between times he went to school. He came out looking a different child. He also had a Sub-A Pass Certificate which got him into Crown Mines school without the usual Birth It was important to mix and get people acquainted. For this there was tea after every Certificate. service and occasionally an organised discussion, like the one that settled on our logo (see, This gave Emma a breathing space, and I was very moved when a Pageview family, also suffering back cover). great privation, nevertheless gave her space under their table to sleep and keep her few belongings. Better still to meet people in their homes. So many came to the first home gatherings that When not in jail Emma did casual domestic work or sold dagga to survive, and Thomas soon we had to split into two per week. The first held in Soweto was at Elizabeth earned a little money watching the pavement goods of 14th Street merchants before they Madingwane's home in Pimville on Sunday 24th Aug. There were 30 present in her were forced into the Oriental Plaza. "matchbox" house. Permits were obtained for non-Africans to enter on that and some subsequent occasions, but see Chapter 13 for the sequel. (see Colour Plates p 4) The Mofokengs lived "in the cracks" of Pageview. On returning from one of his spells in hospital Thomas found that the house in which they had been given shelter had been Other gatherings were in the "white" and "Coloured" suburbs with several in Pageview levelled by a bulldozer. He stood calmly in the empty stand while I took his photo. Like itself. By year's end we'd been in 24 different homes, some of them three times over. And his mother, he has an indomitable spirit. by June 1976 there were four home gatherings per week, all of them a fine mixture of people across the city. These home gatherings made St Antony's a strong supportive 25th December 1976 fellowship. Chapter 8 describes one of them. The church was nearly full for the Christmas service. I preached about "Joy" and asked people to think of how to share joy. So we all stood and sang while the offering was We also wanted to be in touch with the segregated churches of the city in that first year. made, people coming forward to the Communion Table, and the joy spread as each Several times we closed our own services to visit theirs. We got to eight of them, some of greeted the other. When someone proposed the song "I've got the joy of Jesus down in them twice, and eight of their ministers came to us. my heart" little Thomas got up and volunteered to sing it. Sweetly he did as much as he By May there was a Youth Fellowship. Children came to the Sunday School in bursts, could remember and they all clapped. sometimes as many as 40. It had to function out in the garden parallel with the morning Then the Bantu Administration Department (BAD), started to deport black families who service, or in the tiny vestry when it rained. It used four languages. (see Colour Plates p 2) did not have "Section Ten" rights back to their places of origin. Our Soup Kitchen in the winter months sold ten thousand nutritious cups at one cent (x17) 25 May 1977 per cup and made contact with many Pageview families and vagrants. (see Colour Plates p 3). Last night the police did a big round-up of illegal African lodgers in 21st to 24th Streets. They took a couple of van loads. I went to see, and heard Emma Mofokeng Here is the story of one of those families. calling from one truck. Thomas was with her. I tried twice to negotiate his release Emma and Thomas Mofokeng without success. This morning I heard that they had been taken to the CMR welfare place [Central Main Reef's disused mine compound] and will be "disposed" of from Pam Halliday met Emma and her three sons when they came to this mid-week soup there. kitchen. She writes: Life had dealt Emma so many blows that her only solace was in alcohol. The oldest son had taken 27 May 1977 charge of his two brothers and it was this trio that arrived for soup one day. The oldest, a bright lad, longed to be in school, the middle one, Aaron, was deaf and dumb and the youngest one had a Fruitless intercession at CMR and with the Manager of Johannesburg "Aid Centre" to withered left arm which I later found out was a burn injury suffered when their house caught fire. hold the deportation of the Mofokengs to Bothaville. The flesh was burned away and the arm was useless.

26 27 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975

Another helpful activity concerned literacy. Qedusizi Buthelezi and the Bureau of Literacy launched us on evening classes to teach local residents to read and write. Gert Robertson Emma suffered a mental breakdown at Central Main Reef and spent time in Sterkfontein describes some of the learners: Mental Hospital before she and Thomas were put on the train to Bothaville in the Free State where she had been born. Shortly they were back. "Please read this for me" Rena Scotts would say to shop assistants and bank tellers. "I've left my glasses at home." But actually she couldn't read a word and coped by this dodge. Rena, sixteen and We helped many people with red tape problems, and I repeatedly took Emma's case to the later classified Coloured, had been reared clandestinely by a white foster family in Vrededorp. She Bantu Affairs office in Albert Street, battling to get the right for her to stay legally in dressed beautifully, but could not get to school without betraying her situation. In the literacy Johannesburg. It was Catch 22. Since she had been in the city for more than fifteen years, classes she was soon reading and writing. they were prepared as a concession to give her "Section Ten" rights if she had a permanent Johnny da Silva ran the corner shop across the road from our house. His three sons, just arrived place of residence, but no one could legally give her such residence unless she already had from Madeira and speaking Portuguese, attended for a short while and learned their first few those rights! words of English. I found that we had a common language using my rusty school French. Eventually I stood up and said to the young white official behind his desk: "This is the last Ouma Cebo, a domestic worker from Qumbu in the Transkei, at age sixteen had never held a time I will assist anyone to comply with your laws. This woman has survived eighteen pencil in her hand. Thanks to Dorcas Sekhukhune's conscientious teaching she was able to read and write Xhosa within a year. The following year she mastered English. With her natural years in this city, and she will still be here when your bloody system is gone." I don't think intelligence and vivacity and her new-found literacy she has progressed from being an underling he believed me, but Emma stayed and in June 1986 the Abolition of Influx Control Act with sleeping space under a kitchen table in a Pageview home to being the major-domo of a repealed Section 10 and many more enactments that restricted blacks. mansion in Craighall Park. In Fietas they called Emma "Six Mabona"(Six Stars). She dropped in one day to tell of her Picture 80 domestic workers meeting two evenings a week in every room of your home latest escape from arrest. The policeman was angry and, after locking her in his pick-up except the bathroom and the baby asleep on a mattress in the bath! A young St Antony's van, he jumped so hastily into his seat that his side-arm went off and he literally shot couple ran this literacy project in their Melville house in those days, with the aid of their himself in the foot. His fellow-cop released her and sped off to hospital. "Dqwah!" was own domestic worker, Nomvula Ndlovu, who also became a member of St Antony's. how Emma described the shot, her face alive with laughter. Today Dr Ingrid le Roux works in the six community-based Philani nutrition centres stretching from Crossroads to Khayelitsha in Cape Town, and her husband, Pieter, is a Gert eventually got Thomas a birth certificate and then into foster care in Orlando. He sold renowned economist at the University of the Western Cape. fruit at the station for pocket money but the police scattered or confiscated his wares, so he bought a lawn mower and cut Orlando's small green garden patches for a fee. By May of 1975 I was teaching Divinity one day per week at St Barnabas' College, an Anglican High School for Coloured, Indian and African youngsters. This gave me extra When Thomas finished schooling, Pam Smith, St Antony's Treasurer from 1984 onwards, contact with these communities. There were about 35 Moslem and 10 Hindu scholars in secured him a job in goods delivery at Mitsubishi in Wynberg where she also worked. It is the classes I took - and I was the one who learned. 20km as the crow flies from Orlando to Wynberg, and a lot longer by road. To save money Thomas often ran the distance. By 1998 he held seven silver and three bronze medals for For a year-end mission we scrapped the conventional idea of handing leaflets to the 2,400 the Comrades (80km) and five silver and six bronze medals for the Two Oceans Marathon families living within half a kilometer of the church. Instead we organised six home (52km) and many others. He and his wife Minga bought a house in Orlando West, and he gatherings in the Pageview and Mayfair homes that now welcomed us. looked after Emma until her death in 1991. (see Colour Plates p 13)

That story is an example of how various individuals, linked in worship at St Antony's, were able to give substantial help to a child whose life might have developed quite News Letter, December 1975. THAT JOYFUL MISSION differently. “ In crowded rooms we sang by gaslight, hands joined across the city's divisions and we listened to God's word that calls us home. When we met at "Sodom and Gomorrah" the crowd was so great and unusual that two guardian angels came to see what was going on. "Have you got a permit?" they asked, probably at a loss for anything else to say.

28 29 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975

"I'm glad to be able to worship with you; I'm a Moslem", came out at one meeting when we shared our joys (and sorrows) with one another. We thought we were going out to share the love of God and found that we were being given a lesson in how to practise it by folk who, with only one room to live in, gave the space under the table as a bed for a homeless mother [Emma Mofokeng] whose two children were at that time in hospital. We found another woman on her way back from begging and vagrancy because a grandmother, with a family of her own to look after, still had room to help her regain her self-respect. Then we all got together on the last Tuesday. No fatted calf, but like the prodigal son we had a real party. We hope the elder brothers will be at the next one! Maybe that's our next mission -to persuade the respectable folk to join in the joy of a community that is finding its way home and becoming a family where all celebrate the Father's love together. Then December was a MONTH OF FESTIVAL. It was mission with a bounce, as the leaflet reproduced on the next page shows! Meanwhile the congregation was being run by a multi-coloured sub-committee of the Session of St George's. That meant Bill Stewart(their Session Clerk) and Jimmy Anderson also from St George's, Joel Dikgale from St Martin's in City and Suburban (but living in Soweto), Jack Gerber from Mayfair, Harold Patel from Hamilton Memorial (Westbury), Ken Kitchin from St Columba's in Parkview and Alfred Mazibuko from Orlando. Then in August we elected four Managers from the new membership of St Antony's to assist these elders. They were Emilia Charbonneau, a member of The Grail, White Sekhukhune, a tailor of royal tribal blood, Joe Adams, an upholsterer and Elizabeth Madingwane, domestic worker to the Hallidays and later a Toc H shop assistant. Elizabeth is also the mother of the late Ingoapele Madingoane, one of the early "resistance poets" whose first book Africa my Beginning was published in 1979. So at the end of the year Joel, Jack and Alfred were able to sign off. And Emilia became probably the first Roman Catholic ever to manage a Presbyterian congregation. These people now made the decisions. Their end-of-year Report said: As an isolated thing, the start of St Antony's is good and rich. But measured against the urgency and possible catastrophy of our Southern African situation today it amounts to very little. And that catastrophy centres around the relationships of black to white and rich to poor. But they stopped me from adding the following comments, which I now record because they reveal my views at the time:

30 31 St Anthony’s Activists Lift-Off - 1975 St Anthony’s Activists The Ethos of St Ant’s

7. THE ETHOS OF ST ANT’S We must be careful that St Antony's does not become a subsidised opportunity for a few to play at "Christian fellowship" while Rome burns.

The need immediately after Sharpeville, which the North End experiment tried to meet, was a start, however small, with integrated worship and congregational life even if Join we now as friends and celebrate the only as an experiment and an example. In 1975 the time for experiments and examples Brotherhood we share all as one; is past. Keep the fire burning, kindle it with care It is a sobering comparison that in a more liberal city, with ten times the population of And we’ll all join in and sing:- East London, the number of folk attending St Antony's has been roughly the same as supported North End. Johannesburg as a city is liberalising its life. Parks and libraries Here we are all together, as we sing our song joyfully; are de-segregated and even swimming baths are being considered! Entry to African Here we are joined together as we pray we’ll always be. areas is easier than elsewhere. We are becoming a "mixed" community even before apartheid crumbles. But it greatly depends on the churches whether we become an Before plunging into the adventures that followed June 16th, let me record the full blown "explosive mixture" or a "community in Christ", and we are far behind in this task. ethos that developed and some of the principles on which we operated at St Antony’s. North End was ahead of its time and sailed against wind and tide. It held the possibility First, who was Saint Antony? Not to offend the Anglicans, whose building we used, we of being prophetic. In contrast, St Antony's is behind the times and, unless it moves and had simply accepted this "patron saint". From notes on his life freely adapted from "Saints grows fast, runs the risk of being pathetic! are not Sad" (Sheed and Ward, 1949) I take some extracts that inspired us: That sounds harsh, so just a last word about the "tonic". We all know people who go to Antony of Padua, born near Lisbon in 1195,... showed an early independence of mind...Whilst still church to get a "lift" from the minister. St Antony's was the opposite. Many a Sunday I a novice his real ability as a preacher came to light...Miracles played a surprisingly small part in dragged myself out of bed and along to the Church, and came back sparking again. It was his real life-work. the lives of these folk that showed me where we were going and what the Bible meant contextually; their dancing zeal, their hope, openness, laughter, and their thankfulness at He had tremendous moral courage. When necessary to attack an abuse, he did not know fear. He pitted himself with extraordinary vehemence against the prevalent vices of his age, which were having found one another. We often sang a song inherited from the Thomsons' mission: avarice, luxury and tyranny in government. His success as a preacher was due to his concentration God gives his people strength.... on realities. He knew the needs of the day and met them. God gives his people hope.... He died on 13th June 1231, 36 years old. Conventional pictures of Saint Antony suggest a God gives his people love... sheltered, contemplative man, but the world was his home and the two notes of his lifework were militant activity and ceaseless movement. An aristocrat by birth, he was to become the special and the last verse property of the poor and down-trodden. God gives his people peace. Lynn Stevenson, now a clinical psychologist, was a reporter on the Johannesburg When sorrow fills us to the brim newspaper, The Star, when she interviewed me in 1974 on my resistance to the Prohibition and courage grows dim of Mixed Marriages Act. In the early 1980s she was again in Jo'burg working for the Rand he lays to rest our restlessness in him. Daily Mail and looking for a church in which she could feel at home. She found St God gives his people peace. Antony's. In this chapter she gives a wide-ranging description into which I inject comments by others and a few of my own. When Soweto caught fire in June 1976, even though we were very small, we found St Antony's was unique and will remain so - which is a pity because it could have provided a ourselves in the right place, at the right time, and with the right equipment. Next, a word blueprint for the country. Everything about St Antony's was unusual, different, even one or two about that equipment. things one might have wished were not so different.

32 33 St Anthony’s Activists The Ethos of St Ant’s St Anthony’s Activists The Ethos of St Ant’s

The classlessness and true nonracialism. Sharing the news People travelled from far to worship at St Antony's and to be part of its unusual life. Those who This was a distinctly St Ant's custom every Sunday. There was a time for sharing news of any came from Soweto used public transport, deficient at the best of times but particularly on Sundays kind. Because of the activist nature of the congregation and because of legal restrictions, and at night. Rob was always prepared to drive people home if necessary. Other members with particularly under states of emergency, news-sharing often focussed on the latest conscientious cars helped, but it was always Rob and Gert who were there themselves, travelling the extra objector or what was happening in Soweto, whether it was rent or school boycotts, a wave of new distance, making sure people got home safely. Overcoming the geographical separation of the detentions or the funerals of youths shot by the police. St Ant's goers had a wider and deeper huge city took extra planning, extra time, extra petrol, extra trouble. But it was essential for the understanding of what was happening during those times than even the daring Rand Daily Mail creation of that nonracial island in a sea of ruthless separateness. could give its readers. The pastoral prayer usually followed this news slot thus giving us real issues about which to pray. The acceptance and welcome given to all and sundry. These days this slot is partly occupied by the recognition of birthdays of members, to my If you were planning to visit St Antony's, Rob would be sure to request that you didn't dress up but came in ordinary clothes. Local tramps, sometimes sozzled and in their unkept gear, were mind one of the latest minor viruses to afflict the Church. The only New Testament welcomed by name like everyone else. This welcome included the incognito security police, who mention of a birthday was that of King Herod who that day ended the prophetic career of actually stood out rather obviously. It was the humanity, in the sense of potential good, in every John the Baptist. Does this virus threaten the prophetic mission of the Church by turning it person which was recognised at St Antony's. This was refreshing. inwards to "contemplate its own navel", the symbol of birth? "If I think of the acceptance and joy portrayed in St Antony's it still, ten years later, fills Innovative Services me with amazement" says Maretha Laubscher, daughter of Dr Nico Smith of Mamelodi Rob encouraged the congregation to air their objections to his viewpoints. So during, or after, his fame. sermons there would often be vital discussion. Profound respect for differing views was inculcated Towards the end of 1970, worried at the way my colleagues in the ministry seemed to by this practice. Just to record it now elicits powerful and painful longings for those relationships forged within the space that St Ant's provided; and provided when all around the brittle brutality parade their gowns, stoles and degree hoods, I had abandoned the clerical collar and never of apartheid was so evident. wore it again, and about that time moths ate the ermine of my BD hood! At St Antony's in summer months I wore the old-style safari suit when preaching and conducting sacraments Pam Smith, a former Methodist missionary in Mozambique, records: "St Ant's was the - but out of respect donned a grey lounge suit when invited to preach elsewhere. And we only church I have attended where somebody in the congregation could question did not need a microphone, that device that so concentrates power in the hands of one or a statements the preacher made while he was preaching. For example, once Rob referred to few. Communist USSR as among the "Christian countries" which have made the worst weapons of mass destruction. Five minutes later Mike Moys interrupted. 'Rob - I haven't Lynn Stevenson continues: heard another word since you said that about Russia.' So Rob proceeds to explain that there The hymns are 50 million Orthodox Christians in Russia and only 10 million members of the Communist party, not to mention the Church having had a much longer influence on the My memory of a motley congregation lustily singing in Sotho, English, Afrikaans, Zulu, usually nation." one language at a time but occasionally even simultaneously, is a source of joy to me to this day. Rob collected indigenous hymns in a variety of languages, had them translated, and then set the "On another occasion this same Mike, a lecturer in Chemical Engineering at Wits translations into verse. (These, along with songs of social concern and peace, of resistance and University, stands outside having tea with Dorcas Sekhukhune. Dorcas is a charlady and hope, comprised the hymnbook). It is itself a great loss, since no other congregation has taken over this extremely valuable and quite unique collection. did not go far at school -but she has the charm of knowing who she is, confident -and she says to Mike, 'Mike, I don't agree with Rob when he said...... ' and a deep discussion Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika was frequently sung. There were traditional hymns printed in five South follows. I listened, watched and realised that in this church not only the barriers of race African languages and some revolutionary songs, too, a favourite being "Sing, John Ball". Gert and class have gone but also those of education and language. tripped along the keys of the electric organ with great skill, keeping singers up to her rhythmic pace, her Scottish origins evident in the swiftness of her beat. The impulse to dance was never far "St Ant's was unique" writes Fiona Semple," in that one could never anticipate what would from her foot-tapping accompaniment. happen at the Sunday services. They were always challenging, thought-provoking and

34 35 St Anthony’s Activists The Ethos of St Ant’s St Anthony’s Activists The Ethos of St Ant’s filled with lessons. It was a community who really loved, really cared and really gave Lynn Stevenson continues: support to one another." A meeting place. Congregants came from nearby Pageview and from a wide circumference around St Ant's, but Lynn Stevenson continues: there were often visitors from much further a field. One Sunday I entered in my journal: Such a confluence of people and powers today at St Ant's: Nol and Derek symbolised romantic Some services were set up as spontaneous events, with members expected to bring a reading, relationship regardless of race, a delegation from Stellenbosch comprised students who had heard poem, work of art, or whatever. Amazingly these always worked extremely well, although Rob about St Ant's and wanted to pay a visit, the General Secretary of the British Council of Churches, used to worry in case no one brought anything. Adding to the originality was Rob's engineering Philip Morgan, was a visitor from afar, and Anita Kromberg and Richard Steele were present after background before he became a minister. Who else would give a sermon relating the Holy Spirit being released from two weeks detention in Durban. There was a great sense of various people, for and our spirits by using the main spring and the balance spring of a wind-up clock as an analogy? various reasons, being in the right place at the right time. What other minister would tell congregants that during the service two old cooling towers in the So stimulating! All these people were invited to share their news, so there were firsthand vicinity were due to be imploded, and would they mind if he watched this impressive event? There descriptions of diverse and demanding issues. followed a brief description of how implosions are engineered. At the appropriate time the service stopped and the whole congregation went out to the garden, which afforded a fine view. The two Angela Noelle (formerly Jenkins), after she and I met in 1997, recalled how much she has grand old shapes tumbled inwards at the due moment, there was a brief pause with subdued awe "missed the vibrant, purposeful, fun, free, fellowship we shared". visible on watching faces, and then everyone trooped inside and the service continued as if nothing had interrupted it. Simplicity of lifestyle Latecomers' Anonymous Always hospitable and generous, opening their home for meals and meetings, Gert and Rob modelled a simple mode of life. This accommodated both the rich and the poor, setting an example Rob and Gert were unfailingly punctual, but for some reason St Ant's abounded with people who for us all. Their midday meal after Sunday service was always open and a rotation of congregants battled to be on time, or found it altogether impossible. Often more than half the congregation was invited to share it. This provided yet another intimate space for getting to know one another. came in late. The service time was set to accommodate Sowetans travelling by trains, also sometimes delayed, and delegations with transport were often sent to meet these trains. The most "I enjoyed the plainness of the church building" notes Alison Sher. "It wasn't one of these recalcitrant were often people fortunate enough to own motorcars, including me. massive bourgeois structures." Rob understandably disapproved of services being interrupted by late arrivals (and the door curtain was drawn to stop entry during prayers and Bible readings). He was nevertheless Its exterior was rough plaster, nothing expensive inside. A plain pine wood table and sympathetic and one Sunday arranged a long discussion to fathom the cause of the malady and chairs inherited from St Anthony's Mission served for Communion, tea and for standing on rectify it. As a regular latecomer, I found the suggestions illuminating and useful. to change light bulbs! Nothing was sacred. The grounds were kept neat by White Sekhukhune and Gisela Hutton with robust trees and a few plants. Fiona Semple Mary Keen had noticed that her husband's departure time was the same as the time he was due to arrive at his destination! She pointed out to him that he needed to calculate a departure time that "wondered for a time why St Ant's garden and pavement never had litter around on allowed for locking up the house, travelling and mishaps. In other words, she helped him work out Sundays, although the surroundings were disfigured with rubbish - until I discovered that a time for leaving home. Simple, but a real "Eureka" insight for me and something I practise to the Robertsons always came early and cleared away the litter before the service. Sunday this day. A "Latecomers' Anonymous" club was suggested as a support group for these stragglers! after Sunday! For sixteen years!" One Sunday I put the collected junk on the Communion Thys Uys, also a news reporter and later an editor, was conscience-stricken about this. One Table and used it as starting-point for the sermon. Sunday he and Margot his wife raced along the M2 from their home in Malvern and Lynn Stevenson continues: collected a speeding fine of R100 (x5), only to find that the time of service had just that Sunday been put back half an hour! I felt so sorry for him I nearly paid his fine. Real family feeling Most churches like to describe themselves as "a family". It sounds happy and cosy. St Ant's The young white activists on other committees that I attended were sometimes as much as comprised a great band of individualists, some of whom had vivid views and personalities, yet an hour late. "You can see now why the revolution is taking so long" I would tell them! there was a strong bondedness and identity created by our shared mission.

36 37 St Anthony’s Activists The Ethos of St Ant’s St Anthony’s Activists The Ethos of St Ant’s

This family quality was particularly marked because of the diversity of the congregation and the genuine interest in each person as an individual. ("Everybody trying to come to terms with everybody" - Beckett) Negatives Included The tea under the tree, or inside the church in rainy or freezing weather, was an integral part of the And now for the things Lynn, and others, wished were not so different. She continues: service. Gert was remarkable because she made a point of connecting with every person present and yet it was she who always was first to start collecting, washing, drying and packing away the What impressed me about Rob was the integrity he displayed in adhering to certain principles. cups. The industrious dishwashers were treated to stimulating conversations as a reward for their One of these was non-violence, with which I whole-heartedly agreed. The other two I respected sense of duty. There was a fair number of men involved and some of the best interactions occurred but felt decidedly ambivalent about. beside the kitchen sink. It was there that I first noticed the flush of love rising between Richard Welch and Tessa de Graaff, soon followed by an engagement announcement. Rob is a teetotaller who believes in such abstinence as a way of life. He even preached on the subject on occasion. The life insurance policy that took him and Gert on the Trans-Siberian The minister paid regular home visits. Though conventionally supposed to happen, I think this is Railway in 1989 had a temperance clause. Its premiums were 14% lower so long as he could always surprising when it does! Rob deemed it a discipline to visit each congregant's home at least vouch to being a total abstainer! I would have preferred a more conventionally lax approach in this twice a year (not difficult in a small congregation) and made even more frequent visits to the sick and the following area. and detained. The congregation shared this ministry. If there was a long-term illness Gert organised visits on a roster basis. The other principle Rob almost took pride in was that he had never solemnised the marriage of a divorcee. On one occasion he flew to Cape Town (at his own expense) to try to persuade a Margaret Vuso also notes these visits with much appreciation and the fact that "most of the divorced spouse to be reconciled, but he would not solemnise a remarriage after divorce. This was members, black and white, followed the minister's example". She adds how St Antony's a painful and touchy stand for me since I am divorced. After he and I first discussed the issue, members "helped unemployed blacks to get jobs". which I wanted to do before deciding to join St Antony's, I felt mortally wounded. Ironically, I took my bruised sensibilities to my dear Dominican friend, the late Father Finbar Synnott, a Margaret was herself on the Pastoral Care group, set up in 1978 and active through the Roman Catholic priest. He gently heard my agonies and, with great compassion and wisdom, said whole life of the congregation, to visit all members but especially those under stress of any with measured care: "I think Rob's wrong on this." I think Finbar saw the absolutist position as kind. denying the mercy of God. It is a measure of our acceptance of each other's conscience that there were several We called it the "Merry-Go-Round" but actually it was two figures of eight (8), and was remarried divorcees in the small congregation, and two such weddings were conducted by intended to ensure that members knew one another in their homes. We wove a sequence of Dr Beyers Naude in our church. Bev Wilkinson's was one of these, and she describes it this visits that wound in two huge spirals covering the whole great city, including Soweto. As way: the membership changed we did it again. I was married to Fred on 25th March 1978 at St Antony's. It was the only place where I felt Pam Smith described the 1983 configuration this way: comfortable enough to invite my friends, from all races, to share my special day. It was the only "We can only really love and appreciate those people whom we know and, because members of St place I felt able to plan my own wedding vows, design my own service, invite friends to bring Ant's lived so far apart, we agreed to be given names of people we would invite for dinner, a food for the meal thereafter where people participated with song, poems and stories that had to be picnic or something and in turn be invited to someone else's home. It was great fun! I can't shared. It was the only place that moved me enough to ask for food for the homeless rather than remember who I invited that time, but I do remember having a wonderful, hilarious, fun evening wedding presents for myself. It was the only place I knew that would take the risk with those who with the Welches." were banned (Beyers Naude, Cedric Mayson and Brian Brown) as they joined us that day. It was the place in which the living Creator re-created you and me. Thank you, St Antony's. As "get-to-know-you" events these merry-go-rounds compared only to the annual picnics, held usually on Ascension Day, when anything up to a hundred people would be present, Another point of pain amongst us was the Church Council's temporary suspension of from infants to the aged (see Colour Plates p 3). As early as 1980 we were taking these members, men as well as women, who procreated outside of marriage. I also preached on picnics to public places, like the Zoo Lake that year, so as to promote the idea of being this subject, believing that our personal lives, as well as the life of our society, should together as racially mixed groups in these which had never been officially segregated. conform to Christ's teaching. Unmarried pregnancies were common, not only in Soweto but also among activists who nevertheless thought they held the moral high ground against apartheid. We condemned migrant labour that separated father from child for most of the year, but thought little of bringing a child into the world who would never know a father.

38 39 St Anthony’s Activists The Ethos of St Ant’s St Anthony’s Activists Some Principles

The Church Council agreed with me that this was an offence against the child, a scandal to the church and that we did not want this to become an accepted part of St Antony's ethos. 8. SOME PRINCIPLES However, I was the one who had to convey the suspension and handle the restoration. I am not very sensitive to the feelings of others and don't do these things well. "When one of the Organisations congregation's members got pregnant, they were forced to leave the church because they were no longer in the good books of the minister" is how one such suspended person puts "Let's start a Women's Association" was an early request that I resisted. We wanted to it. "I do not encourage pregnancy outside of wedlock, but it is the manner Rob approached avoid any sectional activity that all could not share in. the whole thing which I was against." On the other hand Alison Sher "appreciated the way "So what about the Sunday School and Youth Fellowship?" some ladies asked. "We can't St Antony's handled the issues of, for example, unmarried mothers (and fathers) - it wasn't belong to these." Actually the top limit for the youth was undefined, but I answered that all glossed over but faced, with the aim of restoring the person." the children and youth would grow into adults, but none of us men would ever grow into In this area of sexual behaviour I observed a practice (not a principle) that I had come women! Age is not as divisive as sex! And so it turned out. We settled into one sharing across when serving a congregation of Coloured people in East London. If there was any fellowship each Sunday, and on any other occasions. Everybody just made the effort to fit clear evidence of sexual relations before marriage, such as a child, pregnancy or even an together. honest admission, the couple were not married in the church building but in the vestry or at The Youth Fellowship several times started then petered out, as youth organisations do. their home. This was done to convey the public message that Christian morals confined Chapter 16 describes some youth adventures in Soweto. In the end the youth declined to sexual intercourse within marriage. I used our home in place of the tiny vestry at St try again saying that they wanted the older folks with them. Antony's. It was seven years before we had our first wedding in the church, white dress and all! Due to distances travelled the Sunday School attendance was very irregular and in 1984 we tried instead a crêche for infants. Older children stayed in the service until they got From beyond the membership there were other criticisms of St Antony’s, though far less tired then went outside to play on the Jungle Gym. This included a group of street children, than in the case of North End in the 1960s. Other ministers looking after congregations of often brought by Cathy McDonald in her mini-bus, whose attention span was even more many hundreds wondered what was the point of wasting a minister on this small group of limited. Later Kathy Garcia handled a special talk for children during services. people. “What does St Antony’s DO?” asked one of them. I hope this book belatedly answers that question. Ecumenical thrust Another serious short-coming was the predominance of the English language and of a There was a two-tier membership structure at St Antony's in that one could be a full Western style of worship. Often during participation services African vitality took over, member or an associate member. Associates retained membership of another church, obliterating European inhibitions and ignoring time. But we failed to achieve a real whatever its denomination, and had obligations both to that church and to St Antony's. synthesis of the two styles though we much enjoyed trying. Denis Beckett writes: People of many denominations created an enriching cross-pollination. This was always a marvelous mystery to me. On the one hand the lilt and music and passion of the "What church did you grow up in?" was the question on Reformation Sunday 1978. long Sotho prayers by White and Dorcas Sekhukhune, Frank Makubung and others was the greatest thing about St Antony's. On the other hand, I'd often find myself sneaking peeks at my Answer: watch and thinking longingly of the lunch or squash-match or whatever that I had optimistically expected to leave for twenty minutes ago. Roman Catholic 1 Congregational 3 In the next chapter, before we go on to the adventures that awaited beyond June 16th, I Lutheran 2 Methodist 4 outline some of the principles that we adopted in the early stages. African Methodist Episcopal 2 Presbyterian 5 Baptist 3 Anglican 5 and if Anna Georgio had been present there would have been one Greek Orthodox.

40 41 St Anthony’s Activists Some Principles St Anthony’s Activists Some Principles

Marilyn Aitken, a member of The Grail, a lay Catholic women's movement, led a process certificate was eventually sent! Most white members were accustomed to Pledged Giving. of racial integration - the Open Schools Programme - against opposition from some We were determined to be self-supporting, but without putting pressure on any members, conservative Catholic institutions and in defiance of restrictive legislation now repealed. so we settled for a system of dated but otherwise unmarked envelopes for every member She was secretary to the Justice & Peace Commission of the SA Catholic Bishops' and associate. There were no stewardship campaigns and no appeals. It worked. Conference from 1978 to 1986. The poor must not see their meagre givings squandered, and so our affairs should be Back in 1969, at Ian Thomson's request, she and Emilia Charbonneau used The Grail's run with careful economy and a measure of self-denial. The poor also need the VW Kombi to drive the accused in the "trial of 22" to the Old Synagogue in Pretoria. The experience of belonging to a fellowship which, because it shares its resources, is able accused included Winnie Mandela and the SABC personality Snuki Zikalala. This contact to take responsibility for itself. Dignity is worth more than money. St Antony's must with St Alban's Mission later brought her to St Antony's. avoid presenting itself to the affluent congregations of this city as an outlet for their charity. Instead they should be challenged to think and act radically and responsibly to "There were a number of the St Alban's stalwarts in the congregation and I was delighted to be with White and Dorcas Sekhukhune and their growing up daughters again. I decided to join as an redress our social inequalities. They must not be able to use St Antony's as an associate member in 1975 because I believe in ecumenism. To get the necessary permission from intermediary for dealing with the poor while they keep a safe distance. my own church I thought carefully about the best RC priest to ask. Afraid that my own parish (Memo on Finances 27th Aug 1975) priest might say 'No', I asked Bishop Hans Brenninkmeijer, a broadminded Dominican friend, who of course agreed." There were purposely no fund-raising events. Admission to our public film shows, "happy happenings" and stage performances was free. They were meant for the surrounding Marilyn was elected onto the Church Council in 1977. Her comment: community's benefit. And there were no Jumble Sales; we knew directly the people who "Meetings were very interesting. I had previously served on the parish council of Holy Trinity needed clothing and simply gave it. We also refused financial support from beyond the Church in Braamfontein, but the interactions at St Antony's council were far more democratic and country lest we appeared to be the agents of outside interests. often more heated. I can't remember what the 'heat' was about, but I do remember some of the characters involved! White Sekhukhune (a tailor), Ken Kitchin (an elder seconded from St The Church Extension grant was dispensed with after six months, and in four years we Columba's), Richard Welch (a teacher), Gillian Godsell (an Industrial psychologist). They were self-supporting. In a 1981 survey of congregational giving per capita in the sometimes disagreed with a proposal made by Rob and even made him alter or scrap it! Johannesburg Presbytery St Antony's came second to the all-white Linden congregation. "Although I was not a full member of St Antony's, my suggestions in the Council were taken seriously. For example, I have never had the opportunity to ask for an alternative to the wafers used for Communion in the RC Church. These bear very little resemblance to the bread that Jesus Mobile Membership used in instituting the Eucharist. But at St Antony's I made the suggestion that white bread be changed to brown (a nutricious food far more symbolic of Jesus' wholeness) and it was done "Church Growth" exponents tell us that homogenous churches grow fastest; no racial, immediately." cultural, or class barriers to overcome. St Antony's was the opposite. Its aim was to be "At St Antony's I learned that I need not be intimidated by church authorities. This stood me in inclusive. If one part of our SA community was obviously missing we went and looked for good stead sometimes during difficult negotiations with the bishops who employed me. And from them. We also encouraged a moving membership. There was a howl when I suggested that Rob I learned never to compromise with apartheid. He taught me not to classify myself 'White' on no one should be allowed to stay longer than five years. "Learn something here and then government forms. I am an African and am learning the joy and pain that accompanies that move on". This idea was turned down, but some caught on and did it. identity." Aletta Mokoena was the first to go. She came to us from the Assemblies of God, full of fervour for open-air preaching on the streets. Domestic worker to a family in Ennis Road, Finances Parkview, she was well aware that St Columba's Presbyterian Church was just round the corner. After a year of membership with us she took her transfer and joined there. By the Pauline Kraai asked her previous minister for a transfer certificate to join St Antony's. end of 1983 St Columba's had 35 black members (more than St Antony's!). Five years later "Not until she pays the arrears" was the answer. The churches from which our black Aletta was elected and ordained an elder with a district largely of white homes to visit. members came used a "ticket" system. Every member had to contribute a minimum, That took as much courage as preaching on the street! checked by their elders each month. St Antony's offered to pay Pauline's arrears - and the 42 43 St Anthony’s Activists Some Principles St Anthony’s Activists Some Principles

30 October 1988 relationship. For example, Elizabeth doesn't have time to go home to the township where she lives and back again for St.Antony's evening meetings, so she now stays to supper with us - which may At the service today Melody Welch reported that Aletta Mokoena had been ordained an sound simple or obvious to you, but here it is unheard of for a black domestic worker to sit down elder, along with Annelize van der Ryst, at St Columba's last Saturday. Their first black with her white employers. We are now so far removed from that state that it happens quite elder! And she's a domestic servant! What a missionary! naturally. (see Colour Plates p 10) The small committed membership meant that average Sunday attendance equalled or The Manse exceeded total membership. So did attendance at Annual General Meetings, so boring in conventional churches. Our criterion for progress was not "How many Christians are In these days of stress, to get some family privacy, ministers are inclined to live away from sitting in church?" but "How Christian is the world outside becoming"? the church building. Through all the 40 years of my ministry Gert has accepted living right next door. At North End the church meeting place was in our house. At St Antony's it was Congregational Meetings at the next street corner. We asked congregants in rotation, and especially newcomers, in for lunch after the service; and Gert always had the necessary food to serve on the huge "Let's get through the Annual General Meeting as smoothly as possible" is an attitude one covered half-size snooker table. Here's how Pam Smith and Alison Oettlé experienced it: finds among managements inside and outside the church. No boat-rocking, please. St Antony's had so much to do with the future that we quickly adopted the reports on the past. I very much appreciated the way the church spilled over into your home. It felt like a second home Then we got onto provocative proposals made by the Church Council or members, which to me and I knew I was always welcome. Those lovely Sunday lunches with 10 or 12 people round drew out the feelings and energy of the whole group. Single issues were also often decided the table - and the "Stop talking, Pam, and eat up!" was very much appreciated. by a brief meeting following directly after Sunday worship. Gert was warm and welcoming, very approachable, a support for all of us, as well as for Rob. And we enjoyed the lunches at your house. Multi-Lingual Medium

Black ministers preaching in their own congregations let rip, voice rising, emotions being stirred, drama. When invited to “feel free” at St.Antony's they had difficulty doing so in A Sample Home Gathering English and tended to settle for intellectual presentations "suitable for whites". So we sometimes asked them to preach in their mother tongue and do a short resume in English at Sometime in 1981 the General Secretary of the PCSA, Chris Aitken, visiting the Geneva the end. headquarters of the World Council of Churches, had time on his hands and went into their library. He picked up a newly published volume entitled "The South African Churches in a Worshippers had opportunity most Sundays to lead in times of open prayer and here the Revolutionary Situation" by Marjorie Hope and Jim Young. black voices, languages and emotions predominated. This husband-and-wife team from the USA had visited South Africa several times and in Names their book they described the role each major denomination was playing - or failing to play. To personalise each account they also described a minister or other character in each In East London in the 1960s we established the custom of referring to everyone by their church who they thought was best addressing the revolutionary situation. Chris was a little surnames, so that Africans got due dignity. In St Antony's we quickly settled for first taken aback to find his own denomination described by reference to St Antony's "and that names all round and no superiority system. Elizabeth Madingwane called her employers guy Robertson". "Pam" and "John" (the Hallidays) and likewise Nomvula Ndlovu spoke of "Pieter" and "Ingrid" (the le Rouxs). Quite contrary to their culture, African folk even accepted that the Jim and Marjorie give an interesting outsider's description of one of our home gatherings. minister be called "Rob" by the smallest child in Sunday School. No problems. Printed here with their permission, it conveys some of these principles and this ethos: In a 1975 article in "Reform", the monthly publication of the United Reformed Church in One Sunday afternoon some members of St Antony's gathered for an informal service in Soweto, Britain, Pam Halliday wrote of the way their relationship with Elizabeth developed. at the small four-roomed house of Grace Masuku, a Roman Catholic teacher. The walls were unfinished, each room boasted only a bare electric bulb hanging from the ceiling, and the tiny I'd never felt able to ask Elizabeth to join us at our white congregation at Trinity. But when we living room was unfurnished except for a row of wooden chairs, most of them borrowed, that lined talked about St.Antony's she was very interested. A couple of weeks later she came, thoroughly the walls. Yet the stone floor was scrubbed and the house smelled faintly of soap. enjoyed the service and began to come regularly. This was the beginning of an entirely new

44 45 St Anthony’s Activists Some Principles St Anthony’s Activists Some Principles

The nine whites in the party were greeted with handshakes and occasional hugs by Grace, her two on a specific topic, one with meaning for both Blacks and Whites. It had offered an opportunity sisters, a brother-in-law, and several children. Then more and more friends, neighbours and for Whites to learn first hand about life in Soweto, and it had occurred on the home grounds of the relatives began to file in. Eventually 31 persons were jostling each other in the 9 by 12 ft room - Blacks. the adults crowded together on the chairs, the children sprawled on the floor. Most important of all, this was happening in small face-to-face groups. Perhaps this is an image of After "Lead, Kindly Light" in Sotho and English, Rob introduced everyone whom he knew and the primitive church. Perhaps it is also the face of the church of tomorrow. asked others to tell a little about themselves. Then, following another hymn, Grace led the discussion - a sharing of her experiences in the schools of Soweto. As a grade-school teacher who These home gatherings continued throughout the life of the congregation, as vital to its had taught several years in that turbulent township, she was well qualified to make some health as were the Sunday services. observations about the progress since 1976: attendance was up, parents were co-operating with teachers as never before, and the size of classes was down from an average of about eighty to about sixty. On the other hand there were serious problems. School fees were too high for most families. So few books were furnished by the Government that five or six children had only one to share, and uniforms were far too expensive. Most classrooms had no heat or electricity during the winter - children were often asked to bring a lump of coal to class, but many could not; some pupils simply stayed away all winter. Youngsters who brought money to buy lunches generally ended up buying Coca Cola and chips. A lively discussion ensued - the Whites agreeing that problems like "coke 'n chips" lunches existed in their world too, but listening attentively to problems peculiar to Blacks. Whites and Blacks together came up with a few hopeful ideas - for example, parents or unemployed Soweto women could be sewing uniforms. Gradually almost everyone in the room participated in the discussion. "Are there any who haven't spoken, who'd like to say something?" asked Rob. Then one Soweto man pointed out, somewhat hesitantly, that the government spent over ten times as much on educating a white child as on educating an African. The discussion became even more animated as Africans expressed their resentment, tempered by fatalistic acceptance of the system. After another hymn, Rob led us in prayer. All the Blacks in the room, including the men bowed their heads low, in a spirit of reverence that is somewhat rare among Whites. Even the youngsters on the floor bent far down and put both hands on their eyes (though one took a hand off one eye and took a long peek at us). All through the service, the children sat quietly, showing no restlessness whatever, but instead an eager interest in what was going on. Then we all joined in a Zulu hymn, accompanied by a jubilant shaking and twisting of hands. And the service ended as we rose to sing: One man's hands can't tear a prison down. Two men's hands can't tear a prison down. But if two and two and fifty make a million, We'll see that day come round. As Grace and her sisters brought in plates of cake and we began chatting in groups, we remembered an interracial service in a posh White Johannesburg suburb; the Whites had served coffee afterwards in the handsome lounge, but almost without exception had made no overture to talk to their guests. What made the Soweto meeting different was not only that it had taken place in a home or that everyone had been encouraged to participate, but that the discussion has centered

46 47

From Church to World

St Antony’s Activists After “Soweto” - 1976

9. AFTER "SOWETO" - 1976

"What does a congregation like St Antony's do?" wrote Bernard Spong in EcuNews of June 30th. That question hit the 25 people gathered last Sunday with double force. Not only were they aware of their numerical weakness in the face of the vast crisis which has blown up in Soweto; they were also acutely aware that in a situation of racial confrontation they formed a multi-racial group dedicated to reconciliation. Surely something special was required of them. The consensus reply was: "We go on doing just what we are now doing, i.e. providing a centre for worship together, for getting to know each other across the barriers; that we go on meeting in each other's homes including homes in Soweto, that we keep applying the word of the Bible to our lives and our situation, that we go on sowing the seeds of peace.” That was our hope. But what actions, as distinct from words, were needed from St Antony's? I think it was here that the activism began. It aimed to be nonviolent and effective. Britain's democracy also had its "Soweto". On 16th August 1819, in Manchester a large body of workmen held a rally in favour of parliamentary reform. The meeting was broken up by troops on horses. Eleven workmen died and many were wounded. Our November News Letter started with words from "The Mask of Anarchy" by Shelley, the great English poet, written shortly after this event now known as the "Peterloo Massacre": Stand ye calm and resolute, With folded arms and steady eyes, Like a forest close and mute, And little fear, and less surprise, With folded arms and looks which are Look upon them as they slay, Weapons of unvanquished war. Till their rage has died away. And if then the tyrants dare, And these words shall then become Let them ride among you there, Like oppression's thundered doom, Slash and stab, and maim and hew, Ringing through each heart and brain What they like, that let them do..... Heard again - again – again - Rise like lions after slumber In unvanquishable number - Shake your chains to earth like dew Which in sleep has fallen on you - Ye are many, they are few.

51 St Antony’s Activists After “Soweto” - 1976 St Antony’s Activists After “Soweto” - 1976

The News Letter continued by quoting the Soweto Students’ Representative Council (10th 10 October 1976 October 1976): Pamphlets [later repudiated by the Students' Representative Council] are circulating in "Our struggle is non-violent" Soweto urging the murder of whites on Friday 15th. Pauline Kraai, to whose home we plan to go on Sunday 17th, is willing to have us but doubtful if we'll get in. I said I and commented: would come anyway and this afternoon Martin Fleming phoned to say he would come If the struggle for freedom and equality in South Africa can be waged non-violently with me. What a strength Martin has been! A shaky, squandered life behind him, he has then a new day is dawning before us. The non-violent way holds the promise of a final now turned to Christ and is most earnest to serve him. He understands God's grace and victory that everyone can share and it corresponds to the real character of man as how we must deal with the weak and sinful. And now he is willing to risk his life. (see shown in Jesus Christ. It is the way of the cross in social and political affairs. We'll be Colour Plates p 12) thinking and learning about it, starting this month. 17 October 1976 June 16th 1976 was just the first day of years of turmoil in Soweto and other townships. In the afternoon there was the gathering at Pauline and Chris Kraai's home in The first baby born to members of St Antony's was Abraham Thabo, son of Meshack and Meadowlands, Soweto. Five of us travelled in, Martin being the only other white. The Lily Lyons. His baptism had been arranged for Sunday 8th August. Soweto, still meeting was told that Rosina, Pauline's daughter, had gone to the funeral of a smouldering, was closed to outsiders. To make sure they got to the church I travelled to the schoolboy who died after two days in detention. She came in after the meeting saying far end of Mapetla and talked my way past the road block and police. "At your own risk" that the crowd at the funeral had set cars alight, so we decided to go without delay. they said. (see Colour Plates p 4) Later we learned that 15,000 attended the funeral and that R100,000 [x15] worth of damage had been done. Everyone stood round the Communion Table for the baptism. The sermon titled "God calls Soon after that Pauline's husband, a taxi driver, was arrested while taking a load of Israel into new life" compared Christian baptism to the entry of the Israelites to life in students to Mafikeng, probably fleeing to Botswana. His detention lasted six months Canaan where, instead of wandering aimlessly in a desert, they began to conquer the forces during which time Pauline had midnight visits from the Security Police and, financially of evil and live productive lives. Then we sang the Sotho hymn by the pioneer missionary, assisted by the congregation, fought off the re-possession of Chris’ impounded hire Eugene Casalis, "Jehovah, Modimo wa Israele". Our translation of its first verse read: purchase taxi. O Lord God of Israel, you lead your people on; During this period the Presbytery twice postponed the opening ceremony of Klipspruit You saved us from darkness through Jesus Christ your Son. Church due to fears that the presence of whites in that part of Soweto might touch off Today we are people who know the joy of prayer, trouble for someone. Made human again by the love of God we share. 9 November 1976 "God calls Joseph out of prison" - "God calls Israel out of slavery" - "God sends Israel to What does St Antony's need to be? Part of the old institution or an adventure group for the world" were other sermon titles around that time. Then on October 31st, at the request the future? of our two home gathering groups, I preached two sermons specifically about non- violence, the first of which included an action demonstration involving an axe and a knife In "the old institution" Alasdair Paterson had resigned from St George's due to ill-health. in a situation that changed from enmity to friendship. Rev Tommy Greig and I had shared pastoral visiting to their whole congregation in the three months that followed, and I let my name go forward to the Vacancy Committee I had first read the New Testament through at the age of seventeen and came to the which would recommend a new minister to be called. conclusion I had to be a pacifist. Later I read Tolstoy and Gandhi and was deeply impressed, but it was on his 1976 visit to South Africa that the Mennonite, John Howard However, St George's preferred to engage the Rev Tony Gamley as temporary supply for Yoder, gave me an intellectually satisfying basis for nonviolence as Christian action. six months starting in November. Denis Clark left Hamilton Memorial at the end of Shortly after, Dr Hildegard Goss-Mayr of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation September, and in October David van Duyker of Mayfair Presbyterian Church came round (IFOR) provided the practical "how to do it". When the time came, I and others were at to discuss relationships. These, then, were the three Presbyterian Churches nearest to us. last ready to act. 52 53 St Antony’s Activists After “Soweto” - 1976 St Antony’s Activists After “Soweto” - 1976

To help them out of their racial isolation we were ready to merge with any one of them. These latter all accepted to some extent the prevailing white attitude to what were termed The first proposition was Hamilton, a congregation of Coloured people. “non-Europeans” or “natives”. An important exception was an urban tour organised in my Matric year by Margaret Snell, Travelling Secretary of the Christian Education Movement,

which took us to Sophiatown and Orlando Township and showed us the realities. 13 November 1976 My parents' attitudes matched what I discovered when I started to read the New St Antony's Management Committee met with Hamilton Session this afternoon at Testament. Mother was born in Jamaica, of missionary parents. All her first playmates Hamilton Church. I looked round the building; all the pews in straight rows, the pulpit were the descendants of slaves. There at least the Church had afforded her a classless and over there, the choir fenced off, and the Communion Table as far from the people as nonracial basis for human interaction, which she carried firmly though quietly all her life possible. Oh dear! Starting with all that again! We first got to know each other, then in many spheres of public activity. told about our respective churches. It was good to do that; first names, laughter and humanity. Then we talked about union, the advantages and problems.... Their Session My father was the son of a Scottish Presbyterian minister who served a working-class seem agreed to a union with us, and the details should be possible to work out. parish and was unafraid of dealing with the "social aspects of the Church's mission". Dad's lungs suffered damage in an Edinburgh munitions factory in World War 1 so he came to However, Hamilton found an alternative solution in the appointment of Ken Bowden, a South Africa to lecture in Chemistry at Wits University. He came for the country's layman studying for the PCSA's Mature Age ministry. We settled for a combined sunshine and discovered its people. He came for his health and discovered his mission. In Communion service at Hamilton once a quarter, when I would conduct the sacrament since the churches of Johannesburg’s northern suburbs he found so little concern for a solution Ken was not yet ordained. to what was then patronisingly called “the native problem” that he left the church. As the Through the second half of 1976 I had invitations to speak in other churches almost every name implies the Left Club, which he then founded, was socialist orientated and its Sunday. The one that moved me most was preaching at Rosebank Union Church where I membership included professed Communists. had spent the first 21 years of my life. I am indebted more than I can say to that church, My father travelled far, sometimes in ailing health, to address gatherings or, for example, but could not forget that my father had moved out of it to found the Left Club, and it was to support the 1946 Indian passive resistance to the “Ghetto Act”. At his funeral the in this latter place, not the church, and under a statue of Lenin where I first saw black and minister of Rosebank Union Church, the Rev J L Green, magnanimously described him as white sitting down to tea together as equals. I told the congregation this. "a great Christian, who insisted on putting the principles of Christianity into practice. He 14 November 1976 had found the church not a big enough field for his great heart." I like to think that he would have been at home in St Antony’s, though he was perhaps a little too seriously- Tonight I preached at Rosebank Union, my first appearance there in 20 years. The minded to have accepted that “happy band of pioneers”! “ building is due for demolition next year so I was glad of the opportunity. The place was full, with people sitting down the aisles. I preached from Acts 2:42 (NEB) "They met 28 November 1976 constantly... to share the common life", and dealt with the segregation in our churches. Pam Halliday, Richard Welch and their African friends went to Emmarentia Dam for a After that I showed slides of St Antony's which apparently came across as quite a picnic lunch after the service. challenge. Frank Makubung, who came to us from the Assemblies of God, was one of them and he describes what happened: My background on race issues A rude young white fellow, came up unnoticed, punched and kicked me and smashed my glasses into my eyes. This was because a very young little white girl, 15 years of age by the name of Several readers of “The Small Beginning” have asked me to explain where I got the Susan, was sleeping on my lap. Listen carefully. Susie was a darling sister to me and I a brother to impetus to work for a non-racial and classless society in South Africa. This may be the her. On the day I took my statement to the Police I was threatened with detention if I denied that I time to do so. was in love with the white girl. Richard Welch [Susie's cousin] accompanied me to Parkview Police Station. He acted like my lawyer on that day. This impetus was almost entirely from my parents, not from school, or peer group, or even from the Sunday School and church in which I grew up and to which I owe so much.

54 55 St Antony’s Activists After “Soweto” - 1976 St Antony’s Activists After “Soweto” - 1976

A court case eventually followed and the young man, van Vuuren by name, was fined R25 (x15). Two Sundays later this event was the focus of the Sunday service as we thought out The strike brought out 325 000 workers from 33 mines and was the longest and largest how Christians can handle such encounters. strike in South African history to that time. Bobby Godsell and Cyril Ramaphosa, NUM's 14 December 1976 General Secretary, both 34 years old, faced each other across the negotiating table. James Alan Maker told the Presbytery how Ken Kitchin, inspired by St Antony's, had got a Motlatsi sat next to Ramaphosa. The clash was about race and politics as much as about multi-racial group going in his [Parkview] home and had broken the habit [of workers' rights. domestics using the terms] "Baas" and "Missus". So much so that an African lady The talks deadlocked and subsequent violence on the mines claimed the lives of 29 Anglo coming to St Columba's evening service had called out across the aisle "Hello, Ken!" employees. Commonplace today, startling then. 1 September 1987 After the first week of the strike I had phoned Bobby on the Saturday to say that St Bobby Godsell Antony's would be praying for him. [He and Gill now attended St Paul's Anglican Church in Parkhurst.] He said how he had been struggling to maintain his integrity Bobby, a Methodist, and his wife Gillian, an Anglican, had found their way to St Antony's through the week. in 1975. They came to the service the following Sunday and told us that, after the phone call, Bobby saw two options for promoting change in South Africa; join the liberation struggle Bobby had thought "Is there anything we could have done that we haven't done?" and from outside or try to change the most powerful social and industrial institutions from the struck on the idea of having talks on simply how to control the violence. These talks inside. He opted for the latter and, having studied sociology and philosophy at Natal had been quickly arranged for the Monday, broke down on the Tuesday, but opened the University, spent a year from June 1976 in Germany and Holland studying industrial way for a re-examination of the basic dispute. relations and phenomenology - the science of how things happen - for Bobby meant to "I really want to call on NUM to come back to the table before more people die," said make things happen. Bobby at a Press conference. They came, and this led to the main negotiations reopening and a settlement being reached. From Holland they wrote, following the Soweto uprising: "Inasmuch as St Antony's seemed to us a 'real' exercise in 'community' in the fullest South African sense - so it must Bobby's next innovation was to persuade Anglo into profit sharing with its workers by be now the 'real' centre of South African crisis. As we think of our return to South Africa giving them shares. "Co-opting into oppression" said the cynics. But Godsell persevered. one of the many things that the country means to us that gives us hope is St Antony's. How much is gained if statutory apartheid ends but the gulf between rich and poor Here, after all, is a resurrection community, if ever there was one." On their return they increases? became members of what they called "the small band of Christians". Out of the 1987 strike a Code of Conduct for workers and management was developed to Bobby had once thought of entering the ministry of the Methodist Church but instead has bring "peace on our mines" and "make transition easier". become a secular prophet in the workplace. He found his way into the Anglo American Corporation personnel department and was its Industrial Relations Officer by the time the Next Bobby took on Anglo's Gold Division just as the gold price sagged. The livelihood of August 1987 National Union of Mineworkers strike shook the country. Earlier he had hundreds of thousands of families, mostly black, depends on how the unavoidable phasing persuaded Anglo to recognise the trade unions among its workers and allow NUM workers out of gold mining is handled. Who better to manage this with compassion and foresight? to recruit members in its hostels. Eleven years after the 1987 strike James Motlatsi became a Director of Anglo while Other companies resisted recognising the unions and warned Anglo of trouble to come, but retaining his position as NUM General Secretary in succession to Ramaphosa. This was Godsell saw further than they and Anglo's were first past this unavoidable wave of the Godsell's doing, unthinkable in the 80s. "This is not a sell-out. It advances the interests of future. our members" said Motlatsi in a TV programme (World Watch, SABC 3, 3rd May 1998)."This is a completely different dimension of empowerment," added Prof Loet

56 57 St Antony’s Activists After “Soweto” - 1976 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977

Dowes-Dekker. "It brings the unions into the decision-making process. Other companies are likely to follow suit as they watch with concern and also excitement". 10. CHANGE OF DIRECTION - 1977 "The workplace in the 1980s became a centre of political resistance" explained Godsell, by this time also a Director of Anglo and President of the Chamber of Mines. "Many of us could understand that. Quite often we as management were facing demands of a profoundly political nature. The question being fought about in the 1980s was whose country is this - white people's or black people's - or both? I think that's the dramatic I was made to wish for more change. We're moving into largely uncharted waters. I think South Africans aren't afraid of More than the mere possible or even the probable. doing that any more." Certainly Bobby isn't! I must pursue the impossible ... And when he appeared at Wall Street in 1998 to introduce Anglogold as the first South Whether I go forward as Don Quixote chasing his windmill African shares to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange he took a lion with him! or as the pilgrim progressing As Denis Beckett says, Bobby's activity, supported by Gillian, is having an incredible must be left for you to decide.... effect on South Africa, on the mining scene, on labour practices and on the economy. "His I can only give my life. brain is worth billions and his initiatives uplift millions." (see Colour Plates p 11)

These words, written by William L Moore who lost his life in 1963 in the civil rights struggle in the Southern States of the USA, headed our January 1977 News Letter. But just how would we "go forward" for more? 1977 was the last of our three subsidised years and the last of my existing appointment. I felt the pace was too slow, other churches not responsive and that something had to happen. There were three options: 1. Merge fully, if possible, with one of the congregations we were in touch with. 2. Go it alone, parting company with St George’s. 3. Close down. The Annual Congregational Meeting (ACM) on 20th March, remembering the solid rejection Hamilton had given to union with us, overwhelmingly threw out the first proposition, but kept the door open to "closer working relationships" with other congregations. A "Think Tank" style mission group was set up to prepare St Antony's to be more active in other main aspects of Christ's mission i.e. not simply church unity and racial integration, and to be self-supporting by the end of 1977 if possible. 6 April 1977 The ACM decision starts a new chapter for St Antony's and helped me to think out what has been happening. When growth was not so fast as I had hoped I reckoned it best to cut losses and, instead of trying to influence the whole Presbytery, just to attempt a merger with one congregation and really change its character. Hamilton had looked a

58 59 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977

possibility -St George's is a last resort. The only others are Mayfair which would be a workers... in the world"!) The wood and iron building where she lived, at the corner of head-on crash and St Columba's which would be easy but too far from Soweto. 17th and Krause Streets in Pageview, was strategically placed in that the main road from Now, without me pushing them, the congregation have decided to go it alone... This will the city to the Western suburbs ran past it. It housed several groups of women and we held release a lot of energy in me and in them, I hope. We will put the world first and the home gatherings in a couple of these compartments. Church second, instead of vice versa as it has been up to now. On Sunday 27th March I "I won't be able to stay for the whole meeting, Rob" said one of the ladies when we preached on the mission of the 70 (Luke 10) - beyond Israel to the world -and we ended pitched up. "I have a client coming past at eight." "We'll pray for you" was my feeble the service by going outside the church for prayer and the closing hymn. response. They came to some church services also, though they knew our views on their Tonight [just before Easter] about 30 gathered for a "Celebration of Liberation" [a trade, and were made as welcome as anyone else. When Baby was relocated to Eldorado Paschal Meal following Jewish Passover practice and anticipating the Lord's Supper]. Park we took the invitation also to hold home gatherings in her new flat. Paul Keen took the part of the family father, Dorcas Sekhukhune that of the mother and Secondly, the tide of oppression was swelling. Lawrence Ndzanga died in prison while Peter Halliday was the youngest child. awaiting trial, ostensibly of a heart attack. His widow Rita, also in detention, was sister to "May this bread give us strength in the struggle. May this wine give us joy in the work our Lily Lyons and I went to the funeral which Rita could not attend. R5000 (x 13) bail ahead" said Paul Keen as these were shared. And then Ouma Cebo, with her newly learned was paid to enable her to be there, but she was only released the day after the funeral. And skill, read John 13:31-35: "I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have she was acquitted four months later. My diary describes the funeral. loved you." 23 January 1977 Well, we tried everything we could think of. An afternoon service once a month, 28 people [Rev] Mashwabada Mayatula [of the Christian Institute] took care of me as if my life at the first, 20 at the second, 10 at the third, and it died in September. Once a month we depended on his presence. The sermon had been other-worldly and neutral. But at the shifted the morning service to Noordgesig, a Coloured area right next to Orlando East. grave the 1 000 mourners approached singing "Asikathali"(We are not tired). After the First time 45 attended. It required much effort and also only lasted four months. committal, while the grave was being filled, they sang Nkosi sikelel' and Morena Extracts on events that year give a picture. boloka then took to protest songs and power salutes. "Senzeni na?” (What have we done?) "Izono zethu ubumnyana" (Our sin is being black) "AmaBhulu ayizinja" (The Firstly the tide of removals was still against us. Eleven Pageview families in whose homes Boers are dogs), and then the new student song "Vorster uyabaleka" (Vorster [Prime we had met, including the von Schaeffers, were moved to distant Eldorado Park last Minister] is on the run). But it was a muted, not soaring and defiant singing and salute. December. Half our Sunday School disappeared in this process. Half the people were not participating. When they all do, it will be the end of apartheid. Back at the house we washed hands. I was the only white there, but did not once feel unsafe. 19 January 1977 Thirdly, we had a war developing. Tonight we gathered at Frikkie's new home in Eldorado Park. It was belting rain but five blacks and seven whites turned out. Brian Patel, Moslem son-in-law to Frikkie, sat News Letter May 1977: LIVING IN A LAND AT WAR in on the meeting. When we shared news he came out with something like this: "They obey the established laws and they surpass the laws in their own lives. Their "Although by conviction I am a Moslem, I am glad to be here. I grew up for 20 years existence is on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They love all men, and they are outside St Antony's and now at last it has come alive. I had given up hope of religion persecuted by all" said the Letter to Diognetus describing Christians in the Roman making any difference in SA. Just last week in a political meeting in Lenasia I was Empire about the year 140 A D. saying that the Church has failed Christ and the Mosque has failed Mohammed. But South Africa is to some extent at war. Inside it is like occupied territory. On the borders you have shown me what Christ can do and it gives me hope." it is threatened by its own and other people. So we have a number of laws that civilised We called her "Baby" but her full first name was "Babylon" - and like the city of that name countries only enact in times of war or grave emergency -detention without trial, in the Book of the Revelation, she was what is now called a "sex-worker". (How's that for censorship of all military news, etc. The training of young men for military duty has a modern translation of Revelation 17:5 "Great Babylon, the mother of all the sex-

60 61 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977

now been extended to two years.. and to meet the increasing cost the Government sacrifices its morals to introduce a lottery.... In detention barracks Anton wore the brown overall but refused the "staal dak" (steel In the early centuries of the Church most Christians were slaves or people of subject helmet) and boots that other detainees were required to wear. Anton also wore a beard and races. Because their "citizenship was in heaven" they were able to face the hardships of the others nick-named him "Moses". When the troopies formed up to await their meals existence on earth without too much moaning, and they acted to increase the area of Anton would lean against the wall nearby, because he refused to drill. One day a newly justice by offering a better obedience to the rule of law than pagans could offer. At the arrived officer spotted this and demanded of him: "Who are you?" "Moses" answered same time they were persecuted because they refused to worship the Roman Emperor Anton, to the officer's total confusion. and many would not do military service - like the young man in our congregation who, when called up recently, offered to do alternative work of use to the country but Anton Eberhard, a qualified chemical engineer, went on to study appropriate technology, declined to go to war to uphold what he feels is a seriously unjust system. tried it out in the highlands of Lesotho and now heads the Energy Development Research Centre at the University of Cape Town. His concern is to develop energy resources for the His name was Anton Eberhard. He was tried in December 1977 for this refusal and poor of our land. His book on this subject is titled Power and Poverty. sentenced to a year in Detention Barracks, ten months of which was suspended. This refusal had a far-reaching outcome. Peter Moll and his cousin Richard Steele were next and they each spent a year in DB. There they refused to wear the SADF uniform and were penalised with repeated periods of Conscientious Objection solitary confinement. Their firm stand and persistent lobbying by Steele's parents and Major Labuschagne, Officer Commanding the Detention Barracks at Voortrekkerhoogte, others persuaded the then Chief of the SADF, Gen Magnus Malan, to effect an amendment asked me into his office before I visited Anton Eberhard in January 1978. to the Defence Act. "Reverend," he said, "I've had to do with Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Dorothy Steele, Richard's mother, describes what St Antony's fellowship meant to her in Christadelphians, but what the hell is a Presbyterian doing here?" those days: I explained the right of a Presbyterian to act according to conscience in this matter, but Within the four simple walls of St Antony's, with its creaking floor and hard wooden benches, I found a place where I could stand and walk "upright" in a "normal" encounter with a wide lacked the foresight to tell him that this was the beginning of a movement that would end spectrum of interesting and loving people. Many of them were experiencing the harsh pressures the very process of conscription itself. from which, as a white, I was outwardly exempt. There was a time when only at St Antony's could my late husband John and I feel confident that people really understood why our son Richard was The Union Defence Act of 1912 introduced conscription to South Africa and applied it to in a military prison. white males only. "Bona fide members of recognised religious denominations by the tenets of which they are forbidden to wage war", i.e members of the so-called "peace churches", Rob Roberston was one of Richard's mentors as he took his stand as a conscientious objector, and were allowed to do non-combatant duties but were still liable to serve. Jehovah's Witnesses later became a staff person in the Fellowship of Reconciliation. In turn Richard helped us start our own "pilgrimage" as our minds and hearts grappled with the new concept of opposing authority by and a few others refused to serve at all and a 1972 amendment to the law allowed them a peaceful means. During the year of Richard's incarceration in Detention Barracks in 1980, St once-only period of detention. Antony's provided an environment of support and approval not to be found in our conventional church family. The famous 1974 Hammanskraal Resolution of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) called on white conscripts to consider conscientious objection on the basis that the By this time I was working one day a week for the SACC as Convener of its Commission war for which they were enlisted was unjust. It was framed by a Presbyterian colleague, on Violence and Non-Violence, and we kept the churches informed of what was happening Douglas Bax, and proposed by him and Dr.Beyers Naudé. It precipitated an immediate to these and half-a-dozen subsequent objectors. We saw their resistance and willingness to Government enactment making such advocacy a heavily punishable offence. suffer as the non-violent way of changing Government attitudes and laws. Lynn Stevenson writes: This resolution and the events of June 1976 reached the conscience of several young white men outside the peace churches. Peter Moll, a Baptist, refused a call-up in December 1976 At St Ant's one had the most up to date information on this form of resistance. Rob made a point and was fined. Anton Eberhard was the first to be locked up. (see Colour Plates p 6) of attending the Courts Martial of all objectors and persuaded members of the congregation to

62 63 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977

accompany him, both to support the objectors and to edify themselves. Many COs consulted him The next day, just a mile away, three ANC cadres in a possible "panic action" killed two for advice. whites at their Goch Street workshop under the M1 Motorway. It was one of the first An eventual 1983 amendment to the Defence Act was still, however, a strategic retreat on attacks on civilians. One of them, Solomon Mahlangu, was later executed and is the part of the Government. It created the concession of Community Service for a small sometimes celebrated as a martyr. group of religious pacifists but pushed up the immediate penalty for any others to a 17 Aug 1977 mandatory six years of civilian imprisonment. I learned that Rena Scotts has been attending St Andrew's [where Ian Thomson tried to This failure to recognise the "Just War" objector and the non-religious pacifists led almost crash the race barrier] a few times. She now wants to marry a chap from Boksburg. immediately to the formation of the End Conscription Campaign (ECC) which put forth a And on 3rd March 1979 they were married in that church! tremendous amount of educative material about conscription, our civil war, the crisis of conscience that objectors faced and the views of many specific objectors. Several St That year the Government set up a Cabinet Committee to "investigate the position of Antony's members were active in the ECC, and continue in its successor "Ceasefire", Blacks in Urban Areas" realising they had to take note of the way things were going. St notably Adele Kirsten and Janneke Weidema. Antony's put in a Memorandum. It said that the policy of apartheid had to be abandoned for a peaceful future in the land. As interim measures in that direction it called for: Eventually Just War objectors, religious and otherwise, began to go to jail. Dr Ivan Toms was the first in 1988. David Bruce was the first to face the full six years sentence. A vigil 1. Repeal of permit restrictions on non-Black entry to townships. for him the day before his trial was held at St Antony's. Next was the youngest of all, Charles Bester, the "teenager with the Bible under his arm". Others included the Rev 2. Repeal of restrictions on people outside the townships accommodating black guests. Douglas Torr who was brought to court in chains! 3. Repeal of the Bantu Education and Group Areas Acts, or at least those sections which A 1992 amendment to the Defence Act recognised the selective (non-pacifist) and the had squeezed the churches out of sharing in black education. ethical (non-religious) objector, but it was too late. By this time thousands were simply 4. Amendment of the Defence Act to allow conscientious objectors to serve in community ignoring their call-ups and were not prosecuted. Conscription forms no part of the planned work in black areas. revised Defence Act. If it is ever imposed again, I hope other young men, black as well as white, will have the courage of these few who challenged the military mentality. There was no response, and we eventually just went ahead as if these things had been granted! As Margaret Vuso says, the black members of St Antony's appreciated that whites were detained and imprisoned "for refusing to join the apartheid force". “ 19 September 1977 Steve Biko, founder of SASO, died in detention on the 12th. Yesterday Tony Gamley and We pressed on and the gleams of light increased amid the gathering storm. I attended a Memorial Service at Regina Mundi [the huge RC church in Soweto]. About 3 May 1977 4000 present. It started with prayer but was hardly a service of worship. No Scripture Frank Makubung brought his "Madam" from Houghton, Mrs Seward-Jones, to church or hymns, only political speeches and poetry about Biko. Some of it was sensible and today. There she was, happy as could be, all dressed up. I think that's the first time a some was syncretistic! One Independent Church minister described Biko as "a Christ" "servant" has ever brought a "madam" to one of our services. and Black Consciousness as a new religion. No police presence inside but they were parked a little way off. It was like the old ANC meetings before bannings and security 12 June 1977 legislation took over. A special effort at publicity was made for the afternoon service when [Rev] Peter I think this was the beginning of the use of large scale church services to carry the political Molefe and the Tembisa Choir led the gathering. The church was full, 35 whites and movement for change. about 60 blacks, not counting the choir. Peter, at my request, preached in Sotho until the sweat poured off his face. It enabled him to let himself go. His sheer physical Government reacted the next month. For years I had been associated with the Christian performance kept the attention of those who did not understand Sotho! Institute and on coming to Johannesburg had been co-opted onto its National Council. At

64 65 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977 its meeting on 9th September, no one else being willing to do it, I had reluctantly agreed to 10 November 1977 be "acting Chairman". My term of office was very short! Last night Tony Gamley held a meeting in St George's on "Black Consciousness" at 19 October 1977 which [Lutheran Bishop] Manas Buthelezi and [Roman Catholic layman] Alex Mbatha were the main resource people. There were 30 present from St George's and 20 from St Today Jimmy Kruger [Minister of Justice] banned the Christian Institute and 17 black Antony's. organisations. He also banned Beyers [Naudé], Cedric Mayson, Brian Brown, Theo Kotze [all of the CI] and David Russell, Peter Randall and Donald Woods for five 15 November 1977 years. The Presbytery held an interim meeting tonight to consider "urban unrest" and asked As soon as I heard it I made my way to Diakonia House and talked my way in to greet Mr Cyril Pearce of the West Rand Bantu Affairs Administration Board (WRBAAB) and Beyers and Brian. [I travelled home behind Beyers' car] then at his home we had me to speak. Pearce was more verlig than I expected. I was able to get in many telling prayer together with Ilse. When he prayed and thanked God for her I nearly cried. But blows to the deafness and prejudice of my fellow-ministers. Afterwards Paul Raidani he keeps a cheerful humour through it all. What a privilege to know him! Later he [minister in Meadowlands] said "You speak like Dr.Motlana" (who is Chairman of the passed Columbia Broadcasting Service reporters on to me for a TV interview to be Soweto Committee of Ten and presently detained). broadcast at 6.30 tonight New York time via satellite. Suddenly precipitated into It was a great compliment. prominence! (see Colour Plates p 6)

Christian Institute literature thereupon became an incriminating possession. Nevertheless I decided to keep my pile of documents and copies of Pro Veritate in the house, and they From Church to World survived. However, I did not have the courage to call the next meeting of the CI's Executive Committee, due on 5th November. So, by circumstances and by choice, we were propelled into a world of action outside church confines. And in December Hamilton Memorial said goodbye to us and threw in Senior Counsel advised me that such an action would probably land me in jail for two their lot with the Randburg Afrikaans-speaking congregation. years. It is one of the great regrets of my life that I funked it. With subsequent experience of court appearances, I realise that the imprisonment of a minister of the Presbyterian Our report to the Presbytery and to St George's for the year said this: Church for such clear civil disobedience would have created a major dilemma for the As the year 1977 progressed it became clear to most people that the Soweto upheaval was not an State. They would have found a way to shorten or even eliminate the incarceration. Also isolated event but the beginning of the social revolution that will end apartheid. imprisonment might have turned the tide against the whole banning process. As it was, we In the year we held two congregational meetings. The first of these agreed that, while still being had to wait a decade for the defiance of banning to begin. open to contact with other churches, this should no longer be our main concern. Instead we should devote our energies to preparing those who will join us for Christian mission and living beyond The World, a black-orientated Johannesburg publication, was also banned on the 19th the social upheaval that faces the country. The second meeting six months later confirmed this October. choice of direction. 5 November 1977 Sunday Services of worship remain the centre of the life of the congregation in relating the Word In the wake of the bannings Denis Beckett has been sacked from his job as assistant of God to the circumstances and experiences of Christians in our divided and oppressive society. editor of The World. Apparently he, Percy Qoboza[the Editor] and one or two others "The PCSA has played the apartheid game most of the time, while wearing a multi-racial are being sacrificed so that the rest of the staff and the press can go on producing Post mask on public occasions" we wrote when the PCSA's General Assembly's Life and Work which is supposed to take the place of The World but not to be a continuation of it. Committee asked for an opinion. It had been instructed as a matter of urgency to help Denis and his wife, Gael, attended St Antony's and this was the beginning of his public ups PCSA congregations in facing major changes in the country. We had many suggestions, and downs that we shared for many years to come. (see Colour Plates p 13) too numerous for this book, but our introduction to them is found on the following page.

66 67 St Antony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977

FACING RAPID SOCIAL CHANGE Extracts from a letter to the Rev Luther Mateza, Convener of PCSA Life & Work Committee, dated 12th January 1978. The PCSA has played the apartheid game most of the time, while wearing a multi-racial mask on public occasions. At grassroots we have been totally segregated and our members have worked hard to maintain this, and I don't only mean white members! So when change comes I don't think we are going to fare at all well because, however effectively we have ministered in other areas of life, in the area where change will happen we have not been "seeking His will". It is not a matter of adjusting to changes that we see as inevitable -that is expediency, and such expedience will not help us to be the church if communism takes over in South Africa, for then we will just try to accommodate ourselves to that ideology. Our faith is that Jesus is Lord and therefore in ultimate control. We should get our minds off inspecting the lifeboats and onto steering the ship in the right direction - "the ship" in this case not being the country, which we can't steer, but our own congregations. Gert, Ian and Pam Robertson with Ian and Val Thomson, Rev David Russel and others at Dimbaza, 1973 What better witness and example can we give than having our congregations developing as microcosms of a new South Africa where race has been transcended. Whites will have to learn to accept blacks as equals in all things, including home and marriage. Blacks will have to learn the responsibilities of power. And we can help people to adjust to this by providing our congregations as training grounds. I have little hope that any committee will succeed in "implementing ways of helping congregations to face major changes" however much "examining" they may do. I fear that even as God's judgment falls on us we will still be blind to what is happening and go on blaming the communists. That's why I think that things need to be stated now in blunt terms that might just awaken the sleeping. To sum up, I believe our most urgent need is to break down apartheid in our congregations and help them to be inclusive fellowships. If the Life and Work Committee comes to the same conclusion I will gladly give you all the practical ways I know of doing that. St Anthony’s Mission Team, Richard Shearer, Dorcas Sekhukhune and Dan Matsobane, 1974

68 1

The first day of EARLY HISTORY Soup for a Cent. The congregation 1975 after a service in June 1975

“Lang Jan van Fietas” (Joe Adams) in the lead at the first picnic, 1975 The Sunday School, 1975

The Anderson, Lyons and Mohali children at the first picnic, 1975 2 3

Home Gathering EVENTS at Mapetla Top: Extension, Old Pageview, October 1975 1975 Centre: Pageview Demolished, 1981

Bottom: White Pageview,

1985

West Rand Board building in Soweto burned down by scholars, June 1976

First baptism, Abraham Thabo Lyons, 1976

4 5

Dhana and Raghu Naidu with Rob Robertson at Olive Gibson and Martin Fleming Beyers Naudé on the day of his Anton Eberhard on the day of his Magistrates’ Court, 1979 postering Pageview houses, 1979 banning, 17th October 1977 release, February 1978

Dr Paul Keen installed as a Knight of the Order of St John, 1979 Hugh Robertson (left) arrested by “Rooi Rus” Swanepoel on Wits campus, 1981 6 7

Shotgun blast through Pam Robertson’s bedroom window, Neil Myburgh and Yvonne Gengan Wedding of Richard Welch 16 April 1984 Shortly after their wedding, Dec 1983 and Tessa de Graaff, 1984

Paula Harris & Gert Robertson release balloons for detainees in Library Gardens, 1985

Ed Perkins (Moderator) and Rob Robertson (Acting Clerk) at the first ever Presbytery business meeting in Soweto, 21 August 1979 Pupils escape teargas at Holy Cross School (Immaculata High), Diepkloof, 1986 8 9

PEOPLE Top: Robin & Heather Petersen, 1981

Middle: Paul Weinburg, Masepeke and Laura Sekhukhune and Fezi Vuso, 1982

Bottom: John Halliday and Elizabeth Madingwane reunited, December 1990

Top Left: Francois and Molly Bill after Francois’ release from detention, 1987

Top Right: Paula Harris and Jeanette Schmid, 1988

Bottom: Gillian and Bobby Godsell and their children outside the manse

10 11

Adèle Kirsten

Above: Vusi and Nombulelo Khanyile with

Gert Robertson outside the manse, 1990 Thomas and Emma Mofokeng, 1990 Right: Verena Kennerknecht collecting water during drought in Sekhukhuneland

Len Block

Walter Wink and Richard Deats with Anita Kromberg Martin Fleming’s 75th birthday celebration, 1987 and Richard Steele, May 1988 Denis Beckett 12 13

END EVENTS The demolished parental home of Pauline Kraai (neé More), Mogopa 1984

Jeremiah More and his wife Top: The Save Pageview Association (Pauline’s meeting in St Antony’s, October 1988 parents) at (note the murals in the background) Bethanie, Bophutha- tswana, 1984

The More family resettled at Mogopa, 1990

Gert Robertson protests the renewal of Peter and Jean Jackson

the State of Emergency, 11 June 1988 at St Antony’s, 1989

14 15 St Anthony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977

Mike Mlongoti carries By this time I was also the Convener of the Church & Society Committee of the the cross to St George’s Johannesburg Presbytery. I used this opening to share St Antony's experiences with that with (left to right) predominantly white body. Here's an extract regarding December 16th 1977 which the Gisela Hutton, Presbytery had been trying to develop as a day of reconciliation. Richard Welch, I attended the Prayer Meeting called by the Soweto Teachers' Action Committee and Winty Thomson and other organisations at St Francis of Assisi Church in Soweto on 16th December. Janneke Weidema I was not allowed into the meeting until my bona fides as a person sympathetic to black suffering had been established - and two supposed informers were ejected. The proceedings confirmed my expectation that the use of this day by blacks is in no way an acceptance of some common ground with those who celebrate the day in the white community. Rather the opposite is true. The whole meeting was punctuated with the repeated response "Amandla awethu". It was held in remembrance of those who had suffered death, detention or banning at the hands of white authority.

When Dean Nkoane spoke and called for prayer for people like the detained Sally Motlana the Chairman thanked him but said that the time for prayer was past and action is needed. Dr. Motlana [husband to Sally Motlana] said: "We cannot see this day the way whites see it, because... the true events of the year when Dingaan met the white man have not been written". As Christmas approached the year ended lightly with a Happy Happening which included a "Lovely Legs" competition. Its most significant "happiness" was a GROW demonstration in the church grounds. GROW started with Marie Roux whom Gisela Hutton brought to St Antony's. Here's her story using some of her own words: Tessa Welch carries the cross In 1975 after the West Rand Administration Board as the united (WRAB) had taken over administration of Soweto from procession, led by the Johannesburg Municipality a terrible garbage crisis developed there. She found herself in Credo Mutwa's Peter Jackson, Diepkloof backyard beginning what he called his "Little nears St George’s Patch of Salvation" and realised, like a sort of revelation, what organic soil action groups and any others could do with this garbage. "Our people were never agriculturists" said Mutwa. "They were mostly pastoral and nomadic and do not understand the soil and its potential to feed them". With personal experience as a child during the Depression years, Marie realised the urgent need for "survival St George’s Church gardening", the minimal-input, labour-intensive, self- Wolmarans Street, help activity of making compost and growing one's own Joubert Park, vegetables. "DON'T FEED YOUR DUSTBIN - FEED Johannesburg YOUR SOIL!" became their slogan. 16 69 St Anthony’s Activists Change of Direction - 1977 St Anthony’s Activists Going It Alone - 1978

Township people called her Nokwenza ("the one who gets things done") as she and Gisela dug up township back gardens in endless demonstrations. She describes the incredible energy, inspiration and escapes from danger of that time as "One way to spend the Menopause"! 11. GOING IT ALONE - 1978 "We'll miss her total enthusiasm" said the News Letter when Marie left Johannesburg in 1981. The congregation continued for years to make donations to the GROW programme.

News Letter February 1978 I am happy though in danger When men shut the door behind me Since Christ set my conscience free. God in mercy meets me there, When in prison or a stranger And his promises remind me I find he still carries me. I can turn to him in prayer. Long ago in love he chose me; When I think I am forsaken Now I live by unseen things And my heart gives way to fear, And the forces that oppose me God shows me how much mistaken Bow before the King of kings. I have been, for he is near. (Our translation of the Sotho hymn "Joko ea hao e bobebe") Some of our members and friends are facing prison experiences these days. 18 January 1978 Last Sunday John Halliday told the congregation that he and his family are thinking of leaving SA for the UK. Yesterday I visited Anton Eberhard for the fourth time. He is well on top of his experience and cheerful. But when asked he said that two years without the right to study would be soul-destroying and for a lad of 17 or 18 it would leave a permanent mark. One can't blame parents for taking their children away from that. Shortly after Anton Eberhard's trial the penalty for his offence was changed to a mandatory two years imprisonment. White parents of pacifist beliefs, like the Hallidays, now faced a difficult decision. Stay in the country and have their three sons face this hard option? In 1978 they decided to move to Pamela's country of origin and have been there ever since. For eight years they have kept their Birmingham home "open to anyone", friend or stranger, in need of hospitality. It was hospitality like that, given in their Parktown North home and always including Elizabeth Madingwane that had forged much of our early fellowship. 3 February 1978 Last Sunday Mike and Denise Moys were at the ordination of Tennyson Komano at Zola Congregational Church [in Soweto]. On leaving after lunch they and two visitors from England were arrested and held at Jabulani Police Station until 4.30 p.m. for being without permits.

70 71 St Anthony’s Activists Going It Alone - 1978 St Anthony’s Activists Going It Alone - 1978

Someone else had taken the permits home with them and they were released when these Anders Nyberg, later married Jennifer Ferguson, an MP in our first democratically elected were produced. This event led us to a later decision no longer to apply for permits. Government. Now a new possibility of racial interchange opened up. Long Leave was due to me in A later comment by Fezi indicates what was happening for him and others at the time. 1978, and St Antony's would require an interim minister. Never in PCSA history had a St Antony's in its little way was a beacon of light which liberated its members long before 1994. black or coloured minister been called to any "white" congregation. Our absence on leave The greatest liberation that, with God's help, we jointly bequeathed on one another was not was an opportunity to start the process of black ministers at least serving some whites. political, economic, or social, but the liberation of the mind. This helped us immensely in Moses Boshomane, recently installed in Moletsane Presbyterian Church (Soweto), agreed advancing the liberative activities of the various communities we came from. to minister at St Antony's part-time while I was overseas and he was appointed Interim Along with the Sekhukhunes, the Vuso family was an essential and enduring part of St Moderator by the Presbytery. Antony's. The father, Thamsanqa (Thami) was a builder, trained at the famous Lovedale My passport had been restricted and Europe and USA were out, but it was endorsed for the Institute at Alice in the Eastern Cape. His wife Victoria was a nurse, educated at the Far East. The Australian consul did not like his country being termed "Far East" but we equally famous Shawbury Methodist Mission in the Transkei, and both worked on Crown managed to include the land of Oz. Mines. They had family quarters in "Crown Reef Location", a compound on the edge of Mayfair. Two of their children, Fezikile (Fezi) and Margaret, were introduced to St 25 March 1978 Antony's by the Little Sisters of Jesus and they became members in 1977. Both in turn Easter Saturday. We are today off to Durban in hope of sailing on Monday to Japan. gave their young presence and ideas to the Church Council and the whole congregation. On the way back we will leave at Singapore and fly to Perth. Dante Anderson did the (see Colour Plates p 10) service yesterday and Beyers Naudé is preaching tomorrow [despite his banning order]. Yesterday I said goodbye to banned Brian Brown who is leaving the country on Then the wood and iron Reformed (formerly "Bantu") Presbyterian church on Crown 29th March....[He cannot return, but] we will come back for the funeral of apartheid Mines property, where the Vuso parents were members, burned down. It had been loaned and try to face the problems it will have left.... We will further the growth of St Antony's to a TV company for some screening, and a veld fire levelled it. Some of the members saw and its programme of gentle but firm challenge to all the hate, division and hypocrisy this as a Act of God avenging the use of "his House" for a commercial purpose! While the of our times. TV was happening we had given the use of our building for their Sunday afternoon services. So they just stayed on. We visited and invited, but they were very insular, and Visiting ministers, including Desmond Tutu the then Dean of St Mary's Cathedral, and eventually in 1981 Victoria tranferred her membership to St Antony's. She too gave groups within the congregation ran the services and when Beyers preached there was service on the Church Council. standing room only. Our son Ian described his first appearance in a letter: Victoria's husband followed her into our membership three years later and in 1986 their At about 10.20 the show was on the road. People just kept coming and Anton [Eberhard] and I had youngest child Zozo (Nokuzola) made her profession of faith amongst us. By this time quite some fun handing hymnbooks to all the new faces. By 10.25 the church was chockers. I couldn't believe it but Anton diagnosed that Beyers, who had just arrived, was the reason. By the they had a house, much extended by Thami's building skills, just round the corner from the time Beyers started every seat was taken and Anton was sitting on the floor (100 people in all!).... Sekhukhunes in Mapetla. Victoria died as that year ended. Meanwhile Fezi had gained the General Certificate of Education outside of Bantu Education and was being trained by The sermon held everyone's attention.... Anton and I served Communion. I took my bread from British Airways as a manager. No one who worshipped at St Antony's will forget that Beyers and then, while I had my eyes closed, John Halliday jumped on my toe to wake me up as Beyers wanted to give me the plate. Marilyn [Aitken] was killing herself laughing by now. We ran family. “ out of wine and had to use the chalice. We had two-tone grape-juice because Martin had used Something else very significant had happened while we were in the Far East. white as well as red! The collection ran to R120 (x12). "Learning Together" was the title given to the programme set up back in October 1977 for During our absence Olga Sekhukhune and Fezi Vuso were selected to represent South high school children who had opted or been forced out of Soweto Schools. It was still Africa at an international Christian Youth Conference in Sweden. Ingrid le Roux, of technically illegal to provide education for blacks without registering the school with the Swedish origin, had something to do with that selection! They made friends from all over Department of Bantu Education, but we were getting used to disregarding that kind of law. the world. Fezi later brought the Fjedur singing group to this country and its leader,

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The first steps were taken on Tuesday 18th October of a Study Project that grew to be a The Project now offered a full range of Matric courses as well as a vibrant "cultural major undertaking and a pace-setter in "education beyond apartheid". programme" where students learned music, creative writing and even mountain climbing. The Keyboards Secretarial Project offered training in secretarial skills for black women Liz Anderson was the American wife of Dante Anderson, formerly a Congregational and is still in operation today. Hundreds of black youths, frustrated with Bantu Education Church minister then keeping bees at Wilgespruit Fellowship Centre. She recalls: and determined not to submit to it again, will remember Richard and his helpers with great …tutoring young people from Soweto - Fezi Vuso, Matilda Sekhukhune - in English when the thankfulness. Soweto schools were closed to them; driving in from Roodepoort in my little blue "Noddy Car" (a Morris Mini) hoping that I would not be deported if caught in such illegal activity - thinking that One of these is David Sineke, who later with his wife Evelyn joined St Antony's. David Dante would not be too pleased were that the case! was shot in the foot during the Soweto upheaval. Richard's mother Natalie saw to it that he got expert treatment and was able to walk with a built-up shoe. David was employed by With her in this were Pam Halliday, Alison Oettle, John Welch, Olga Sekhukhune and Edgars when he first came to St Antony's and supported the trade union FEDCRAW which Linda van Duyker, wife of the minister at Mayfair Presbyterian Church. The outward- backed him when he was dismissed. Then he moved to a position in the Commercial looking instruction these teachers gave helped many young people to escape the limits set Catering and Allied Workers Union before becoming Industrial Relations Trainer for for them by Bantu Education. Nampak. For example, Matilda Sekhukhune's life adventure began in 1984 when she gained funding In 1986 David took an industrial course at Wits University Business School where he won from the Danesford Trust to become an exchange Youth Worker in England studying the a special award as one of the top students. Alec Erwin, now Deputy Minister of Finance, problems facing urban youth in the West. Next we knew she began studying for a BA in spoke at his graduation ceremony asserting that there could be no mix of workers and Communications for three years in London. She came back to South Africa, using her bosses until political repression was removed. David had crossed that divide while Evelyn Sotho first name Masepeke and set up the Newtown Film and Television School. In continued to work for the NUM trade union. They moved house into Bertrams, and then to November 1996 President Mandela announced Masepeke as one of the 16 members of the Malvern, in disregard of the Group Areas Act, and then to a large home in the suburb of St new Board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation. (see Colour Plates p 10) Andrew's. David moved into management in Denel, ironically the manufacturer of the kind Then when we got back from overseas we found that the Think Tank and the Youth of weapon that maimed his foot! “ Fellowship had died but in their place a group of whites were learning Sotho, the Literacy When his job was done, Moses Boshomane wrote in the News Letter: programme had doubled to two nights per week, and a school was operating on the premises! I thank God for the four months I worked with people like you at St Antony's. I really enjoyed your company, friendship and support. Thank God that even at this time in our country we still Yes. Richard Welch, a teacher at Pridwin Primary School (following up an initiative of have a community of believers worshipping God together. These people are bound together by Dean Simeon Nkoane), had launched the Witwatersrand Council of Churches Tuition love. They are liberated from mistrust and prejudice, and the spirit of brotherhood prevails. Project using volunteer teachers on weekdays to prepare about 25 scholars for the Matric 10 August 1978 exam. The place was humming. Within a couple of years the only times our small building was not in use were the evenings of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Safely home after the journey of a lifetime. On 30th July the service was a farewell to Moses Boshomane and a welcome back to us. It ended with half the congregation This Project became the first full-blown school for blacks outside of Bantu Education and dancing round the Communion Table as we sang "Thank You" in four languages to a the few surviving church mission schools. tune by Elizabeth Madingwane. Old times! Shortly Richard had two other centres going, at St George's Anglican Church in Parktown Towards the end of 1978 several trends converged that made it much easier for me to get and at St George's Presbyterian Church. In time he resigned from Pridwin and, on a out of bed in the mornings. The first concerned non-violent direct action. meagre grant from Bread for the World and the Chairman's Fund, in 1981 consolidated these into a fee-paying institution with paid teachers in Braamfontein office blocks. 27 October 1978 Tonight the SACC had more than 60 people at a meeting at St Antony's on "Peace- making in a Violent Situation" A few years ago one would not have raised a dozen. Why

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do people wait till things are so bad before they do anything about it? We showed a 7th December 1978 film on Martin Luther King and I wished I had a clear mind and more courage to lead Yesterday Dr Wolfram Kistner phoned to say that the one-day-a-week job in his that kind of thing. department of Justice and Reconciliation was waiting for me. Immediately I told Michael Corke [the principal of St Barnabas]. This job will be with Tom Manthata and Father Sibidi, remarkable men. Next month Vusi Khanyile (yes, he of Thebe Investments and later of the Midmar Casino Development Company!) and Anton Eberhard, "our two jail birds" as my diary described Where St Antony's was a microcosm of our country's community, the SACC afforded me them, shared the leading of a worship service. Vusi had been in detention without trial entry to the macro scene. The convergence of experiences from these two sources drove from December to April. I came in from another appointment to hear him speaking with my weekly preaching to relate the Bible closely to what was happening in South Africa. In admiration of how Gandhi generously suspended his civil disobedience to allow the Smuts fact an understanding of the Bible began to arise from what we were doing. "We do Government to weather a white railway workers' strike. (see Colour Plates p 12) theology 'beginning from concreteness', from 'particular realities'" wrote Jose Miguez Bonino, the Argentinian liberation theologian. "This is the reason we begin from a praxis. Will Warren was famous in pacifist circles for his reconciling work between Catholic and It is not merely that theology is at the service of action....Rather action is itself the truth. Protestant in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. (See "Will Warren -a Scrapbook" compiled Truth is at the level of history, not in the realm of ideas." This is the Hebrew concept of by John Lampen and printed by Quaker Home Service, London). The International truth. First they acted, or experienced God's action, then reflected on it afterwards. ("The Fellowship of Reconciliation sent him, at the age of 72, to South Africa and he lived with Acts of the Apostles" in Greek reads as "Praxeis Apostolon") us and with Sheena and Neil Duncan. Two successive heart attacks cut short his work and travels in South Africa, but he inspired many who met him in Johannesburg. His creed: "I The second development concerned St George's Church, our parent body. St George's had believe that one person's love is stronger than a million people's hate". been generous in taking St Antony's under its wing. Now it was in trouble. Finances were short, Tony Gamley had left in August to return to the USA, and they could find no Kenneth Boulding, another pacifist, puts it this way. minister to their liking willing to consider a Call. I was willing to be called there, in which For though hate rises in enfolding flame case St Antony's would merge with St George's and make a financially viable outfit. But At each renewed oppression, soon it dies; remember that St George's was an elderly, conservative white congregation and the It sinks as quickly as we saw it rise, religious sanctuary of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment. While love's small constant light burns still the same. 12 September 1978 Know this. Though love is weak and hate is strong, Yet hate is short and love is very long. Last night St George's Session met and decided they want to talk with me about possible ministry at St George's. Now that it has come to this point the idea scares me. 20 November 1978 It is not the people so much as that great building which one cannot change. My approach will be to ask the Session for a change of attitude and a chance to meet the Will Warren, English Quaker, who really puts his body where his mouth is, gave us a congregation. great evening on "Understanding Non-Violence". I am feeling more ready for this [kind of action] since realising that Warren has done his actions alone. 23 September 1978. There were about a dozen elders at the meeting. I set out my ideas of St George's future After the 1977 banning of the Black Consciousness movements and the Christian Institute, and what my "out of the ordinary" concerns would be if I was sharing that future, i.e. the World Council of Churches' Programme to Combat Racism came out with a paper integration racially, openness to the poor, and I did not hide my own pacifist attitude. entitled: "South Africa's Hope -What Price Now?" It claimed that the time for non- They met further without me and asked that my next evening service there on 8th violence was past and that now a doctrine of the "Just Revolution" was needed. The SACC October should be a "St Antony's style" service. had set up a Study Commission on Violence and Non-violence, onto which I had been 8 October 1978 invited, to prepare a response. Now it needed a Convener with some time to devote, and I Willie Stewart agreed that the service be held upstairs in the small hall so that we could could do that instead of teaching at St Barnabas' College. use the piano and be closer together. Providentially Drummond Bell the organist was

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away that weekend, so Gert was free to play the piano. It was a long weekend and by the time we left the manse the two blacks who said they were coming had not arrived. Oh dear! At the door was this line of elders, including one who did not return my greeting. But crippled Raymond Turtle did. Upstairs I had already prepared the seats in a circle. When it was time to begin community singing I found the back row, right against the wall, full of dour faces! "See the Church assembled here" was the first song and by this time there were some St Ant's people present and two white strangers right at the front who sang lustily. It later turned out that Elizabeth Madingwane was working for them and had sent them along. The first hymn, in Afrikaans, warmed the hearts of some visitors with Afrikaans Nonviolent Action accents. The sermon was on Luke 9:1 "He called the Twelve together and gave them power.... to overcome." I spoke of Val Thomson who had grown up in St George's, of the call to continue her and Ian's work and how I was strengthened by this text -all the time asking questions and getting responses, as had also happened during the news for period. Afterwards at tea there was a really good atmosphere. Several of the elders were there, Social Change Ken Hartwell, Tom Richardson, Cathie McGhie, Jimmy Anderson, Alan Cook as well

as the "bitter-enders". There is a special Session and Vacancy Committee meeting called for the 18th and then the congregation must decide. On Sunday 19th November St George's congregation voted 72 to 21 against the proposal to call me. Instead they resolved to waive their right to call a minister and agreed to accept an appointee who would be chosen by the Church Extension Committee. Jimmy Anderson and Tom Richardson emphasised their disagreement by walking out of the meeting. The next month the Presbytery approved the appointment of the Rev Jan van Vliet, a Mature Age entrant to the ministry. And the third development? As the year ended we found ourselves financially self- supporting . This meant that we could cut the umbilical cord that linked us to St George's and apply to the General Assembly to be a Church Extension Charge, the next step up the Presbyterian ladder. "The way is now clear for a full-scale effort at St Antony's" says the diary of the 21st November, 1978.

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12. ACTION AT LAST - 1979

Is true freedom just to break They are slaves who fear to speak fetters for our own dear sake, for the fallen and the weak; and, with hardened hears, forget they are slaves who will not choose that we owe mankind a debt? Hatred, scoffing and abuse No! True freedom is to share rather than in silence shrink all the chains our brothers wear from the truth they needs must think; and, with heart and hand, to be they are slaves who dare not be earnest to make others free! in the right with two or three. James Russell Lowell (slightly adapted) Once his university course was over our younger son, Ian, decided to submit to army service but to insist on being recognised as a non-combatant even though, being a Presbyterian, Section 67 (3) of the Defence Act did not allow him this. Fortunately the SADF stretched the interpretation of that section for those who answered their call-up. However, there was still a struggle for this recognition and Ian was the first I know of, to be followed by Durbanite Rob Goldman. 17 January 1979 On Wednesday 10th at daybreak Gert and I took Ian to entrain for Voortrekkerhoogte. He is not keen on being seen off and walked alone into Milner Park in the semi- darkness. Next was a phone call on Sunday night saying that rifles were to be issued on Monday and he was thinking of taking it, so as not to appear to buddies as shirking, but to refuse to train in its use. He phoned again on Monday at 6 a.m. and was advised to refuse outright from the start. Which he did. The corporal blew up when Ian refused, saying he would rather go to DB, and took him to the Lieutenant. The Lieut had never had such a case before so took him to the Captain who gave him a hard time. But Ian stuck to his position and eventually the Captain phoned for the Chaplain. [Who should it be but] James Gray, whose appointment there began this month and whose mother, Norah Chalmers, was at school with Gert [in distant Scotland long before]! Gray explained to the Captain that he himself had refused weapons and was within the Defence Act. They phoned the Assistant Chaplain General, Andrew van den Aardweg,

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and he confirmed this. So back Ian went, with the first crucial victory won, wondering This was just a kilometre from our house. I lay awake two nights thinking what Will how his mates would take it. And they were still with him, admiring the fact that in his Warren would do, and then joined them in another tent to support them and to assist in first week in the Army he had stood up to a Captain. "Like Martin Luther," Gray told looking after their furniture. Ishmael Ayob, lawyer to the Naidus (and also at that time to me afterwards. "I've a feeling," wrote Ian, "that this was actually the happiest day of the Mandela family), was sure that by this simple step we had broken the back of the my life!!" Group Areas Act. During his three-month basic training the Corporal made him carry a branch of a tree in Negotiations about possible alternative accommodation were taken up with the City place of the rifle. This gave Ian a good talking point until it became such an issue in his Council Housing Department, but they could find only a house in a cemetery! The Naidus unit that the Lieutenant ordered it burned. The Corporal then found him a drainpipe to claimed that as Hindus they could not live there! The Council did not attempt to enforce carry. When Rob Goldman came along they made a dummy rifle of welded bits of piping bye-laws about obstructing the pavement, though they did once send workmen and two and had him stand guard with it, "waiting for the unsuspecting enemy" as Rob put it. Rob trucks to re-lay the pavement just where we were! We talked them out of it. decorated his pipe with texts like "Thou shalt not kill" and "Love your enemies". For six weeks we slept in our clothes, anticipating an attack on the tents, but all was peace After being threatened with a Court Martial and 2 or 3 years in DB for refusing to go into and goodwill. The police were polite and kept their distance. The only animosity came in Catering, Ian spent the remainder of the two years in the Chaplains' office. This gave him the form of insults shouted from passing cars. Park Drive is a main North South route almost enough time to complete a BA degree! After the 1983 amendment to the Defence (M7) and sleeping on it was difficult. A speeding car at 2 am was like a bullet through the Act he qualified as a religious objector, but left the country before they got round to head, and during daytime my family suffered from my short temper. St Antony's members allocating his community service. He now lives in Hawaii, as far away from South Africa and many others gathered with us each evening in support. as one can get! “ 6 February 1979 Within days of Ian's 1979 call-up I found myself launched into a far-reaching action. Still sleeping on the pavement. It has been a good experience, chatting with the Naidu The End of the Group Areas Act family and with those who gather round, using every opportunity to spread the non- violent, reconciling message. "What are you trying to prove?" asked the inebriated late night visitor as he peered at our tents and tarpaulin-covered furniture on the narrow pavement in front of 28 Park Drive, 8 February 1979 Mayfair. "That the Group Areas Act came out of hell," I impulsively answered. Raghu Naidu has been marvelously brave but tonight he was worrying about possible attacks on his family. I asked if they ever prayed. "Yes" he said, "I pray every night", By 1978, government was putting more and more money into providing low cost housing and then [using Christ's name as an expletive] "I say, Jesus! God, why don't you help in the Indian group area of Lenasia and the Coloured area of Eldorado Park but was still me?" failing to close the gap. Whites fleeing the city centre aggravated the under-occupation of housing in white areas such as Doornfontein and Hillbrow. Property owners in these areas Jesus, whom St Antony's folk worshipped as God, already had one or two of his minor had an economic interest in allowing -or even encouraging -"disqualified" tenants to move underlings on the scene! And relief was just four weeks away. in. So Indian and Coloured people began living secretively in the "border-line" areas of Johannesburg, including the edge of Mayfair next to Fordsburg, the latter being a controlled area where Indian residence was legal. As pressure mounted against the Group Areas Act an organisation called the "National Front" sought out and reported "transgressors" to the police. Prosecutions now followed and those convicted moved on to avoid eviction, crowding in with family or finding another "illegal" place to stay until again detected. Then on 29th January 1979 Dhana and Raghubathy Naidu were evicted onto the pavement in Park Drive, having decided not to evade this action. They pitched a tent on the sidewalk. Pik Botha and Marais Steyn in Sunday Express cartoon, l4th February 1979.

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Press and TV coverage aroused public awareness and the organisation ACTSTOP (Action Committee to Stop Evictions) was formed. When the next eviction was attempted, also in Park Drive, ACTSTOP and the Black Sash combined in a telephone network and filled the house with people, thus making eviction impossible without the arrest or forced removal of a large number of people. The Department of Community Development abandoned the attempt and found a house in Lenasia for the family concerned. Meanwhile about 125 lawyers had volunteered to defend Group Areas cases pro Deo. Where courts had previously disposed of a score of cases in a day, a single case now took two days. With 700 cases to handle retired magistrates were called in, but still the courts were overloaded and many charges were dropped. Interesting people came to share my tent. Rommel Roberts, Cape Town activist and founder of the Quaker Peace Centre, Dr Wolfram Kistner, Director of the SACC's Justice & Reconciliation Division, and Councillor Winston Herzenberg were three of them. And one night one of our brothel friends offered her services in return for shelter! I had not the courage to risk reputation and give her free lodging. Kistner then planned to have the visiting Lutheran Bishop of Berlin spend a night in my tent, but the day he was due something else happened. On 8th March the Department of Community Development, supported by the police, removed the Naidu's furniture and our tents under the Prevention of Illegal Squatting Act and impounded them. I got myself physically between the loaders and their truck and was repeatedly dragged away by the police. This held up the process for more than an hour as Police remove Robertson while officials remove the Naidu’s furniture. Ayob tried for a court interdict. (Picture 10 by Magubane b & w) (Photo by Peter Magubane) nerve and did not evict us. This action of purposely reversing the process became the actual turning-point in the struggle against the Group Areas Act throughout the country. 8 March 1979 The date: Sunday 11th March 1979. About 11.30 pm I called the gathered supporters together and read Luke 22:47-53 and 23:32-48. Then we prayed thanking God for friends who stood by us, and for Christ 12 March 1979 who went through the deepest waters. We prayed for the police and the officials and for With Gert and Pam I drank a toast to the end of the Group Areas Act. Those nights ourselves, all sinful people who need to be forgiven and to forgive one another. Then under the stars had me singing all weekend: we committed ourselves to God for the hours of dark and slept under the stars. There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright, Fernando! Olive Gibson, Quaker social worker, quietly sat vigil for us throughout the night. They were shining there for you and me, for liberty, Fernando...... If I had to do the same again I would, my friend, Fernando! After three nights of this I legally rented the house from its white owner, picked the door locks that Community Development had closed against us, and persuaded the Naidus to I still sing it to this day. move back in as my sub-tenants, which was illegal. This move had strong support from "Indian people have regained their self-respect," said Cassim Saloojee, Director of the Boya Aramugan, Dhana Naidu's brother, himself a believer in Gandhian non-violence. We Johannesburg Indian Social Welfare Association and later a Member of Parliament. were soon all charged with allowing or taking up illegal residence, but the State had lost its By the time our case had gone through eleven remands and been referred to the Supreme Court, so many Indians had moved into that part of Mayfair that the Government, in a

84 85 St Anthony’s Activists Action at Last - 1979 St Anthony’s Activists Action at Last - 1979 strategic retreat, then re-proclaimed it an Indian area - in order to keep their law intact! As Indian inhabitants were moved to Lenasia or elsewhere. Some of these houses were in fine a result of this, the charges against us then fell away. (see Colour Plates p 7) condition. In the case of the State vs Govender in 1983 Justice Richard Goldstone, now famous The Pageview Residents' Association was formed in March 1979 with Sylvia Naidoo, who internationally, ruled that an eviction order could not be issued unless alternative accom- had introduced me to the Naidus on the pavement, as chairperson. Farouk Varachia who modation was available. Thereafter the number of "illegal" dwellers in Mayfair and other later led the Save Pageview Association was on their Committee, and they asked me to parts of Johannesburg like Hillbrow rocketed. By 1988 there were at least 100,000 people speak at their public meeting in June. Their approach was to plead with the Minister of living in the city in contravention of the Group Areas Act. In June 1991 the Act was Community Development for an Indian group area in central Johannesburg. repealed. A small group who had listened to Will Warren decided to attempt nonviolent resistance In all this process of change no one was imprisoned, no one killed. The social pressure that on lines learned from Hildegard Goss-Mayr. It included several members of St Antony's had built up, and decades of protest by the churches and liberal organisations had not and met in our manse. stopped the juggernaut. It needed the catalyst of just this one short-term act of civil The architect Franco Frescura had shown us colour slides on the whole history of disobedience to turn the tide. Pageview in July 1977 and we understood the issues well. Our approach was to try to halt Raghu and Dhana lived in that house for three years until, sadly, their marriage broke the demolition, in the hope that the constitutional moves towards representation of Indians down. Dhana moved back to her family home in Ophirton. Raghu returned to Durban and and Coloureds in Parliament would eventually mean that the Indian presence would died there of a heart attack in November 1992. Dhana was at the funeral. “ survive in Pageview. Back at St Antony's our first funeral fell in that momentous month of March. Neither approach insisted on the fundamental right of people to live where they were regardless of race, but in the end these combined actions did mean that about 60 Indian families survived as Pageview residents. 20 March 1979 All participants are to be clear on and committed to the non-violent character of the action. This At about 8 p.m. Doris Fleming died of cancer at the Kenridge Hospital. She was being means briefly: nursed through the nights by [another of our members] Victoria Vuso [mother of (a) that we see no one as an opponent or enemy and we aim to understand those who oppose us, Margaret and Fezi] who was with her at the end, though none of the family were able to get there in time. That too is a sign of the fellowship of this congregation. (b) that we make no secret of what we are doing and go out of our way to consult and inform all concerned, and Doris is the first member of St Antony's to join the saints at rest. (c) that we are prepared to stand physically in the way of those who do wrong and to suffer, but I said at her funeral service: not to retaliate even in words. In the last four years she has been a mother to this small congregation. At first we This was the starting-point of our meeting on 1st March 1979. From there we planned to despaired of the garden but Doris and White Sekhukhune made it beautiful. It's a make an appeal to the Minister and rally support beyond the Pageview community. If this symbol of her love and care and the harmony she created; we're going to plant a tree appeal was not heeded, we would put posters on the better buildings in Pageview calling therein her memory. for them to be preserved. This act would be done without permission from Community The Book of the Revelation tells of that vast throng of every nation, tribe, people and Development which now owned all these buildings having expropriated them, nor from language that praise God in heaven. Doris will be no stranger there, for she helped to the Municipality who were supposed to control the pasting of posters. It would be done in bring to reality that kind of fellowship here, on this side of the valley of death. daylight, with the Press invited. If this also failed we would intervene physically at the demolition of buildings. Pageview Action Group

While we were camped on the pavement the Department of Community Development renewed the demolition of homes in Pageview, at the very door of St Antony's, as their

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I approached Dawie de Villiers, MP for that constituency, who said he would "try to spare messenger of the court came round a few weeks later with an assistant to confiscate my the houses, but the Indians must go". possessions. In preference I coughed up. Letters flowed back and forth, but we met a total official refusal to halt the demolitions. When it was all over we decided to oppose the Group Areas Act itself and put a pamphlet No printer would do the posters for us, knowing their purpose. So I ran the necessary round Pageview saying that if anyone wanted our help we would stand physically with copies off on a duplicator. Then we notified the local Community Development them in resisting eviction. representative of our intention to put them up. However, a core of Indian residents found another way. They contested each eviction order 4 August 1979 in court, finding the slightest flaw and then taking each issue on appeal. This held up the Seven of us, half with grey hairs, set out at 3 p.m. to put posters on buildings in process for year upon year. More than 60 families in the Save Pageview Association were Pageview. We were prepared mentally for action being taken against us, but set off in saving on rentals, bond payments and travel costs to Lenasia and could foot the legal bill. high spirits. It was great fun. We got 90 posters up saying "Spare this house - people In the end about 67 Indian homes survived, and when the Group Areas Act was repealed need it" and "Laat hierdie huis staan - mense het dit nodig". Each one has my name one of our posters could still be seen on the wall. They had been put on with flour and and address on it. water plus a little gelatine! “ We were threatened with prosecution involving a maximum fine of R2000 (x11) or 2 years Our Sunday services and sermons began to interweave with these events. We called them or both. One of the group was Elizabeth Taylor, a Quaker and a British subject and "current affairs" services. They provided a corrective to the Current Affairs propaganda therefore in danger of deportation. The others were Martin Fleming and Eleanor Anderson slot after the 7 a.m. news on the SABC. For example, Raghu and Dhana Naidu were of St Antony's and Sheena Duncan, Olive Gibson, another Quaker, and Maarten van der present when we turned the sermon period over to thinking and praying about their action. Ploeg, a Roman Catholic. (see Colour Plates p 7) A series of sermons from the Book of the Revelation, which we called "the Christian's An earlier pamphlet I had circulated to the Press about Pageview landed on the desk of survival kit", had titles relating closely to what we were experiencing. Thys Uys, a reporter in the Afrikaans daily, Die Beeld. Thys came to Pageview to find out Jesus visits a Prison (Chapter 1) - What He says to his church (2, 3) – Who holds the the truth. He told me his conversion involved being in the very depths of despair in early Future? (4, 5) - Why get yourself killed? (7-11) - Can we beat the Beast? (12-15 ) 1979. He started to attend St Antony's services, realised he was forgiven and accepted Armageddon(17-19) - "I can see a new day" (20-22). God's guidance for his life. Eventually he joined as a member in 1980. That was one of our songs: Thys secured a telephone interview with the Minister, Marais Steyn, in which the latter revealed that he had not seen our appeal, and was prepared to spare some houses. But I can see a new day, a new day soon to be, when Thys reported this in Die Beeld there was an explosion and his Editors (Ton Vosloo When the storm clouds are all past and H J "Gross" Grosskopff) were summoned to lunch with an angry Mr Steyn. And the sun shines on a world that is free.

A group of Wits University students, including Anton Harber who would later launch The I can see a new world, a new world coming fast Weekly Mail, then painted a very realistic bulldozer on a Pageview wall. They were Where all men are brothers prosecuted but, being defended by George Bizos, were acquitted! And hatred is forgotten at last. In the end I was the only one of our group charged with "malicious injury to property". With Denis Beckett's coaching I conducted my own defence. Colleague ministers had been "It's a long way off" said Dr Paul Keen soberly after we'd sung this at the close of a shy of visiting me on the pavement, though one actually drove past and waved! Now there service. was a fine supporting presence of Presbyterian ministers, clerical collars and all. Paul was a giant of a man in the humblest clothing. He was born in China of Swiss It was clearly ridiculous being penalised for damaging buildings that were due to be totally missionary parents whose zeal he shared. He studied medicine at Lausanne University and demolished, so I was fined a mere R50 (x11) without the option of imprisonment! I had married Mary Nicholson whose father was minister of the "Scots Church" in that city. Paul come with Bible, pyjamas and toothbrush and refused to pay, so they let me go. But the served in the Union Defence Force Medical Corps during World War 2, then started

88 89 St Anthony’s Activists Action at Last - 1979 St Anthony’s Activists Action at Last - 1979 practice as Medical Officer of Health in Swaziland. He next moved to Johannesburg to Extension Committee had doubts about us getting married the instant we reached maturity superintend its "non-European" hospital, at the same time teaching at the Medical School and wanted the united status held off for two years. I persuaded the Presbytery that we of the University of the Witwatersrand. He was a world authority on cancer as it affects were "gamblers" concerned with "pilgrimage rather than survival" and they let it happen. African patients. One of the seconded elders, Ken Kitchin, was not in agreement with this move and left the Committee but magnanimously stayed on, with his wife Margaret, as an associate member. And now in May 1979 at the age of 77 he was invested as a Knight of Grace of the Priory of St John. (see Colour Plates p 6) The PCSA has a majority white membership. This new step brought us into the orbit of the predominantly black and Coloured UCCSA and we set about visiting their congregations News Letter May 1979 as we had earlier done with the Presbyterian churches. Our Management Committee now This is the highest honour in the Order of St John. It can only be made with the became the Church Council. permission of Queen Elizabeth of Britain and it is bestowed to recognise the service that Paul has given to St John's Ambulance work over more than 30 years. None of us We were on a new path and needed to check our aims. To help us do this we had no less can realise just how much Paul Keen has accomplished and is still doing for the relief than the PCSA Director of Christian Education as a member, the Rev Namedi Mphahlele, of suffering and the saving of human life. and he set up a three-stage conference for St Antony's in November. It included almost everyone, and made sure we were committed and clear where we were going. Paul died in February 1983. His simple funeral brochure was titled "A Celebration of the Resurrection for Paul Keen". “ To the worship and the pastoral care groups already in existence we added three more: personal growth, social action, and community activity. Almost every member was in at St Antony's United Church least one of these. And as the years went by these were replaced by others: a drama group, a group dealing with the resettlement of black communities, Bible study. "Why can't we worship with joy, like these people?" asked a visitor when he joined the procession waltzing into the tiny church singing: "The familiar manly figure of our outgoing Director and his easy manner may have lulled us into thinking that Christian Education is a kind of Sunday School affair" said the Singabahambayo thina kulomhlaba, Siy' ekhaya ezulwini. Assembly's Moderator, John Hawkridge, after Namedi had been given a rare standing Sithi: Aleluya! sithi: Aleluya! Aleluya! Aleluya! Aleluya! ovation from the 1981 General Assembly. "His report reveals breaks-through that are quite

vital to the future... We are all of us tremendously in his debt - for whites, his very (We are travellers on earth. We are going home to heaven. We say: Hallelujah!) presence and personality have been an education and for blacks he has been a father in

God whose wisdom was to be emulated." The Rev Eddie Perkins, Moderator of the Johannesburg Presbytery (PCSA), and the Rev John Thorne, Chairman of the Central Regional Council of the United Congregational Namedi then moved on from his Soweto home to be chaplain to Presbyterian schools in Church (UCCSA) brought up the rear of the procession and led the service. This was the the Matabeleland area of the newly independent Zimbabwe. From a spacious house in a day, Saturday 18th August 1979, that St Antony's became a United Church former white suburb of Bulawayo he wrote: (Congregational & Presbyterian), its status went forward from Preaching Station to Church Extension Charge, and its minister was installed for the next three years. It now even had a Part of our cultural shock is not knowing our neighbours. We have been in this house twenty-five days and haven't even seen their faces. What does one do? Do you just walk up to their front door Constitution! and say: 'Hello, I am your new neighbour'? The children are complaining that they want to go back This was like being born of unmarried parents. Presbys and Congys were negotiating a to Klipspruit, because there at least they had playmates. Is this the loneliness of the concrete jungle? union of their denominations at this time, but were not yet committed. The hope was that a whole batch of "united children" would speed the wedding day. But when it came to the It was a scary time of conflict between political parties representing Ndebele and Shona in crunch in 1983 it was the Presbys who backed out. that region and Namedi escaped armed attacks on several occasions. He was elected Moderator of the 1992 Assembly in East London at which, by happy coincidence, I was A Memorandum of Agreement, initiated by UCCSA General Secretary Joe Wing in 1971, granted retirement. He died three years later. “ had made it possible for a local church to belong to both these denominations. We grasped the opportunity immediately we were self-supporting. The PCSA Assembly's Church

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And there was an interesting development within the Presbytery in 1979. Association of Orlando did the cooking in the manse next door, and served a sumptuous supper behind a curtain rigged across the back of the church.

The Presbytery of Transvaal, and its successor the Presbytery of Johannesburg, had met in The race to Soweto the township churches in daylight for opening church buildings and inducting ministers. "Those who know the dim and dingy dungeon in which the Transvaal Presbytery meets They had to. But they had been holding business meetings for seventy years without ever will realise that we are almost impervious to shock." Tom Copeland, minister of St using one of those churches. Now it had happened and Soweto Presbyterians felt Andrew's, Germiston, was giving the vote of thanks at the Pretoria Assembly in 1963. The recognised, not patronised. Ten days later Mr P W Botha recognised the existence of dungeon was the basement of the old St George's Church in Noord Street, Johannesburg, Soweto as part of South Africa when by helicopter he paid the first ever visit by a Prime with its damp walls and peeling paint. Minister to that "city" of two million people. When that property was sold to build the new St George's in Joubert Park, the "Well, at least we are ten days ahead of the Nats" I teased colleague ministers. “ Johannesburg Presbytery (successor to the Transvaal Presbytery) began to hold its monthly After June 16th 1976 tension had gripped Soweto and residents were reluctant to have business meetings in rotation around the various churches in its region, but never in a whites at their homes, for the sake of either side's safety. In 1977 and 1978 St Antony's "black" church, far less in a black township. One reason given was that these churches did midweek meetings tended to be for special purposes, like the Think Tank, and in regular not have halls in which to provide the supper which went with each meeting. St Antony's, venues. So to keep a white presence in Soweto we had paid quarterly visits to St Paul's having no such hall, showed it could be done by hosting the Presbytery meeting in Anglican Church in Jabavu where the Rev Dale White was assisting the Rev David Nkwe December 1975. The unmentioned reason was the fear outsiders, even some blacks, had of and gave a sermon in English on those occasions. Soweto - particularly since the 1976 revolt. It was not until May 1979 that we held our next Soweto home gathering, this time in the I then raised the question of meeting in Soweto where we had three congregations and it Sekhukhunes' home in Mapetla. New members had joined who needed to meet one was agreed that they be added to the roster, at the bottom of course. With meetings held another. almost every month their turn soon came round. However, the Presbytery's Executive, which planned future venues, was told by its Clerk that the list had been lost and a new list "The bridge we tried to build broke down and we'll try to build it stronger this time" drawn up. Once again the township churches were at the bottom! I held my peace and said the diary. "A white presence in Soweto must be much more firmly established." waited. was the diary entry for 15th May, 1979. When this happened a second time, and the Clerk told us the list had again been mislaid, I Meanwhile other bridges were being built, one of them through the medium of print. exploded. "Bullshit!" is an unPresbyterian expletive for which I apologised at the next meeting. But it broke the impasse and it was agreed to hold the next meeting in Orlando, where the minister, Richard Gqotso, had invited us. It was set for the 21st August 1979. Denis Beckett It took some organising. The Clerk reported ill, so I volunteered for his job. Ed Perkins was the Moderator. Twelve years earlier Ed and I had acted the parts of Paul and Barnabas It was at this time that Denis Beckett hit the "Frontline". Admitted to the Bar after legal in a play presented to the General Assembly called Breakthrough at Antioch, and here we studies at Wits University, Denis has spent all his working life in newspapers, publishing were together again, breaking new ground. (see Colour Plates p 8) and lately in Television. The church building is in a back street of Orlando West and most ministers and elders had After the banning of The World, Denis became Manager of The Voice which shortly also never been there. A convoy was organised starting on the Main Reef Road to enable them bit the banning dust in June 1978. Weary of working for either a "white" orientated paper to find the place. To his credit the Rev David Jones, then of St James' Church, missed the or for a "black" one, Denis decided to strike out on his own (with a little financial help convoy but persevered asking the way in the dusk until he and his party got there. Kobie from St Antony's members and others) and try to bridge the ideological divide. He called Coetzee of the Randburg Afrikaans-speaking congregation did the same. The Women's his publication Frontline and it was launched with 5000 copies in December 1979. Press pundits predicted disaster.

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Denis is an optimist of independent mind. I remember how surprised he was to realise that the New Testament accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus were written down at least thirty 13. SOME ARRESTING EVENTS - 1980 years after it happened. Hardly modern journalism! His wife Gael was a member at St Antony's and he attended regularly with her. Though he never joined he shared the vision we saw. "Our society has the seeds of greatness within it" said his first Editorial. "The transformation will be uniquely difficult and complex. It is just possible that the end will News Letter January 1980 be uniquely great." Come, be strong, join together, follow Christ, start anew; Frontline lived on a shoestring budget. At one time Denis even thought he might have to He has plans for your life, come what may. sell his ancient pet Jaguar! Then in 1986 he collided with Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi All our problems and our cares he himself has travelled through. and, after going on appeal, this eventually cost him damages of R12,000 (x2) plus legal and he's leading us along his trail today. costs. It was the end of Frontline's exciting ten years, but the transformation Denis hoped for had by then just begun (March 1990). Johnny Johnson, Editor of The Citizen, He has ridden down the breakers of the centuries long gone. witnessing Buthelezi's success, also sued Beckett but his attempt misfired. calling fearless men to walk the waves with him. Now he dares us to adventure, as the future orbits on, Denis returned to newspaper editing, wrote two books about the democratic process and, and to fight for all that's straight and strong and clean. after the 1994 election, moved to Sidelines. But on centre stage he continued his "Trek" on TV choosing divisive issues in the new South Africa where there is a need for tolerance or St Antony’s Aims at least understanding of the other side. "Objective, but never neutral" was an early tribute that Die Beeld paid him. (see Colour Plates p 13) “ After the Congregation and the Church Council have worked on it, this is how it comes out: 1979 was some year, and it ended with the wedding of Louis Peters and Janine Tennant. Janine, a widow, and Louis, a Catholic Priest, attended our services. Louis had asked To create well-developed Christian worship and fellowship that bridges the gaps dispensation to marry from the Pope but expected it would take years to be granted. No between black and white and rich and poor and is also ecumenical; to spread this wherever possible, and from this base to extend the kingdom of God in its personal and Catholic priest dared do the wedding ahead of that, so I took it on. Albert Nolan, Provincial head of the Dominican order, and Finbar Synnott shared in the service. social dimensions. The semi-circular interior of the apse of St Antony's was painted in gloss white and could have been mistaken for the wall of a public toilet. The cross erected by Liz and Michael Carmichael helped to "sanitise/sanctify" it, but two artists in our membership had additional ideas. Ulrich Schwanecke, originally a ventilation inspector on the mines and now famous for portrayals of Namibia and his poetic/art commentaries, and Stan Sher, an Art teacher got together. They developed two huge murals for either side of the cross which were erected to celebrate the fifth anniversary of our first service (9th March). Together the murals connected the spiritual and social aspects of our mission statement. (see Colour Plates p 15) News Letter April 1980 Ulrich explained that paintings are not meant to be like photographs. Instead they leave something to one's imagination, as the stories in the Bible do. The one mural shows the loaves and fishes on the ground amongst us waiting to be shared in a miracle of service to hungry people. And the other pictures God's people welcoming the Holy 94 95 St Anthony’s Activists Some Arresting Events - 1980 St Anthony’s Activists Some Arresting Events - 1980

Spirit, in the symbol of a dove, reminding us that He is the Director and the Power Expecting the maximum two year sentence, he was given 18 months, of which six were behind any Christian mission to the world. suspended for three years. After the trial we stood in a circle outside the court and When St Antony's eventually united with St George's Church these murals were moved to prayed then sang the Doxology. Meanwhile Peter Moll is in solitary confinement for a the walls of that church. And the cross was carried through the streets to its new position in second period of ten days for refusing to don the uniform. the chapel at St George's. These boys [they are cousins], Peter on the Just War basis and Richard on absolute pacifism, are the cutting edge of the effort to free our country from military Passing the five year mark we found that more effort was required to get newcomers totalitarianism. acquainted with one another and with the old-stagers. Once a month we wore name tags so that everyone got to know everyone else. 5 March 1980 Another need was better contact with the Soweto community. One result of this was a Mugabe came to power in Zimbabwe yesterday. His victory will make Nats here think decision by the congregation no longer to apply to the authorities for permits for whites for three or four days and then they'll lapse back into cloud-cuckooland. Today the and Coloureds to enter that area. Individuals could still apply if they wished. The Naidus and I were further remanded for trial on July 30th. I asked the Prosecutor if Presbytery subsequently took the same decision by 22 votes to 16. one eventually got off for good attendance and suggested that maybe I'd still be awaiting trial when Nelson Mandela came to power! These are the reasons we gave. Which is roughly how it turned out. 1. The dignity of black people is hurt by imposing this restriction on their area of And about here, through sheer laziness, I regrettably stopped keeping a diary for a few residence. years. 2. It is socially harmful that any people within one city and community should be denied normal social contact. By this time St Antony's was widely known abroad. 1978 had a delegation of top flight USA ministers going round Soweto with me. In 1979 it was John Howard Yoder 3. Control by permit of Christian worship and fellowship within a professedly Christian previously mentioned who visited us. In six consecutive Sunday services in 1980 we had country should be resisted on principle. Donald Swann of the famous Flanders & Swann team playing his latest peace songs, 4. Although permits may be granted in special instances, the process of having to apply Sydney Carter the renowned modern hymn-writer singing "I come like a beggar" while he puts an undesirable inhibition on inter-racial contact which is now more badly needed kept time on a drum, and Joe Wing and Beyers Naudé preaching. than ever. News Letter February 1980 The history of the application of this restriction showed that, instead of being relaxed as Beyers has a prophetic ministry helping us to understand the purpose of God in present people became more culturally and economically related, it had been intensified since its events and giving hope for the future. first enactment in 1923. Ilse Naudé taught Sunday School in the Parkhurst Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk We subsequently paid many visits to Soweto and Tembisa churches and homes without (NGK), but in school holidays it closed and she and Beyers then often sat in our permits and without anyone ever being prosecuted. This restriction was abolished in congregation. Beyers was careful to leave straight after the services so as not to fall foul of 1985. “ his banning order restricting him to contact with only one person at a time. We were 8 January 1980 honoured by their presence -and preaching at St Antony's gave Beyers an outlet for his views and hopes, imprisoned as they were by the total ban on his publishing anything, or Today was the Court Martial of Richard Steele at Voortrekkerhoogte. Gert and I saw it leaving the Magisterial district of Johannesburg or entering any non-white group area. right through. James Gray and [our son] Ian were present for the trial itself. Three law officers had refused to prosecute and another, Guy Lloyd-Roberts, had agreed to We normally gave Beyer's services no publicity beyond our own News Letter. However, defend. Richard maintained a calm and friendly attitude throughout and his sincerity on the third anniversary of his banning, a Sunday, we invited him to preach and took a new got through to the Prosecutor who could have been much more vicious and probing. step in notifying ministers of all Johannesburg churches for which we had addresses -

96 97 St Anthony’s Activists Some Arresting Events - 1980 St Anthony’s Activists Some Arresting Events - 1980 including the NGK. The Star newspaper gave it advance publicity. His texts were Isaiah The Security police thought the Rev John Thorne, Congregational minister at Bosmont, 10:1-4 and I Peter 3:8-12. had something to do with the "unrest" in those schools and detained him just as the churches were preparing to hold a united Pentecost service of Witness to Christian unity in After the event the Rand Daily Mail reported: his church on 25th May. At that service all ministers in the city were invited to join the next morning for a protest procession to John Vorster Square where Thorne was held. Forty-five clergy and eight prominent lay persons, including the General Secretary of the PCSA, Chris Aitken, took part. It was led by Joe Wing and Bishop Tutu. Unauthorised processions being illegal, we were all arrested under the Riotous Assemblies Act by none other than Brigadier "Rooi Rus" Swanepoel. He had us all listed and finger-printed and kept us in for the night like naughty school children. But Thorne was released almost immediately. Among us Canon Carmichael and the Rev Mark Hestenes, of St Peter's- bythe-Lake, were associated with St Antony's. "We got from Pentecost to prison even quicker than the apostles," said our News Letter. We were six to a cell that night and, unlike so many other prisoners, had a hilarious time. Remanded and released next morning, someone asked me if I was all right. "Just my chest is sore" I answered. "You mean they kicked you?" "Oh, no. It's from laughing so much." More seriously, Ken Bowden, a Presbyterian lay preacher who had been with us, was dismissed when he reported for work next day. In the providence of God it was literally only minutes before he received a phone call from someone unaware of his dismissal offering him another job. Almost exactly a year later Brig Theunis Swanepoel arrested our son Hugh on Wits campus. Hugh, by that time doing a PhD in Zoology, had found it difficult to reconcile his scientific view with the Christian faith and had left the congregation. But science also Those who attended had their car numbers and photographs taken and we hope they requires an unbiased approach to truth and when Rooi Rus Swanepoel came with the riot will feel honoured at being associated with Beyers in this small way, police to break up a left-wing campus meeting, Hugh pointed out a right wing meeting said the News Letter. Ten months later the Attorney General was still deciding whether or being held nearby that Swanepoel had overlooked. "Arrest that man" said the Brigadier, not to charge Beyers with breaking his banning order (EcuNews 16th January 1981). but later they let Hugh go. (see Colour Plates p 7) 1980 was a year of student revolt in Johannesburg's Coloured areas. Years later when the Press reported that Swanepoel was retiring I discovered that he lived in a humble Brixton home, just near us. So up I went to wish him a peaceful retirement. News Letter June 1980 His wife referred to him as "the Brigadier", and before I left she asked for a prayer. So I Martin Alexander got to bed late on the night of Tuesday 29th April. In fact it was 2.30 prayed for them both, and the country, and the people who were getting hurt, and the a.m. the next day, because he had been arrested along with many others at Westbury divided churches. High School during the school boycott. The next to have a taste of jail was Gugu Mbongwa. One day in July she was arrested on His mother, Stella, one of our members was in hospital at the time and died four months her way to visit our Treasurer, Martin Fleming, who lived in Hillbrow. The police later. suspected her of soliciting, but having no evidence switched to a charge of being more

98 99 St Anthony’s Activists Some Arresting Events - 1980 St Anthony’s Activists Some Arresting Events - 1980 than 72 hours in Johannesburg without permission. Actually she had slept at her home in Song from Brazil by Geraldo Vandré Daveyton two nights earlier and was a full-time student commuting regularly to Soweto. Pleas to release her on bail were unsuccessful so she spent a cold night in Hillbrow police We are walking and singing and following the song; cells. Arm in arm, we are equals, as we go along; We are workers and scholars, the old and the young; That night, Gert and I managed to get two jerseys to her plus chips, viennas and guava We are walking and singing and following the song. juice. Next morning she and others were taken without breakfast, to court, but we managed to intercept again with 25 vetkoeks and 25 juice cartons. She was released on R50 (x10) bail. Lawyer Andy Duncan took on her defence, but the policeman who arrested her failed Chorus: to appear for the trial and she was found not guilty. Then Andy sued the State on her Come, let’s go! For now we know and do not have to wait. behalf and won R500 (x10) compensation for wrongful arrest and had his own costs paid. The ones who act make history; they do not hesitate. Not bad for one cold night! In the countryside hunger stalks this land of ours Meanwhile Moll and Steele were undergoing repeated two-week spells of solitary While the troops march the streets or keep watch from their towers. confinement. St Antony's hosted a vigil in July in support of Peter who was fasting for Still we know that the truth is the strongest of powers three days. He had had nine periods in solitary, and Richard five (one of them on bread And believe that the gun can be conquered by flowers. and water only). But relief was on the way. Sunday 3rd August was a national day of prayer for prisoners on which we particularly prayed for them. It was five days later that And on both sides the boys that we love are inspanned. Magnus Malan called in the Chief of the Army, the Chaplain General and the head of They are taught ancient lessons they don't understand - Detention Barracks and they decided that these two would be recognised as conscientious To obey without question and to die for the land. objectors and allowed to wear the blue overalls given to Jehovah's Witnesses. No more See their bodies lie bleeding with arms still in hand! solitary. The next Sunday we sang a modern version of Psalm 126: We are workers and scholars, the old and the young. We are soldiers for fight, but we don't use the gun. When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage it seemed like a dream. We are walking and singing and following the song; Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips were songs. Arm in arm, we are equals, as we go along.

Deliver us, O Lord, from all bondage, like streams in dry land. Let us learn a new lesson and spread it around, Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. That with love in the mind and flowers on the ground We can change history and can overcome wrong, When these two were eventually released I arranged for both to travel to Brazil and the And go walking and singing and following the song. USA for six months to study non-violent action and meet and observe its activists, including Archbishop Dom Helder Camara of Recife. Richard stayed overseas longer and came back to a most significant work in spreading the nonviolence concept in South Africa By the end of the year three quarters of Pageview's houses had been destroyed, and the while Peter brought back songs in Portuguese which we translated into English and used in shells of buildings gave refuge to the derelict people to whom Ian Thomson had services. One of these entitled "Don't say I didn't speak of flowers" was written by Geraldo ministered. (see Colour Plates p 5) Vandré of Brazil (See box on opposite page). It was banned and Vandré was imprisoned Sydney Carter had sung to us: and tortured. “ I come like a beggar By the hungry I will feed you with a gift in my hand. By the poor I'll make you rich. I come like a prisoner By the broken I will mend you, to give you a key. Tell me, which one is which?

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Perhaps we lacked that significant insight, but we too had a purpose in the way we handled 14. ENGAGING THE STATE - 1981 begging. News Letter February 1982 For the past year a few of the down-and-out people who live in the ruins of Pageview By love did he fight for the weak, by love for the fool and the maimed; have been coming to church services. They live by begging. Fearless, he chose to be meek; stainless, he dared to be shamed. St Antony's is meant to have room and a welcome for them, just as for anyone else. It Rejecting the wisdom of force, the panoplied legions of might, may not be easy to talk with them because they are so used to asking for money, but Helpless he finished his course; defenceless, he died for the right. please help them to feel at home somehow. Therefore he conquered the grave; therefore he liveth again, Stalwart to lead and to save - this is the Master for men. Sometimes, instead of coming to worship, they stand at the door or gate after-wards (Source unknown) and beg. It is easy, if you do not live nearby, just to feel sorry for the moment, give them something and get on your way. Please resist doing that. "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers...." The Magistrate who tried the 53 who walked to John Vorster Square for John Thorne had quoted the Authorised Version of If you want to treat these people as human beings then what they need is your steady Romans 13 to us. "The powers that be are ordained by God...they that resist shall receive friendship. That means long-term help - like getting them back to their health, their to themselves damnation...for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of jobs, and what family might be left, and getting them off the liquor. If you give money God." The April Court Martial that sentenced Charles Yeats to a year in Detention or clothing, or even food, they can buy more methylated spirits. It seems tough on them Barracks for refusing military service claimed the same authority. to refuse even food, but remember they have survived somehow for years and may survive longer than you with your motor car and heart attacks! I decided to preach on the subject and summarised the sermon in the June 1981 News We need to be tough on ourselves and ask if it is God's call to us to get alongside these Letter: broken people, live where they are, offer our homes and total help. Failing that, it is There is no contradiction between Romans 12:14-21 and Romans 13:1-7 (Paul best if you treat them as any other visitor to the church and refuse handouts, because obviously wrote them as consecutive parts of one letter) even though Rom 12 tells handouts will tend to keep them begging outside instead of coming in. Christians never to take revenge and "to leave it to the wrath", while Rom 13 tells of Ronnie was one such person. Gert got him to hospital for his gangrenous foot and then into the State taking vengeance and being "an agent of wrath". a Home in Eldorado Park where he stayed off the liquor for some months. But it was a Romans 12:14-21 is in agreement with the Sermon on the Mount and describes the non- boring life, perhaps too soft, and Ronnie, like Emma Mofokeng, wanted to jol and pit his violent way Christians are to behave towards their enemies; not just their personal survival skills against the hard city. He was soon back limping round Pageview and, with enemies, but group enemies as well. Rom 12 is all in the plural -written to a group of his friends, was often at services. Pam Smith writes: Christians. When Ronnie came in the back door (usually late) even the people in the front chairs knew he had Romans 13:1-7 has been wrongly interpreted since the time of the [Roman Emperor] arrived! I always tried to sit as far forward as possible! One morning I sat beside Dr. Pierre Bill Constantine. It does not speak of the Christian state having the right to behave and Ronnie came to sit right behind us. The smell was terrible. In a whisper I asked Pierre which differently just because it is the state. In Paul's day the state was pagan, and he is here he thought was worse - the smell of rotting flesh or the smell of Meths? His answer: "In this instance the Meths, I think." Well, we both got the giggles and used our handkerchiefs to hide telling Christians the nonviolent way to behave towards the state that has not yet behind and to avoid the odour. adopted Christian ways of dealing with evil. Rom 13:1-7 is addressed to Christians as individuals (in the singular).

When he says "submit to the governing authorities" he is not saying "obey". These are two quite different words in the Greek language in which he wrote. The Christian may have to disobey the ... state, as Jesus, Peter and John and Paul did at times, even while they submitted to its general authority.

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Can one have a state that governs in a Christian way and therefore does not use "the the Sunday service. They did not have their Reference Books on them, a punishable sword"? offence for blacks in those days. The next News Letter gave an answer: In this case I got to the scene quickly, unsuccessfully urged their release, and learned that We decided to check how the early Church tried to handle human misbehaviour and the two books were in the wardrobe at their home in Meadowlands. Gert set off evil. Its treatment of the evil-doer both inside and outside the Christian fellowship was immediately to fetch the books while I intercepted the van as it stopped on its way up the based on forgiveness (Matt 18:21, 22, Acts 7:60). There was no hitting back. Within the hill to Brixton Police Station. Church the way of Christ was to give care and correction to one another in a gentle There was no guarantee Gert would find the books so I stood in the way of the van and spirit (Gal 6:1-5) trying first to solve disputes privately, then within the church (Matt. prayed out loud for the driver and those inside it. When I ran out of words the policeman at 18:15-17). The offender who would not listen was expelled (Matt 18:17, I Cor 5, II Cor the wheel revved his engine and, eyes still closed, I waited for my knees to be bent 2:5-11, II Thess 3:6-15) but he was not treated as an enemy. Christians were not to go backwards! to law against one another even if it meant being wronged (I Cor 6:1-11). Instead he started drifting back down the slope, so I followed him, eyes now open. Then he When the evil-doer was not a Christian they were to accept his hurtful action as stopped and explained that he could not release them but would I come to the station and persecution (Matt 5:11, 12, Acts 9:14, Heb 10:32-34, Rev 13:5-10) with patience and talk to his commander? Gandhi taught that one should always be willing to negotiate and joy. When accused they appealed to the nonchristian authority to protect them to trust the word of the opponent, even if often disappointed. So off we set for the police according to its own limited idea of justice (Acts 21-26) and they used those occasions station. to tell of the good news of forgiveness in Christ (Mk 13:9-13). But they never asked non-christian rulers to use the power of the sword against their persecutors, even By the time I got there Pauline and Rosina were in a cell. I presented myself at the though they could have done so (Acts 16:16-40). nonwhite counter of the charge office where the officer said he had phoned his commandant, who was at a braaivleis, and was willing to see me tomorrow. "That won't They did not use violence. They opposed the evil-doer by non-cooperation and endured do" I replied. "They are not going to spend the night here, or if they are, so am I. We have suffering - both in a spirit of forgiving love. just had Communion together and I preached on Jesus' words about loving one another. As an example of Christians governing that way the News Letter cited the Quakers in the How can I now go home?" early days of the state of Pennsylvania, USA. So I read them the Scripture passage and then leaned on the counter in silent prayer. Back A couple of years earlier Fezi Vuso, then in his teens, had gone the short distance from came the officer saying the commandant had ordered that I leave or be charged. Instead, Crown Mines Compound to a corner shop and had been arrested. The police would not let however, I was picked up physically and gently deposited on the lawn outside. Back in him fetch his "pass", and he spent a night in Brixton police cells. The next day was Sunday again I negotiated for a place I could stand inside the door but that would not force him to and during news time Fezi let us know very clearly how he was feeling about this. arrest me. And then Gert pitched up with both books. The officer looked them through and found that Rosina's was not in order. "I can release News Letter May 1979 the mother, but not the daughter" he said. But he changed his mind when I moved back into the charge office! We had a cup of coffee at the manse and drove them home to Abraham Modimokwane, 15 years old [i.e. under the age when a pass had to be Meadowlands. carried] and in our Sunday School, was picked up on Friday the 20th April in the almost daily "pass raids" round Pageview and would have spent his first night in jail if Robin Petersen was another to be arrested and detained. He and his wife Heather came to there had not been a white minister to intervene. Let's remember people who live in St Antony's from Rosebank Union Church in 1980 when Robin was completing a Bachelor constant uncertainty and experience either fear or anger because of these laws. of Theology degree through UNISA. (see Colour Plates p 10) The next to be arrested were Pauline Kraai and her daughter Rosina More. The "Guma- Of their short time in the congregation Robin wrote: Guma van" as it was called swallowed them at Mayfair Station on their way home from St Ant's ... has been the catalyst for many changes in Heather's and my life. Firstly our vague feeling of wanting to meet "black" friends crystallized into deep friendships which I am sure will

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last, and we were liberated in the process from a kind of paternalistic racialism. Secondly the effectiveness against an oppressive system. Loss of life in our transition would have been challenge of your lifestyle gave us the courage to change ours. Thirdly, our involvement in St much higher had they not done so. Ant's focussed our sense of call very specifically on the ministry and gave us an exciting goal to work towards in the future. Our next and more immediate concern was how the church could free itself from the On August 9th 1981 we gave them a Valedictory Service as they left for a holiday and effects of apartheid and from complicity with it. We chose first those aspects in which, as some non-violence training in Europe before tackling an Honours Course at the Federal an institution or as ministers, we were actually co-operating with that system. Experiences Theological Seminary in Pietermaritzburg. The sermon was short and was supplemented at St Antony's had made me very aware of these. by members of the congregation saying their bit to the young couple. Robin says he "had I framed resolutions asking the Assembly to approve civil disobedience in respect of six of decided beforehand to thank the congregation for its participation in their lives, but when I these issues and three of these resolutions were adopted after an intense debate led by started I realised my voice would not hold out!" Douglas Bax. These concerned the quoting of banned persons (such as Beyers Naudé), From the Seminary Robin took a UCCSA pastorate in Pinelands (1983) and then a difficult disregarding the Group Areas Act and violating the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act. It task on the Cape Flats. was this last that hit the headlines. In March 1985 they moved to live in Athlone and found themselves deep in the student In 1979 and 1980 there had been much talk in the churches about civil disobedience, and revolt of the mid 80s. Robin's activities earned him a police order "with a view to the several actions by individuals or small groups. But the PCSA was the first South African maintenance of public order and security" restricting him from entering Gugulethu, denomination actually to resolve to do it. The following year other churches took up our Nyanga, New and Old Crossroads and the KTC camp. Nevertheless he went to Gugulethu lead. to speak at a funeral and was prosecuted. Later that year he was detained under the State of The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, passed in 1949, was the emotional and Emergency, went on a hunger strike with three other detained clergymen, and had some psychological keystone of apartheid. (The 1927 Immorality Act had prohibited whites restrictions slapped on him when released. from "carnal intercourse" with "Natives" only, but had not included Indians and Today Robin and Heather both have Doctorates in Philosophy from Princeton University, Coloureds). If the races could intermarry, then no group areas, privileges or separate the famous USA Presbyterian institution. He has been lecturing at the University of the facilities could ultimately survive. The Population Registration Act, the administrative Western Cape (UWC) while Heather practices clinical psychology. foundation of apartheid, would eventually have to be purged of its racial clauses. "Although the vast majority will not lose their identities by intermarriage if the laws are repealed" read a later petition called 'Action for the Conservation of our Nationhood' (The The Prohibition of Mixed Marraiges Act Star 28. 3. 85) "those marriage relationships that do occur will finally destroy our political dispensation, leading to majority rule by blacks." That year the General Assembly of the PCSA shook the foundations of apartheid. Along with Section 16 of the Immorality Act the Prohibition on Mixed Marriages had Back in 1970 the Assembly had instructed its Church and Nation Committee to "take up occasioned deep distress, often exile and sometimes suicide for those whose affections the study of non-violent means of defence and social change". Lost for a decade this study were expressed across the colour line. For many years the appeals for the repeal of these was now taken up by Douglas Bax on becoming Church & Nation (SA) Convener. He laws were rejected. asked me, as the one who had originally proposed it, to contribute to the committee's reports in 1980 and 1981. A small number of clergy declined to become Marriage Officers or returned their licences rather than be involved in its processes. In 1972 I had written to the Department of the Our first concern was to explain civilian (i.e. non-military) defence methods, because Interior stating that I would not observe this Act. They asked me to return my licence. I people always imagine that non-violence leaves one's nation and family defenceless. We declined to do this preferring rather to take the prescribed penalty and continuing to serve explained how a united populace can make their country "ungovernable by an aggressor or the community and the State in the Christian solemnization of marriages. usurper". This was some years before the liberation movements began to use the term "ungovernable". Thankfully they also used many of these methods and proved their In October 1979, a year after his election as Prime Minister, Mr P W Botha spoke of a possible "revision" of these two Acts, provided he could have a united voice from the

106 107 St Anthony’s Activists Engaging the State - 1981 St Anthony’s Activists Engaging the State - 1981 churches - which was then totally unlikely. At the same time the SACC was advancing the the actual State Marriage Registration form indicating this couple's race classification idea of all clergy in its member churches returning their Marriage Officer licences in reflected in their identity documents as White and Indian respectively and sent it to the protest at the Act. The likelihood of that happening was nil, in view of the pastoral and Department concerned. financial advantages of marriage officer status. On 3rd February 1984 the Minister of Internal Affairs, none other than Mr F W de Klerk, However, it is not enough for the PCSA to take a resolution to break the law. It still needed was questioned in Parliament about such marriages and disclosed that the records of nine actual couples with the courage to take this step before the walls would come down. Neil cases had been sent in. This produced the crisis. Either the marriage officers responsible Myburgh and Yvonne Gengan, though not actually members, attended St Antony's and had to be prosecuted or the Act had to go. "When some of the churches declared that they Yvonne taught in our Sunday School. On the 18th December 1983 their wedding took would no longer refuse to marry a mixed couple, something had to happen" said the place after morning service at St Antony's in the presence of a congregation which Eastern Province Herald in July that year. supported not only them but also their parents. These parents had met for the first time that morning round our breakfast table and had their own misgivings. (see Colour Plates p 8) 15 April 1985 The Minister of Internal Affairs, F W de Klerk, today announced in Parliament the That day also the Godsell's first child was baptised and the text I chose was "Joseph, Government's acceptance of the Badenhorst Committee's proposal that the Prohibition descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife. For it is by the Holy of Mixed Marriages Act and Section 16 of the Immorality Act be repealed. It was just Spirit that she has conceived." (Matthew 1:20) I suggested first that in a real sense all four years ago this month that the PCSA civil disobedience resolution on the subject children are conceived by the Holy Spirit. They are God's creation in which human parents was drafted. play a small, if decisive, part. Then I went on to "Do not be afraid..." referring to the wedding about to take place. First, get the moral issue right - like Joseph, no sex before marriage - and you don't need to fear. Second, don't be afraid of the racial mixing issue. The three women mentioned in Matthew's genealogy of Christ were all non- Jews. And lastly, don't be afraid of the authorities even if, like Herod, they do their worst. "Don't be afraid, Neil. Don't be afraid, Yvonne". The Catholic Church, believing as it does that marriage is a sacrament of the Church and therefore stands in its own right, had been quietly doing these marriages on a small scale for years without making any claim to their legality. However, it was the churches of Calvinist background, which see the State as the normal authority for marriage recognition, that really presented the challenge. Not to evade the issue I filled in Poster, Rand Daily Mail, 1981

Rand Daily Mail cartoon of FW de Klerk, 8th February 1985

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16 April 1985 Tonight the Presbytery met in St Antony's and I led devotions explaining our murals to 15 BRANCHING OUT - 1982 them. At Phil Corbin's instigation we got a round of applause for our part in ending the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act. But the rest of the meeting was tough going [as usual]. Two months later Parliament approved the repeal, despite the fact that the State President, as Mr P W Botha now was, did not yet have the agreement of some of the major churches. We've a story to tell to the nations, We've a song to be sung to the nations As in the demise of the Group Areas Act, the pressure for repeal was there for many years. That shall turn their hearts to the right. That shall lift their hearts to the Lord: But it took an act of civil disobedience to precipitate the change. Perhaps this civil A story of truth and sweetness, A song that shall conquer evil disobedience actually helped Mr de Klerk to see that apartheid could be abandoned and A story of peace and light: And shatter the spear and sword: thus eased our transition to a democratic future. Neil and Yvonne made their home in Cape Town where he, a qualified dentist, worked For the darkness shall turn to dawning, with Dr.Ivan Toms in the SACLA clinic of Crossroads squatter camp until that camp went And the dawning to noonday bright, up in flames. Yvonne ran a play school. They have one child, Tamara. And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth, The kingdom of love and light. The 1981 Assembly then elected me to succeed Bax as Convener of its Church and Nation Colin Sterne (SA) Committee to carry through what we had started. I spent part of the next year travelling the country running seminars on Nonviolent Direct Action and trying to pacify By 1982 St Antony's had reached a membership of 51 plus 14 associates and I was of the conservative congregations upset by the Assembly's civil disobedience resolutions. opinion that the congregation was getting too big! We had many lay preachers, two of Ultimately half a dozen such congregations left the PCSA. them theologically trained, and cash to spare. The suggestions that no one should stay longer than five years in St Antony's and that the minister should also move on were thrown out by the 59 people who attended the Annual Congregational Meeting, but they did agree that we try "Branching Out" in some way. One option was the "loving infiltration" of segregated congregations. Failing that a small branch in Soweto, where no racial integration had yet happened in PCSA or UCCSA churches, was suggested. Soweto had been purposely located at a distance from the rest of Johannesburg, and it was more than a physical gap. Whereas blacks lived in "servants" quarters over the whole city and knew it well, very few whites ventured into Soweto and only half a dozen whites, Catholic priests, actually lived there. All blacks had some knowledge of English, whereas whites had seen no need to learn an indigenous language and felt lost in the black community. And the level of assault, rape and murder constantly reported in the Press meant that many blacks living outside Soweto also avoided it. One night Anton Eberhard and his fiancè Lucia Thesen were visiting in Soweto. A group of youths opened the door on her side and tried to pull her out into the dark. Anton held her, stabbed the accelerator and escaped. Gert had travelled by train to Mlamlankunzi Station in Orlando East in the 1950s to teach in an Anglican home for unmarried mothers and was now teaching three days a week in the Roman Catholic Immaculata High School in Diepkloof. I had many years of experience in Duncan Village, East London. Even then we were careful as we moved 110 111 St Anthony’s Activists Branching Out - 1982 St Anthony’s Activists Branching Out - 1982 around Soweto. House numbers were simply the stand numbers and went by blocks, not by In Soweto you light a coal stove first thing in the morning and keep water boiling on it all streets. It was essential to find a place in daylight if one intended going there at night. day in case someone unexpectedly comes in. When people did this with their electric Fortunately I have a good bump of locality and was only once lost at night. I found my stoves it sent the bills into orbit. I was now convener of Church & Society committees in way out by the stars. both the Region and the Presbytery and in that capacity produced a leaflet explaining this difference and how electricity should be used. A B.Sc degree in Electrical Engineering Soweto had simmered politically since June 1976 and at times boiled over. I did most of gained long ago at Wits plus much experience in Soweto homes did the trick. my visiting on Saturday afternoons when people were at home, but this was also the time for funerals. Some of these were of victims of police or military action and became Pleased with the product, Irvine Florence, an elder of St Mark's Presbyterian Church in charged with political emotion. Angry youths would commandeer cars and buses to get to Yeoville who was an official in the offices of the Soweto Council, had 12,500 copies them. One could easily run into a situation dangerous for a white skin. I never wore printed for us. We kept the Council's name off them, for that would have made Sowetans clerical garb, but people knew that a white alone in Soweto would hardly be an enemy. distrust them! Distribution was done widely through the Congregational and Presbyterian Short distances between homes I usually walked. This surprised the locals and elicited churches. Two years later we saw the need for another pamphlet on how to economise on many friendly greetings. For quick exits from the car I never wore a seat belt. And to avoid electricity. This time Mr Florence photocopied 20,000 two-page leaflets for us and the white supremacy image I always stopped and got out of the car when asking directions. distribution was to be through the SACC. Sadly, tensions in the township persuaded that body to hold up the distribution and those 40,000 sheets of paper never survived the 1988 Now we wanted more Soweto contact for St Antony's non-Africans. Could we bridge the move from the bombed Khotso House! gap? We had run a class in speaking Sotho, and home gatherings had taken us on Sunday afternoons to at least 20 different Soweto homes, some of them frequently. Here's an 1983 found the three Soweto Presbyterian congregations of Meadowlands, Moletsane and example from 1982. Orlando all without ministers. It was just an ordinary service on 25th July, but we suddenly found the Moderator of the We proposed that I be appointed to one of these vacant pulpits, preferably Xhosa speaking Presbyterian Church in the United States and his wife in the congregation. (The PCUS was Orlando, for a trial period of six months, during which Gert and I would live in the Soweto the "Southern" Presbyterian denomination now united with the "Northern" UPCSA. It had manse. The children were by this time off our hands. This would test the legal situation. It millions of members). John and Nancy Anderson had with them the Rev Elizabeth would give time to see whether both of us could get to grips with Xhosa or Zulu, which we McAliley from the PCUS national office in Atlanta, and we took them to the afternoon had each studied a little. It would also test our acceptance by the congregation concerned. home gathering in Soweto. Liz Madingwane conducted it and drew the Moderator's If successful, St Antony's could then be a preaching station of Orlando. comment that it was "the best cottage meeting I've ever been at"! He also told us that "St Gert agreed to this and so did St Antony's Church Council, but no Soweto congregation Antony's and its crazy preacher" were known to all the congregations of the PCUS. responded. Probably we did not go about it in the right way. We thought it could be done Church machinery does not move fast and our effort to branch out, into Soweto especially, by letters; personal discussion might have gone further. In 1986 we made the same offer to dragged on for four years. Towards the end of 1982 we suggested that Moses Boshomane help a vacant charge of the UCCSA in Soweto with the same result. and I exchange manses for a week and do each others' preaching and pastoral duties. That Then the need arose to "reach out" to a quite different section of the Church. floundered on a legal problem. The sites of all our Soweto properties had been leased on condition that no non-Bantu resided on them without the permission of the Minister of The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) met in August 1982. It declared the Bantu Administration. A breach of this law would enable the Government to re-possess the practice of apartheid a sin and the theological advocacy of it as heresy, and suspended the land -with the congregation's hard-earned buildings on it! membership of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) and the Hervormde Kerk. Other Reformed Churches in South Africa soon ended official links they had with the However, something that an engineer could do for Soweto then turned up. It had taken a NGK, but the PCSA decided to hang in and try to end their isolation. little while, but after P W Botha's visit to Soweto the authorities decided it was a permanent part of South Africa after all and should be electrified. We found that our A few of our members had once been in the NGK and our home gatherings took up friends there were sometimes faced with excessive bills for electricity and we traced most conversations with liberal-minded dominees on how we might help them respond of this to inexperience with this form of energy. positively to the suspension. Ds Carel Anthonissen, then minister in Beyers Naudé's last "gemeente" at Aasvoelskop and later a minister in the Student congregation at

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Stellenbosch University, was one of these. He risked his neck and took a service at St These are the ones who were leaving: Antony's in 1983, the first NGK dominee apart from Beyers Naudé to do so. Later he took Grace Masuku, perhaps the liveliest spark in our community, was entering the RC Order part in an "anti-government protest march" at Stellenbosch which stated its purpose as of the Sisters of Mercy at Rosebank Convent. Her close friend Gugu Mbongwa, also a "praying for right and justice" (Dinamiek 18. 9. 85). teacher by profession, was going into a Convent in Edenvale, and we would not see either The ban on Beyers had just been extended for another three years, but at least he was of them for at least a year. quoted in several Presbyterian pulpits on Sunday 12th December by ministers who thereby Dr Aart de Lange was taking up a post with the Bureau for Economic Research at risked prosecution. For Human Rights Day, 10th December, the Church and Nation (SA) Stellenbosch University from where he went on to specialise in Future Studies that helped committee had circulated the response Beyers made when receiving the Rheinhold this country forward. Niebuhr Award in 1974. He had described the complicity of the Church in the worldwide suppression of human rights and yet the emergence, from the biblical message carried by Anita Kromberg took up work and training with the International Fellowship of the Church, of those values on which human rights depend. Reconciliation in Holland from which she later returned to make, with Richard Steele, an amazing contribution to South Africa's peaceful transition to democratic government. A sign of hope from the DRC was the repeated visits of groups of Stellenbosch students to Beyers Naudé and to St Antony's. These were arranged by Ds Ben Kotzé of Observatory, Rachel Gengan was going to a project in the USA where depressed communities learn to Cape Town, and later Carl Anthonissen. The students came to the Reef to find out what organise themselves and protect their human rights. was really happening in their country. Pam Robertson, our daughter, was leaving home for a teaching post at prestigious The year ended with much "branching out" by individuals. Capricorn High School in Pietersburg and a career that would take her all the way to the "Shalom" and au revoir to our Ambassadors plenipotentiary at large, who will be leaving us at the poorest schools in Kwa-Zulu/Natal (see below). end of this year. I am positive that inter alia they will scatter the seed of the character of St Engineers Ewan Wilson and Nigel Legge were setting off overland through Africa to Antony's which is: work in Britain and Len Block, a Canadian Civil Engineer, was volunteering for peace "Peace on earth and goodwill to all men". work "anywhere in the world" with the Mennonite Central Committee (see Colour Plates p 13). Len's story has to be told here. Solly Maqambalala was our Anglican neighbour at the manse. An aged and dignified Len Block calligraphist and musician from old Sophiatown, now diabetic, he survived in the servant's Len Block and I first met at the coffee stall on Breyten station in the Eastern Transvaal. quarters of the house next door. Here on 5th December 1982, with us all, he was saying (see Colour Plates p 13). He tells the story: farewell to nine young people who were leaving St Antony's. They were more than 10% of our membership and their going proved a more effective way of branching out. As a young engineer looking for adventure I arrived in South Africa in the latter part of 1981. Having never really paid much attention to world politics, I was finding the living conditions for Solly continued: blacks and whites an amazing eye-opening experience. That first Christmas away from the familiarities of Canada I accepted a friend's invitation to Swaziland, but had to find my own way It is very strange that God in His plan of reconciliation has always chosen the plain and lowly using public transport to Mbabane. places. Fietas (Pageview) is our Bethlehem, where the simple and notable meet to partake in the "breaking of the bread and the drinking of the wine" together. That happens in the same manner as First there was the train, then a bus to the Swaziland border. On the train I noticed a white-haired at Bethlehem. The simple shepherds and wise kings of the East came together to worship and give gentleman seated nearby, and we started chatting at the transition point from train to bus and gifts to the "Prince of Peace" who shall reign for ever and ever. continued to the border exchanging our stories. Rob was on his way to speak at a Peacemaker's Conference in Mbabane sponsored by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). He was amazed This seed is spreading throughout the world until the time when the earth shall be filled with the when I told him I was a Mennonite, for the very few Mennonites he knew were missionaries Glory of God as the waters cover the sea. All those who are leaving us today are harbingers of that excluded from living in South Africa because of their activities on human rights and pacifism. It time. was the first of a number of amazing things I was to experience that day ... and in the days ahead.

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Rob was attending this conference because of his activities in the conscientious objection come through. Very fortunately we found an unlocked gate. On the Kenyan side we learned that movement in South Africa. I was becoming increasingly interested in his views and activities Obote and his entourage had just passed through. That day troops moved into Kampala and later when Rob quietly warned me of what was about to happen at the RSA Swaziland border. He closed the borders." explained that the Government had taken away his passport and that he would attempt to walk across the border without it but in faith. It was the 28th December and he hoped jokingly that, as in some Old Testament events, God would close the eyes of guards who still had the Christmas feeling! Back in Uganda he wrote: I wondered what violent activity was about to take place. I had read this kind of thing in the Bible "We now have Amin's soldiers coming back to 'rescue' Uganda. I think a lot about South Africa but had no personal experience of it. I also wondered what kind of country I had stumbled into - a these days. It seems incongruous to hear of four blacks being killed in riots there while knowing country that saw this gentle and kind man as a threat. that hundreds of people are killed every month in Uganda. They estimate 100,000 to 300,000 killed in the past five years of Obote's rule. .. Why is RSA so important?! We've only heard a few Rob had warned me not to get involved lest I spoil my own holiday. I watched him from the safe peeps from the rest of the world when countries in Europe, the Commonwealth and the US are confines of the transit border office, quietly walking under the RSA gate into no-man's-land, and devoting whole conferences to RSA. Are Ugandan people less important?” thought that here was a man putting faith into action. The border guards quickly caught up to him and his border crossing was unsuccessful.... but maybe success was not the reason for his trip. This exposed me to the powerful trust in God that moved someone to follow a higher Law than those on this earth. It continues to inspire me as I see the changes going on in South Africa, globally, Len was evacuated again in January 1986 and got back two months later to find his house and in my own life. and the next door archdeacon's home totally looted along with the schools, mission stations, dispensaries and shops. In the last ten months of his work he was able to live in I contacted Rob on return to Johannesburg and started to attend St Antony's. It connected me with that house for only three, while refugees and soldiers surged past in and out of Southern such a mixture of people from so may different cultural, religious and racial backgrounds all working for change in South Africa in a peaceful way. This spurred me on to discover more about Sudan. "If my South African experience was an awakening politically, the Ugandan my own Mennonite background. Through friends at St Antony's I eventually met the MCC experience is an awakening to tragic violence and the psychological trauma of feeling Lesotho representative, Robin Gibson, who was banned from visiting South Africa. He helped me helpless." apply for a volunteer's position with the MCC and a year later I started a three-year posting in Uganda on a rural water supply project. I wanted to be on the side which brought hope to people. Len returned to Canada but recently came back to Africa with his wife and two daughters Eight years later Robin introduced me to his twin sister Joy, who is now my lifelong partner. for a year's work in Ethiopia. What a fascinating continent! What a brave man! “ Our daughter Pam, while in Pietersburg, attended the William Samson Memorial Church at Sovenga where Peter Ramalibana was then minister. Then she moved (January 1985) It was a year before Len got to Uganda. The era of Idi Amin was past but warfare and from Capricorn High School to Inanda Seminary in Durban, an elite Congregational indiscriminate killings by government and various resistance movements continued. Now Church institution for African girls. Like Capricorn this school achieved near to 100% he needed faith - plus courage! Located in Northern Uganda, it was a self-help programme Matric passes. of shallow, hand-dug wells aimed at getting people off reliance on international aid. "I'm here not for the technical expertise I can give but to see a village gain confidence in doing When lawyer Victoria Mxenge was murdered in August 1985 the Seminary came under something almost on their own and not continuing in the begging cycle relief agencies siege for two days from hundreds of angry protesting youths who wanted it closed along create," Len said in his letters. with the government schools. Several Indian teachers and Pam were the only "non- African" residents. The rest of the staff feared that their presence would make the school "As to spiritual growth, it's a lonely place up here. And yet there are some Christians who more of a target and insisted they leave or hide in the cellar. When these non-African give me hope. I cling to those people as I cling to my memories of you in South Africa" he teachers found the cellar door locked behind them, they agreed to move out rather than wrote on the occasion of our 10th anniversary. Later that year, 1985, he described have the building burnt down above them! surviving his first coup d'etat. Asked to join a project for the upgrading of science education in Natal, Pam chose rather "On the day of the coup I was on my way out of Uganda for a vacation with my parents in Kenya. It took three days to travel to Kampala because fighting had started on the main road and we had first to spend a year in a poor rural area finding out what the problems really were. to by-pass it. We set out early so as to reach Nairobi that same day. When we reached the border Mqedandaba High School at Rookdale near Bergville proved to be a challenge and she we found the Ugandan side closed and locked up, but Kenyan police on the other side waved us to spent four years there, lived in a thatched mud hut without running water or electricity, and

116 117 St Anthony’s Activists Branching Out - 1982 St Anthony’s Activists The Rapids of History - 1983 learned to speak some Zulu. During that time Mqedandaba boosted its Matric passes to 100%. Then she moved to the urban township of Mpophomeni at Howick where the 1996 16. THE RAPIDS OF HISTORY - 1983 pass rate in Matric was 3.6%! By 1998 it was 41%, nearer the national average. One story of hers bears telling. Mqedandaba was under the Kwa-Zulu Government and all employees were required (a) to promise to refrain from denigrating or vilifying the Chief Minister and his Cabinet and (b) to swear allegiance, not to the Zulu nation but to the Kwa-Zulu Government! Under pressure from her Principal to sign Pam wrote to Dr Oscar Despite weaknesses of the Church we cannot dodge the tough issues, for the Church is only Dhlomo, then Minister of Education, explaining why she was unwilling to do this and she strengthened by her confession of her Lord and not by an anxious attention to her own health. The had the audacity to send a copy of the letter to Chief Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi. rapids of history will not wait till our boat is unsinkable, our lifejackets properly fitted and we've Escape was now impossible. had our morning cup of tea. They are upon us and we must trust God and go through. Eventually one November the School Inspector took her through to Ulundi to see Dr This was part of the introduction to our Church and Nation (SA) report to the 1983 PCSA Dhlomo. After 45 minutes of discussion Pam thought she had persuaded him, but he General Assembly. Anita Kromberg, Bobby Godsell and Dr.Pierre Bill (presently concluded with an ultimatum to "sign or resign" and gave her 13 days to decide. Pam was Professor of Neurology at Wentworth Hospital, Durban) were the St Antonians, along with willing, for the sake of her students, to continue as an unregistered teacher at R200 (x2.5) others, on that Committee. It was Pierre who helped the Committee to frame a prayer for per month. But I pointed out to her that she had another option: "Just sit tight and let them change of Government, a year ahead of Dr Allan Boesak's call for a day of prayer "for the fire you, if they dare." She turned up for school when the next year began and heard downfall of this unjust Government." And our Assembly endorsed it. nothing more. Later that year it was Dr Dhlomo who resigned and joined the Institute for It was the year of the Pretoria bomb blast which followed the 1982 punitive SADF raids on Multi-party Democracy. Maputo and Maseru. Early in the year leaders of the churches put out a Declaration of Intent that started off: "We meet at a time of national crisis with the civil war escalating." Our home gatherings studied the joint Presbyterian/Congregational booklet prepared by Douglas Bax "Is it Right to Fight?" "We are at the beginning of a civil war and before very long nobody will be able to avoid this question" said the News Letter. It was also the year of Attenborough's film on Gandhi, a ray of hope in dealing with violent conflict. It was the year of the Referendum on the Tri-Cameral Parliament constitution which aimed to co-opt Coloured and Indian people as minority partners in government to the exclusion of Africans. This precipitated the formation of the United Democratic Front (UDF) which proceeded to lead the internal struggle against apartheid mostly by nonviolent methods. Since November 1978 I had refused to possess an identity document bearing a racial classification, which I had earlier likened to the biblical "Mark of the Beast". Believing that if dis-enfranchised people simply went en masse to polling stations on election days they would soon have the vote, I attempted to vote in the Referendum without the required "Book of Life" as the State identity document was ironically called. I was briefly arrested, prosecuted for disturbing the peace and obstructing officials, found guilty, cautioned and discharged. It was also the year when our "parents", the Congregational and Presbyterian Church Assemblies, took their final vote on uniting the two denominations. They agreed to hold

118 119 St Anthony’s Activists The Rapids of History - 1983 St Anthony’s Activists The Rapids of History - 1983 their annual Assemblies simultaneously in Boksburg. A combined service of worship News Letter June 1984 preceded these in the Great Hall of University of the Witwatersrand led by the UCCSA Hell's foundations quivered! Actually it was a Witwatersrand earth-tremor but it came Chairperson, the Rev Margaret Constable, and the PCSA Moderator, the Rt Rev Luther within a minute of the shout of praise that went up in the Central Regional Council of Mateza. Then there was a joint sitting of the two Assemblies together, after which each the UCCSA when that Council voted 55 to 1 (and three abstentions) in favour of union made its decision. with the PCSA. Similar "Yes" votes have been given by at least 75% majorities in all It was a close call in the PCSA, two-thirds of the Assembly initially wanting to put the seven regions of the UCCSA that have voted so far. decision off for three years. After meeting jointly and experiencing each other's faith, In the end the UCCSA voted solidly for union but the PCSA voted against it. “ agreement to accept the union was almost unanimous in both Assemblies. Then the decision was referred "down" to Regions and Presbyteries where an affirmative vote was 1983 was the year when, on 23rd August, Carl Niehaus and Jansie Lourens who some- still required from substantial majorities. And that's where it came unstuck, a majority of times worshipped at St Antony's were detained under Section 29 of the Internal Security Presbyteries voting against. Act. Jansie had also been a teacher at Richard Welch's Tuition Project. A month later they were charged with treason or alternatively terrorism. They were sentenced to The next year PCSA Presbyteries and UCCSA Regions voted on union of the two imprisonment for fifteen and four years respectively. During that time they were married denominations. By this time there were 23 united congregations such as our own and we in Pretoria Central Prison. Carl became Chairman of the Portfolio Committee on longed for our "parents" to get "married". Could the Church, on a large scale, get together Correctional Services in the 1994 ANC Government and later Ambassador to the across its own barriers and give a lead to the country, just as St Antony's was doing on a Netherlands. tiny scale? It was a year of severe drought in the land. Frank Makubung visited his home in Though never involved in the negotiations and planning, I struggled hard for this in the Sekhukhuneland in May and found only one out of 35 boreholes in the area still had water. Presbytery, perhaps too hard. Once I had challenged a colleague minister on being People were paying R15 (x6) for a drum of water drawn from the Olifants River far away. untruthful while he was on his feet speaking on the union issue. I should have been (see Colour Plates p 12) reprimanded for the interruption but everybody could see who was correct. The minister concerned was then advised by his doctor to stay away from Presbytery meetings for fear We decided on a monthly collection for this need to be given alternately to PCSA and of a heart attack! UCCSA relief schemes. By the end of the year R2680 (x6) had been given by this small "half rich, half poor" congregation. A year later when Frank Makubung's home was 16 May 1984 destroyed by lightning one offering raised R788 (x5) for him. "Thank you for your help. I Last night the Presbytery of Johannesburg voted, without debate, on the union with the love you all" Frank writes 15 years later. UCCSA. There were 19 for, 37 against, with one abstention. Later that evening, after a Giving at this level to "seed" projects, mostly in rural areas, and to the Petersens' Cape debate of one and a half hours, the Transvaal Presbytery decided 18 for, 23 against, Town ministry continued for several years. with 2 abstentions. 10 September 1983 So that is the end of union. It is certain that another of the remaining seven presbyteries will vote “No”. Possibly there will not even be a 50% majority of Presbyteries in After five years of not keeping a diary I feel the inclination to start again. Perhaps it is favour. that last night we held our fourth Youth Fellowship meeting at Moletsane Presbyterian Church and it went well. We have now got an integrated YF going in Soweto, which is But I slept well and woke up singing "There's got to be a morning after". I suggested to quite a step. Last night I set off with four white girls to Moletsane. Gert that she prepare herself for returning to the Congregational Church. "The Presbyterians will be delighted to get rid of you," she replied. Rod Barnett and Rowena who help me are away at a camp this weekend. Rowena is Gert had been a Congregationalist in Aberdeen, Scotland, before our marriage and as it daughter of Bob Laburn of Rosebank Union Church, and their little Bible Study Group there that addresses itself to social issues has made a real impact on that posh turned out it was a Congregational Church in Observatory, Cape Town, that I was invited to serve once the St Antony's journey was over. congregation. Rod and Rowena had their names taken by the police last Sunday when

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they turned up at Regina Mundi [Catholic Church] for a banned meeting on releasing Mandela. 17. STUBBORN OUNCES - 1984 The girls with me were Kirstie Rendall who cares for crippled patients of Natalspruit [now Katlehong] Hospital and visits Soweto a lot, Susan Garcia (16), Dionne McDonald (12) and Francoise de Oliveira (12). I wondered how I would protect them if something bad hit us. But in 20 years of this kind of thing that hasn't happened and I'll trust God. Shadrack Madingwane and a friend, Mike, joined us, and then Bertha News Letter February 1984 More. There were about 20 Moletsane youths and the Beetle Drive went well. You say the little efforts that I make will do no good; Kirstie later moved to Cape Town to teach physiotherapy and there she married Sicelo they never will prevail Mkosi, at that time a trade union organiser. They moved back to Johannesburg where to tip the hovering scale Kirstie now manages Alexandra Clinic in Sandton. Shadrack Madingwane went on to where justice hangs in balance. produce TV programmes for the SABC. And as a result of Rod and Rowena's group at I don't think I ever thought they would. Rosebank Union that congregation's three ministers, Terry Rae, Andrew Luke and Ian

Fraser, came to see us on how to integrate that congregation racially. But I am prejudiced beyond debate Our Youth Fellowship had already started and faded four times and this would be its last in favour of my right to choose but significant burst. As the youth of Soweto moved further into the process of changing which side shall feel the country, there was less time for happy cultural contacts and Beetle Drives! Being the stubborn ounces of my weight. young became a very serious business. Our youth were thrust into maturity by the climate Bonaro Overstreet of struggle and when I next raised the YF proposal they all said they preferred to be in MOGOPA with the adults. The News Letter November 1984 tells how it happened: Six of us visited Ga-Mogopa, near Ventersdorp, where Pauline Kraai was born and Youth Gatherings grew up and where her parents still live. There was a Presbyterian Church there before One such meeting was held at the flat of Jeanette Schmid and Kirstie Rendall in the Department of Co-operation and Development broke it down, along with the school Hillbrow Street. It was a braai. Although this was a very enjoyable occasion they came and other churches, when part of the tribe moved to Pachsdraai, near Bophuthatswana. to the realisation that they did not want to repeat the event only for the young people. The 200 or more families that remain are resisting being moved and we are holding Jeanette says that they felt they were not a special interest group in the congregation home gatherings on Wednesday 1st and 8th February at Verena Kennerknecht's home and they would rather involve everybody in any similar event. To have separate to see if there is anything we can do to help that community. occasions was putting up unnecessary barriers between the young people and the rest Mogopa pitted its tiny weight against the grand apartheid scheme. They had just rebuilt of the members of St Antony's. their little school when the blow fell. Riot police cordoned off the area and enabled the Our presence in Soweto continued in the form of Sunday evening Bible Studies at Department of Co-operation and Development to force the Mogopa people to co- members' homes. operate without cameras and prying eyes of whites who know that this kind of action is digging their graves. Anita Kromberg, back from five months in Europe, took the service on 20th November. Her sermon was the beginning of the awakening of St Antony's to the feminist issue that Pauline Kraai went to care for her father of 83 and found him having to remove the certainly challenged my own assumptions and behaviour. By December a group had iron from his roof himself -or leave it behind. Her uncle, 86 year old Chief Isaac More, formed focussing on women's issues, of which male bias in the wording of the hymnbook had been handcuffed and shipped off with his furniture to Pachsdraai the day before. was one of the first. Together with Heather Petersen and Idah Motha, Anita attended the Rob Robertson [supported by Anita Kromberg] tried to go in with Pauline to minister Women's Decade Conference in Nairobi in 1985. to them in the absence of the Presbyterian minister for that area and was arrested and charged with having no permit. [The eventual trial fell through when the prosecutor realised that as a minister he did not require a permit.]

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Then some of our congregation went [equipped with posters] on the streets on were to decide whether to sell the land. Most of the people had already moved by the time Wednesday 22nd February outside several churches to remind those going in to pray the decision was taken to sell, but we did not give up the hope that removals could be for rain and peace that our conduct towards the weak is what matters to God (See resisted. Jeremiah 7:1-15). The humble but firm inhabitants of Driefontein were among the first to succeed. In August Do these little efforts make any difference to the juggernaut that trundles on? 1985 they won their 25-year battle to stay on their land. In an unprecedented decision they And now the people of Driefontein [South Eastern Transvaal, now Mpumalanga], were also given adjacent land in compensation for ground flooded by the Heyshope Dam. where Lydia Mlongoti's mother and sister live, have had notice that they must move. And the people of Mogopa managed it too. But that story will be told in Chapter 23. Saul Mkhize [their leader] died on April 2nd last year and the policeman accused of his killing [Constable J A Nienaber] has not yet been tried! Justice doesn't hang in the balance here. The balance is broken and the whole thing will have to be rebuilt. Shot-guns and the Truth Commission But the "little things" we do now show that some sense of justice remains. News Letter March 1984 The study window, right on the street, suddenly had a hole in it as I sat one night drafting follow-up material after our Assembly's decision on the Mixed Marriages Act. What I at Meanwhile the Mogopa people [removed last month] are moving again, from first thought was a bullet turned out to be only a stone from the traditional South African Pachsdraai to Bethanie, and need help with transport, tents and cash. Stan Sher is "cattie". That was in 1982 and was followed during the course of the next two years by a driving a lorry for them. Later this month a few of us hope to visit Pachsdraai and series of 15 midnight assaults on our windows, escalating to half bricks and chunks of Bethanie. concrete, apparently to intimidate. News Letter May 1984 Once accustomed to this, we simply checked for fire and went back to bed. No use telling Eleven of the congregation visited Pauline Kraai's parents....where they are camped the police in those days, though others getting similar treatment did. To cover the holes like refugees on the veld. There were so many holes in their corrugated iron lean-to temporarily I had a piece of cardboard which said "God bless you, friend". that Pauline said "You can see the outside from the inside without going outside". (see Colour Plates p 14) Then in 1984 our daughter Pam was sleeping soundly when a shotgun blasted her window and another shot went through the study window (see Colour Plates p 9). From the plastic Cheerfully they received our unexpected visit, thanked us for the small gift we brought packing ejected with the shot the local gunshop told me this was the type the Security and generously sent Pauline home again with white mielie meal from their former Police used. prosperous existence at Mogopa. So I went to their head at John Vorster Square, Col Gerrit Erasmus. "I'm not accusing your (At that time only yellow meal could be bought in city stores.) Branch, but I think the guys who do this are closer to you than they are to me. I haven't The next day in church we sang: reported this to the police because, even if they were caught, I would not want them prosecuted. But could you send word down the grapevine that Robertson is not angry He is king of the poor, the weak and the starved, about his windows (I had plenty of glass from demolished Pageview buildings and fixed they share his royalty. them myself) but is worried about the state of mind of the perpetrators? They can tell me, His power is love, his rule is mercy, even anonymously, what I am doing that upsets them, and then we can talk it out." his wealth is poverty. After two more attacks they ceased. Attacks on the other thirty-odd homes that The Brook, a small "black spot" in the Eastern Transvaal that the government wanted rid occasionally were also getting this kind of attention also came to a halt. of, had been the beginning of our concern for people forced to resettle. After watching the The much later sequel to all this found me at midnight asleep in Oregon, USA. It was ten SACC's video "The Promised Land", a group led by Pam Smith and Ian Robertson visited years since I had paid that visit to John Vorster Square. Will Bernard had Paul Erasmus, a this settlement of African farmers on Anglican church land. St Antony's devoted a morning former Warrant Officer in the Security Police, taking part in a talk show on the SABC and service to their concerns and a prayer chain was organised for the week in which the CPSA wanted me in as one of those whom Erasmus had harassed. He was now admitting to the

124 125 St Anthony’s Activists Stubborn Ounces - 1984 St Anthony’s Activists Stubborn Ounces - 1984 rock throwing, though not the shotgun, and said he had the job of covering all my For the four months I was away the Rev Margaret Constable of the UCCSA was our Conscientious Objection activities. Acting Minister. All the usual activities, in Soweto and elsewhere, continued and most of the services were again handled by members of the congregation and Dr Beyers Naudé In 1998 Col Gerrit Erasmus appeared before the Truth & Reconciliation Commission whose ban had just been lifted. In fact they got on better when Rob Robertson wasn't applying for amnesty and he was followed by Captain Michael Bellinghan who had there! They hosted the Spring Fair of the End Conscription Campaign and held Carol murdered his own wife for the sake of preserving State security secrets. singing and Christmas parties - which I had gotten tired of. With several social workers in Cape Argus 25th July 1998 the membership they explored current "attitudes towards people who are mentally or physically handicapped", and came up with thinking that reached into the future. Captain Bellinghan is applying for amnesty for bugging opponents of apartheid and breaking into and destroying their property. He said as the head of the church desk of To top it all Tessa de Graaff and Richard Welch were married by a trinity of ministers, the security police he targeted individuals involved in liberation theology, as well as Norman Montjane (Anglican), "Maggie" Constable as they were now affectionately calling anti-conscription campaigners. He admitted throwing bricks through windows of her, and Robin Thomson (UCCSA) (see Colour Plates p 8). At the wedding they sang a offices and vehicles used by church activists including the Rev Rob Robertson and Dr favourite Sotho hymn "Ho roriswe rato lena" of which our popular English translation Beyers Naudé. He said: "This would make activists think twice before engaging in reads: harmful acts against the state and civilians". Now let us join to praise Christ's love Here is the proof that God is love: Another Long Leave. That brings us here in harmony, By him our enmity is healed And even when we're far apart When we are joined with Jesus Christ, "Have passport, will travel" I said to SACC colleagues when my blue World Service Our hearts will be at unity. When by his Spirit we are sealed. Authority passport in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and German arrived. Put out by an independent group in Western countries and costing £25, the WSA passport is Let us have faith in Jesu's way recognised in several countries and allowed by many as a means of travel for people And he will guide us safely home; refused passports by their own governments. Let all we do be done for him Since trying to walk over the Swaziland border my passport had been renewed, but for And surely we shall overcome. Zimbabwe only. Now, for my next long leave, I wanted to get to the United States where we had two sons living. Gert and Pam had given up waiting and gone without me during the winter school holidays. My plan was to get to Zimbabwe on the South African passport and then use the WSA passport to enter USA. I saw the US Consul to be sure I would be let in. However, a visiting US minister thought I was hard-pressed in presenting the Church & Nation report at the 1983 PCSA Assembly and offered a year's Sabbatical, all expenses paid, in the US! "Just organise me a month's speaking tour" I replied. "That will put on enough pressure to get my passport extended. But I can't be away for longer than that." So they did it and it worked, even as far as providing me a huge detour through South America on the way back into the bargain. I got away in October, and that month the government for the first time used a large contingent of SADF troops in action with the police. It was a year of increased "unrest" in black townships and this event, a response to rent boycotts and school and work stay- aways in the Vaal Triangle, marked an escalation in the repressive measures that would eventually lead to States of Emergency.

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18. WEALTH, POVERTY AND CHANGE 1985 (1)

If we idolise wealth, The human family created then we create poverty; of one stock by one Father If we idolise success, cannot continue then we create the inadequate; to be divided If we idolise power, into rich and poor, we create the powerless. saturated and hungry, Thomas Cullinan powerful and powerless. (Source Unknown) Everybody I met in the USA and the audiences to which I spoke naturally condemned apartheid. Sanctions and agitation for the release of Nelson Mandela were building up there. I rattled them by pointing out that the USA and other wealthy nations of the Northern Hemisphere have a system similar to apartheid. It is called "immigration control". News Letter May 1985 Gini Coefficient graph comparing distribution of wealth in South Africa The so-called First World consists of about 650 million people mostly in the countries with distribution in St Anthony’s. of Western Europe and North America. They have managed to create a very wealthy analysis of the extremes of riches and poverty in our own congregation compared to South community by their hard work and also by exploiting their colonies. Those colonies Africa as a whole. Home gatherings in May started with a study by Dr Wolfram Kistner of now form what is called the Third World, made up of about 2000 million people living the SACC on the biblical conception of "the poor", then considered how this gap might be mostly in tropical lands. The First World manages to keep it that way because there are closed. oceans, borders and immigration controls between them and the Third World. In South Africa, where a rich first world community lives right on top of a poor third The map of First, Second and Third Worlds stayed on the church wall a long time to keep world community, the means of keeping it like that has been Apartheid. us aware that we struggled not only for a non-racial but also a sharing society. Martin Fleming at a Church Council meeting in February even suggested that "the original role of When Americans responded with how many Mexicans they generously allowed in each St Antony's was obsolete. We need to look at new goals and new incentives. How do year I pointed out that for South African whites to admit all SA blacks to their rich people share possessions and facilities, and how can white people be drawn nearer to what pickings would be proportionately equivalent to the USA admitting to its borders the total Soweto means?" population of China! And they want SA whites to do this at once! Which they eventually did! News Letter June 1985 Back in Johannesburg St Antonians were not dodging this issue. Ron Sider's book Rich Another writer suggested that the question for the future is not so much how "race Christians in an Age of Hunger had supplied three sermons in 1979. Now Nigel Legge relations" (i.e. relations between these two worlds) will be handled as how change (i.e. organised a series of studies on Christianity, Marxism and socialism and later did an towards a new society or a catastrophe) will be handled. Some people are reactive to

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change and try to keep things as they are; some are inactive and just drift along Verena never formally joined St Antony's, but she was in everything we did and she lived blindly. Some are pre-active, planning their desired future and trying to force our creed on wealth and poverty better than any of us. Her lifestyle was simplicity, no everything into their new plan. And some are interactive, recognising the forces at domestic luxuries, and she grew her own vegetables. She had no car and was the only work which we cannot fully control and trying to work with them for the best results in white person using the all-black trains to get to Noordgesig. Frequently she had to reason the circumstances. If we can be interactive there will still be much pain, but there is with inspectors who wanted to throw her off. also hope for the future. Street-Wise was one of the early rescue operations set up to meet the developing News Letter July 1985 phenomenon of children on the city streets. Verena, with another St Antonian Jeanette WHERE ARE CHRISTIANS AND THE CHURCH IN ALL THIS? Scheepers, was there voluntarily to share her teaching skills. Then she moved into Adult Literacy in Mayfair. Home gatherings have been discussing this and the group's ideas were as follows: (1) Christians from both sides need to get to the "interface" (the points where our two In addition to English, she had learned to speak Afrikaans and went on to master Sotho communities are clashing or meeting) and to work there. and Zulu by immersing herself in rural communities speaking only these languages. She is able to fit into any humble community anywhere in South Africa. And I never heard her (2) This means moving into the gap or even across it to the other side. It may involve use a racial or colour term to describe anyone. (see Colour Plates p 12) learning another language, or moving house, or changing one's job. (3) One then acts as a catalyst, helping the two groups to engage together positively Ten Years On and constructively instead of negatively and destructively. "Where are they now?" was the high point of the Tenth Anniversary Service on 10th (4) If Christians do this in groups, as the Church, they then become ... alternative March 1985. Alan Maker, by this time Moderator of the PCSA General Assembly, communities in the gap, and from there can begin to act as just one new community. preached for us and then we remembered forty former members now widely spread. Of course only complimentary messages were sent. It might have been better to get the (5) At the same time Christians need to reduce their support for the divisive and criticism! If back-patting sickens you please skip the next six paragraphs!! oppressive aspects of our society. Look for and use desegregated facilities. Adopt a simpler, less expensive life style, place to live, food, clothing, etc. Redistribute your "I'm not sure about God" said Ann Bassarab, a US citizen, when she first found her way to spare money or other resources to places of need. St Antony's,"but the way you treat people is what attracts me". She returned to Atlanta, (6) Also Christians can learn non-violent ways of dealing with conflict and change. Georgia, at the end of 1979 and helped Andrew Young in his campaign to be elected the first black Mayor of that city. As a result she found herself on his secretarial staff. (7) Another option, if you have the ability, is to get into management or politics where some of the crucial decisions are being made. For the anniversary Ann wrote: "Somehow you were always able to let each person see how closely his faith was tied with the well-being of the community. The sermon about (8) With all this goes prayer and the continual process of checking what we are doing how many mielies it takes to feed a cow has permanently diminished my interest in steak. I in terms of the Bible's revelation of God's will, his grace and his justice. would not be working as I am in Atlanta if it were not, in great part, for my apprenticeship Readers may judge from stories in this book whether our people actually did these things. at St Antony's." About one of them, Verena Kennerknecht, there can be no doubt. Robin Petersen was about to be ordained a minister and start work in Heideveld, Cape Verena was born in Germany, entered Catholic holy orders and then left because she found Town, and Heather was in her final year of Social Studies at the University of Cape Town. convent life too sheltered from the world. We met her because she kept company with a "The years we spent at St Antony's were profoundly significant for us" they wrote, "and world-wide Catholic order committed to secular living among the poor, the Little Sisters of marked a real turning point in our lives and path of discipleship. The vision for our move Jesus. Their Mayfair group had supported Ian Thomson's mission and now kept contact [from Pinelands to Athlone], as well as the courage to make it, derive to a large extent with St Antony's. She was teaching high school Maths and Biology in Noordgesig, a from our experiences at St Antony's. It gave both of us an idea of what a local church Coloured area right next to Soweto's Orlando East, and she lived in a Braamfontein flat could become." with a Catholic lay activist, nurse Ann Brislin.

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Donatella Reggiori wrote from Italy. "It was a week I had arrived in South Africa when I preaching of the Word, the correct administration of the Sacraments and the exercise of knocked at your door in '81 and a whole world was open to me with all the reality, the discipline. Here is what the congregation had thought in 1984. people, and soon I was part of it. I am still singing the songs I learned by you." We agreed that "discipline", meaning mutual correction and continuous support, "I have started attending an all-black Presby church in Kwa-Mashu" wrote Pam Robertson. among our members is an ongoing need. "On my first visit there the Session Clerk asked for my name to introduce me. The minister WHY? Discipline is essential for any group working together, and especially for recognised the surname and then proceeded to tell the congregation all about this Christians who say they are working with Christ, who is holy. wonderful church in Johannesburg where everyone is welcome. I actually got quite nostalgic listening to him!" The purpose of discipline is to protect the credibility of the Gospel, to protect the peace and unity of the Church and to protect the wellbeing of individual Christians who fall From Sheshego, Pietersburg, Moses Boshomane recalled his time as Interim Moderator into serious sin. and turned lyrical. "St Antony's is a typical New Testament church of the first century in which all barriers -cultural, language, nationality, race, sex, class, education etc. -are WHAT SINS? The Bible and especially the Ten Commandants were suggested as transcended. Master and servant, rich and poor mix on equal terms without distinction. It is standards of conduct. We need sermons on personal morality and also need opportunities to raise issues that the minister may not deal with. All this needs to be a missionary church, a pilgrimage church, a church on the move, a church for others. It is not concerned with itself, e.g. expansion and beautification of its buildings. It is a church related to present evils under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Clearly we must deal in which black and white, the outcast, the needy all find a place and feel at home. Their with: needs are met and they worship, praise, sing, and make a joyful noise unto the Lord." (a) heresy or false teaching that destroys the Gospel; (b) conduct that causes others to stumble; Activists and Discipline (c) social sins like class exclusiveness and exploiting others; "Always act on impulse" Trevor Huddleston advised South Africans. In those days the dangers and the problems were such that if we gave ourselves time to think we would talk (d) personal sins like sex outside marriage, drug abuse, occultism etc. ourselves out of doing anything! Early in 1985 I preached on Mark 1:9-31. Seven times in The more intangible sins, like pride, have to be tackled through preaching and coun- that passage the Greek word "euthus" meaning "immediately" is used and what follows it selling. is action. "You've been sitting still long enough" I told the congregation as I cut the HOW? Repentance and a new direction, not perfection, is the aim. In the past the sermon short. "How about some action?" Church has used different forms of discipline, but today seems settled into a rut. If They responded on impulse, getting up from their seats immediately. A group familiar discipline is practised at all, only certain sins are dealt with and it is often a matter of a with Afrikaans went next door where a Coloured charismatic group named "Satisfaction penalty being imposed on the offender by church leaders. We see the following as Guaranteed Ministries" was using the Methodist building. They were welcomed and this important: visit led to a later exchange of preachers. A second group walked into Pageview to find the (a) the Biblical steps are given in Matthew 18:15-17. Indian residents who used our building for Save Pageview meetings. Another group went (b) we need mutual correction, with meekness and self-discipline, and in an to look for new white residents of Pageview (see Colour Plates p 5). And a fourth group of atmosphere of trust. Zulu-and Sotho-speakers chatted to the homeless people who used the manse pavement as a picnic spot. (c) discipline expresses grief and judgment with love and concern. The few left in the empty church were asked to pray and then to have tea ready by 11.45 (d) Somehow we must all share the judgment and the burden. a.m. at which time the missionaries "came back in great joy". (Lk 10:17) There is probably a lot to learn if we try new ways of correcting and supporting each other, but this is where we will start. Activists in social issues sometimes allow standards of individual behaviour to deteriorate. According to the Scottish Reformer, John Knox, the three marks of the true Church are the Three sermons touched this subject in April 1985, one of them followed by a time of general confession shared by many of the members. The Pastoral Care group and the

132 133 St Anthony’s Activists Wealth, Poverty and Change - 1985 St Anthony’s Activists Naught For Your Comfort - 1985 minister kept in touch with any suspended member and, for example, publicly stood by the restored but lonely mothers when they brought their babies to be baptised. 19. NAUGHT FOR YOUR COMFORT 1985 The 16th June that year was a Sunday. To commemorate the 1976 Soweto upheaval, the (2) SACC called for prayer that God would "remove from his people the tyrannical structures of oppression and those in power who persistently refuse to hear the cry for justice...". A month later, as violent aspects of popular resistance and its suppression increased, a State of Emergency was declared in 36 magisterial districts and was later extended to a further eight. It lasted 229 days and was lifted on 7th March 1986 (Race Relations Survey 1985). News Letter August 1985 These 44 districts covered the whole Reef and other urban areas such as Durban and Port I tell you naught for your comfort, Elizabeth. This was the next rapid to be run. Yea, naught for your desire Save that the night grows darker yet And the sea rises higher. Night shall be thrice night over you, And heaven an iron cope. Do you have joy without a cause Yea, faith without a hope?

G K Chesterton - Ballad of the White Horse

THE EMERGENCY Two members of St Antony's, Jeanette Schmid and Fiona Semple, who travelled to the funeral of the four murdered leaders in Cradock [Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlawuli and Thomas Mkhonto], were in the bus that was stopped on its return. They were held at John Vorster Square [Police Station] for 5 hours, fingerprinted and photographed (and not allowed to the toilet - Fiona Semple). That evening two others connected with St Antony's, Janneke Weidema and Ian Robertson, similarly had their particulars recorded at a JODAC meeting in Yeoville before being released. Later in the week, at 1 a.m. on Friday 26th July, Vusi Khanyile who has preached for us at St Antony's, was detained and is still held. Apart from the anger caused ... by the prosecution of the 105 students for "attending an illegal gathering", Soweto has been quiet and our home gatherings and Bible Study continue to be held there. We hope that members from outside will persevere in attending so as to have some firsthand experience and to express our unity and care for one another. Please also help to keep accurate news (but not rumours) circulating in the congregation. In a State of Emergency news is more than usually controlled and suppressed, and it becomes important for the community of the Church to serve as a channel by which the truth can be known, especially as to what is happening to the weak and defenceless. (John 3:20, 21)

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Beyers Naudé was by this time the General Secretary of the SACC and at its annual Through these rough days Gert used her white skin and courage to intervene effectively in Conference in late June 1985 he openly advocated non-violent "civil disobedience to bring tense situations between angry students and white conscripted soldiers or police atop their an oppressive and unjust system to its knees" (Beeld 29 June 1985). A rough time awaited armoured Casspirs. She shared teargassing and the funerals of students killed in the him from the Press, but no State action was taken against him. When a subsequent nation- conflict (see Colour Plates p 9). Only once in all those years would she let me escort her to wide State of Emergency was declared in 1986 the advocacy of civil disobedienc was school. made a punishable offence. The Sisters were eventually withdrawn at the end of 1986, their Order believing that they We had a poem for times like these: would be better used elsewhere, and eventually Gert remained the only white person on the staff. Excitement grew to fever pitch, Now Church and State for once agree: The army moved into the town; Arrest all suspects without charge: Then the new Principal provoked a staff revolt by sacking two teachers and it was the turn Authority must be maintained The individual doesn’t count of the staff to strike in protest! Instead of teaching they sat for a day in the staff room and And troublemakers be put down. When vested interests are so large. were locked in by the SRC while students stoned the staffroom windows. The outcome was the sacking of 70% of the staff. In solidarity with those among them who would not The city’s full to bursting point, He could have stayed in Galilee. get their jobs back they all refused the Bishop's offer to let them re-apply. Informers mingle with the crowd; He could have walked unnoticed by. Peace must be kept at any price. Instead he rode, the King of kings: Justice, Grace and Prophetic Social Action No demonstrations are allowed. Hosanna! Demonstrator die! Justice or reconciliation, which comes first? This was one issue under debate in those years. The liberation movements had decided they would achieve justice only by an armed Soweto had had its upheaval in 1976 and the Eastern Cape and the East Rand were now struggle. Reconciliation could follow. Many who worked for change inside the country having theirs. But when the wave of unrest came back to Soweto then things really started were inspired by the Pope's dictum: "If you want peace, work for justice". Although to boil. It was this development that touched off the second State of Emergency. working in the SACC's Division of Justice and Reconciliation, I took a different view which said: "If you want justice, work peaceably." The SACC kindly allowed this For four years Gert had been teaching Maths three days a week at the Roman Catholic dissident voice in its midst. Immaculata High School in Diepkloof. Soweto government schools were in turmoil as student organisations spread the slogan "Liberation now, education later". The school's I contended that if we adopted nonviolence, and followed its principles, we would create work was threatened by the COSAS demand that the Principal, Sister Rita, release her reconciliation in the process and be able to sit down eventually with our opponents and pupils either to attend meetings or to show solidarity with other pupils out of school. work out a better justice than could be achieved by the victors imposing their concept of justice unilaterally on the vanquished. Sister Rita was no secluded nun and was the first to be led off to spend a night in Police cells when 22 women, mostly white and including Janneke Weidema of St Antony's, The outcome in the 1990s was a mixture of these two processes. It achieved a much more demonstrated outside Moroka Police Station for an end to the State of Emergency, the just Constitution and political settlement, but still left us with a great deal of reconciliation detention of children and the presence of troops in the townships. But Sister Rita wanted to do. her pupils to go on learning. Youths stoned Immaculata school and on several occasions In June 1985 I preached a series of sermons from Paul's letter to the Galatians, entitled forced temporary closure for safety's sake. From this our ancient Peugeot Station Wagon "Grace and Justice in Social Action". In that letter the Apostle asserts that we cannot get has a dent in it to this day, but at least it escaped being burnt! right with God by our good works in obedience to the Law. It is only by grace, the Education was in collapse in Soweto, school fund contributions went unpaid, exercise undeserved kindness of God, that we are reconciled. Paul wrote of the individual. I took books were burned. Police carried out a midnight raid on Immaculata ransacking the the risk of applying the same principles to corporate social action and asserted that deeds Principal's office and classrooms and thereafter attempted to maintain their armed presence of justice (the Law) are not able to put society right with itself. It requires sacrificial on school grounds. In October 1986 Denis Beckett's Frontline carried a full issue on the giving, bearing the hurt of wrong as God in Christ sacrificed and bore the hurt we inflicted Soweto school conflict. It was the social issue of that year. upon him.

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The crucial passage, Galatians 2:19-21, I translated thus: Anita Kromberg So far as justice is concerned, however, we are failures - condemned by justice itself - Anita Kromberg was another member of St Antony's who publicly upheld the nonviolence in order that we might act on a new basis for God. The Church is offered up to death ethic. After the training and experience in Europe already mentioned, she returned to be with Christ on his cross, so that it is no longer just the Church, but it is Christ who is the staffperson of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) in South Africa. alive in the world. This life that the Church now has, is lived by faith in the Son of God She was later joined in this role by Richard Steele and in a simple Quaker ceremony they who loved the Church and gave himself for it. We refuse to act as if the grace of God committed their lives to one another, to God and to this country. (see Colour Plates p 13) does not exist. For if society can be put right by justice it means that Christ died for nothing. 11 September 1985 "The ones who act make history" said the chorus of one of our songs. (See page 101). On Monday 9th we returned from a [day off] on the Vaal River to learn that Anita Because we hear about the prophets of the Old Testament, or read what they wrote, we Kromberg, Richard Steele and Sue Brittion were detained that morning under Section tend to think that prophecy is all about talking. So I gave a series of sermons on Prophetic 29 of the Internal Security Act. Action to follow on these New Testament "acts of grace". Many actions of the prophets were symbolic, and people could ignore them. But others Press Release: 17th September 1985 were deeds that changed history. On those we concentrated. Before his detention it had been arranged that Richard would be one of three persons There was Samuel who changed a government by anointing David as the new king. Then in a national "Fast for a Just Peace" organised by the End Conscription Campaign. came Mt Carmel and Elijah's public contest with the religion of the palace. Elisha kept his The others were Dr Ivan Toms in Cape Town and Harold Winkler in Johannesburg. feet on the ground by caring for simple human needs and linked great and small issues in We are sure that Richard will still undertake this fast, even in detention. Members of St one web of life. He sent a young prophet to announce "another king" (2 Kings 9) as the Antony's United Church, Pageview, intend to fast with him in relay, 24 hours each, apostles of Jesus later did in Thessalonica (Acts 17:7). And personally unarmed, Elisha from 22nd September to 7th October, as a sign of support for him ... and to share in the taught Israel's king to be merciful to the Syrian army (2 Kings 6). general purpose of the fast as we pray for peace and grace to abound in this country. Later that year, in September, the Kairos Document was published and signed by many At the same time a member of our congregation, Anita Kromberg, is detained along prominent Church figures. It seemed to me the fulfilment of the 1977 call for a theology of with Richard in Durban and each day until she is set free we intend to release balloons a just revolution, violence included, by the WCC's Programme to Combat Racism (See at lunchtime in the city centre... as a symbol of freedom and our hope and prayer for chapter 11). the release of Anita and all other detainees. (see Colour Plates p 9) At St Antony's we had just completed a training course in nonviolence for our members. It The balloon idea began in 1980 when our children celebrated the 200th anniversary of the involved role-playing violent and nonviolent responses to danger and injustice. Pam Smith Sunday School movement. records her surprise at thoroughly enjoying the aggressive act of throwing stones at a moving car! And that's just the point of learning nonviolent responses. Our own violence can be sublimated. News Letter Sept-Oct 1980 Colleagues have often mis-understood me in this. The reason I embrace nonviolence is not The worship Group's idea proved very intriguing. Messages from St Antony's were that I am gentle and peaceful. Just the opposite. I am aggressive and enjoy violence and the written on slips of paper and attached to the helium-filled balloons on fuses. As each only cure is to commit myself publicly to a nonviolent way of life, however much I have to balloon rose the fuse released the messages one at a time over the city. admit failure. For the same reason I long ago accepted Jesus Christ, not because I am in By 1986 we were releasing balloons every Sunday after services, according to the number any way like him, but because I am sinful and he is the only cure. This also requires a of detainees we were remembering at the time. public commitment and constant admissions of failure. Sue Brittion, a worker in Diakonia House, was held in the cell next to Anita and, like the apostles Paul and Barnabas in the jail at Philippi, they sang songs together. A natural

138 139 St Anthony’s Activists Naught For Your Comfort - 1985 earthquake released the apostles. The spiritual equivalent of an earthquake, in the person of Richard Steele's mother Dorothy, soon saw to the release of these detainees. A person could only be detained under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act if a senior police officer had "reason to believe" that they had committed, or intended to commit, or had information about the commission of "acts of violence" aimed at overthrowing the State or "bringing about any constitutional, political, industrial or economic ... change in the Republic". Dorothy Steele gathered affidavits which satisfied the Supreme Court that this was not possible in the case of Richard, Sue and Anita, given the quality of their lives. They were released on Friday 20th September and were in our service that Sunday to tell their experience (cf Acts 12). Anita told the congregation that she had found strength in singing Light Coming the simple hymns she had learned as a child in Sunday School. One of these was: Jesus bids us shine with a pure, clear light, Like a little candle burning in the night. In this world is darkness; so let us shine, in the Morning You in your small corner, and I in mine.

For ten years Anita and Richard, as IFOR staff, spread the nonviolence ethic and its methods throughout South Africa, reaching many non-governmental organisations working for social change. Their immense contribution to the comparatively peaceful change this country achieved has still to be assessed.

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20. SING, JOHN BALL - 1986

News Letter October 1982 Who will be the lady, who will be the lord, When we are ruled by the love of one another? Who will be the lady, who will be the lord In the light that is coming in the morning? Sing, John Ball, and tell it to them all. Long live the day that is dawning! And I'll crow like a cock, I'll carol like a lark For the light that is coming in the morning. Love will be king and liberty the queen, When we are ruled by the love of one another. Oh its... Eve is the lady, Adam is the lord, In the light that is coming in the morning. Sing, John Ball.... All shall be ruled by fellowship, I say. All shall be ruled by the love of one another. Labour and spin for fellowship, I say. And the light that is coming in the morning. Sing, John Ball.....

A NEW SONG FROM ENGLAND Six hundred years ago England was ruled by "lords and ladies" (something like the "baas" and the "missus"!) who had a lot of power over the peasants who lived on their lands. The peasants began to realise this and struggled for their freedom, encouraged by priests like John Ball. They asked the question: When Adam delved and Eve span Who then was the gentleman? And when a Poll Tax was imposed on them to pay for the war against the French they revolted and took control of the city of London. There they executed the Archbishop of Canterbury because he was acting as Chancellor (Minister of Finance) and chief minister of the king. That was in 1381.

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This revolt was remembered in England last year, the present Archbishop of developments beyond the Church..... And we can report during news time on Sundays Canterbury taking part in the celebration, and for it Sydney Carter, who once visited us or in this news letter about what our organisation is doing. at St Antony's, wrote the above song. Donald Swann introduced us to it last month. These are some of the organisations that St Antony's activists joined: It was number 100 in our hymnbook, easy to remember, and without doubt the most Free the Children Alliance Co-operatives in the Black Community popular hymn from 1986 onwards. GROW Northcliff Union Centre of Concern From the desperate measures being taken by the Government to control dissent and unrest End Conscription Campaign Institute for International Affairs we sensed intuitively that there was "light coming in the morning". We did not, however, CO Support Group National Education Union of SA (NEUSA) know that isolated in a Pollsmoor prison cell Nelson Mandela had "concluded that the time Concerned Social Workers Johannesburg Democratic Action Committee had come when the struggle could best be pushed forward through negotiations" and that Black Sash (JODAC) he could take that initiative (Long Walk to Freedom, p 513). Trade Unions e.g FEDCRAW Organisation for Appropriate Social Services Streetwise (OASSSA) News Letter April 1986 Technical Advice Group (TAG) Ad Hoc Education Committee "We are going to be free", is Bishop Desmond Tutu's frequent reminder. The young Youth Camp Trust Women for Peaceful Change Now (WPCN) men shout "When?" Older people wonder "How? And at what cost?" Lawyers for Human Rights Community Workshop on the Arts So after Easter we turned to the Book of Exodus for a series of sermons lit up by the daily Twilight Children Learn and Teach experiences of members themselves and by their hopes. Titles ranged from "Liberation and Sanctuaries Counselling Team Theology" through "God's Hand in Liberation", "Celebrating Liberation", "Freedom's First And this is what we thought our purpose was: Problems" to "Liberty and the Law". They ended with "Liberated Worship". Just at that time, as a live example, the non-violent liberation of the Philipines from the Marcos News Letter June 1986. regime took place. (1) To learn the views of others who are working for social change and to work with "How to handle the next five years both personally and as a congregation?" was the them. question put to the March Annual Congregational Meeting. We had sensed that national (2) To fulfil a Christian duty of caring for the well-being of others. change would come within that time. And eventually it did. (3) To give a Christian input to such organisations. This is part of our task of Firstly, continued contact with Soweto was vital. Fears for the personal safety of Soweto evangelising the structures of society. Incidentally opportunities of personal families in whose houses we had been meeting for Bible Study, prompted by evangelism may also arise. understandably rising anti-white sentiment, persuaded us to move to the Klipspruit (4) Our experiences in St Antony's may be a help to groups and organisations trying to Presbyterian Church for our Sunday evening meeting. cope with problems that we have already tackled. Secondly, we discussed whether the time had come for St Antony's to have a black (5) In a general sense Christians represent the Church in such organisations. minister so as to foster, among other things, a more African style of worship. The debate The organisations we join frequently have to decide on matters of right and wrong. Can on this carried on inconclusively for years until the crunch decision to end St Antony's we use deception or propaganda? Doubtful fund-raising methods, attitudes of hatred or separate existence was taken early in 1990. disrespect for opponents, violent policies keep coming up. This may be the first chance News Letter April 1986 Christians have to share their faith and "set the tone", but it should be done in a reasoned, persuasive way, not in a "holier-than-thou" spirit. The main decision, with which everybody present agreed, was that in these days every member of St Antony's should be active in some organisation outside the Church, some When an organisation attempting social change and justice realises just how difficult organisation working for change towards a better South Africa. Many are already in this is because of human evil,and when its own powerlessness becomes apparent, there such organisations. The purpose is to play our part and to exercise a Christian is an opportunity for the Christian to suggest prayer together. influence in these bodies, and also to keep our congregation in touch with

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John Welch, father of Richard, started coming to services after being a professed atheist Cars owned or driven by whites became "targets" in Soweto in those days whenever for many years. A retired engineer, soldier, philosopher and lateral thinker, John always feelings ran high. Our course on nonviolence had role-played just this situation the had something on the go in the secular sphere that in particular helped poor rural previous year. With polystyrene "bricks" and empty Coke cans the group had pelted our communities. Drums converted into mobile water transport, a welding outfit at Rooigrond, old Peugeot sedan, while those inside tried various responses -flee, fight, freeze or face it containers converted into clinics -John was one of the first to use containers that way, and out. Janneke Weidema got out of the car I was pelting and so effectively faced up to me he ranged through the whole Transvaal at his own expense. Almost every Sunday he had that I decided this would be the best response if my time came. And here it was! something to contribute to the "news" session on what was happening in the wide world. I thanked God for the role-play, switched off the engine and got out. The night came when the Security Police fell upon John's home in an inexplicable small- "Cool it, fellows. Do you know me?" I asked. hours raid. I willingly rose from bed on such occasions in order to support members under They didn't, but soon were saying: "Sorry, Mfundisi. We can explain." pressure, but by the time I got there John had already put them to flight by plying them "No, you can't" I responded. "You were going to smash my car and perhaps kill me." with philosophical questions! Then they got a mini-sermon on the ultimate futility of such violence.

The following Sunday evening, before the Bible Study, I met them again round their fire Second State of Emergency and we were friends. The 1985 State of Emergency imposed on certain Magisterial districts was lifted on 7th March 1986. But a nation-wide State of Emergency with tighter conditions was reimposed News Letter July 1986 THE STATE OF EMERGENCY on 12th June as Government anticipated the tenth anniversary of June 16th. Three people connected with this congregation are in detention. 16 June 1986 Jeanette Schmid, a member of St Antony's, was taken with Janneke Weidema and Last night we found that no Soweto telephone exchanges were working. Jeanette others from a JODAC meeting on Sunday 15th June and is being held at Jeppe Police Schmid was detained yesterday and I went with her mother to Jeppe Police Station and Station. Janneke was released. Jeanette is a Remedial Teacher at the Harvey Cohen then John Vorster Square Security. The place was rather empty with all police out on Centre in Eldorado Park. (see Colour Plates p 11) patrol and we just walked in [through all the doors]. Sheila Brokensha, who attends our services, was detained on Thursday 12th June and Brigadier Gerrit Erasmus immediately reacted to me! We were asking consent for is being held at Hillbrow Police Station. She was Head Girl of Jeppe Girls' High Jeanette to get books to study. In the course of conversation I suggested he could resign School in 1974, has worked for trade unions and is now training for nursing at the New rather than carry out the emergency regulations, but that virtually ended the interview! Johannesburg Hospital. Later in the day I looked for Mastiche Banda at Protea Police Station and then Mastiche Banda teaches literacy in our church and also attends services. He was last travelled back through Soweto on the old Potchefstroom Road to find that it was very seen on Wednesday 11th June and was located at Protea Police Station on Monday quiet. 16th. He is an orphan and is a student at the Soweto Teacher Training College. At the Baragwanath road block I gave a soldier the COSG pamphlet "Do I have to fight These are splendid young people who are giving their lives to careers that will not in the SADF?" He [ordered me off the road and] referred it to his Lieutenant who make them rich but will serve other people. Please pray for them and those who took pronounced it OK on the strength of the word "in" [which the soldier had not noticed!] the decision to detain them. The following day I visited Shadrack Madingwane in Pimville. He had run into trouble While they are in detention members of St Antony's are wearing green armbands (green with the Police the day before for having SACC posters in his car. On the way home I for the growth of the new South Africa that they represent) and speaking about them turned into a side street to visit the Rev Maake Masango next door to Klipspruit when they have opportunity. A few other members release balloons each day at one Presbyterian Church. I came upon a bunch of youngsters burning a tyre at the roadside. p.m. at the Library Gardens as a symbol of our prayer for their release. Their leader picked up a half brick and they surrounded the car.

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And Sunday services started with the lighting of the Amnesty Candle, surrounded by Visiting Vusi once, I advised the officer in charge to treat him with great care "because he barbed wire, at which point those in detention were remembered by name. Its use had will be a Cabinet Minister about the time you go on pension!" begun way back when vigils were held for conscientious objectors in jail. "All through the night of the Peace Vigil held at St Antony's in the latter part of 1980" wrote Richard Steele's mother, " I found increased courage and deeper faith in God as I watched the News Letter July 1986 unwavering flame of that one candle, shedding the only light in that quiet church. It was Then the Rev Francois Bill, Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, whose symbolic of those who were remaining steadfast in spite of the barbed wire of prejudice wife Molly sometimes worships with us was detained. and race-hate with which the country had become bound." Francois had composed a liturgy for the 10th Anniversary of June 16th that really upset Jeanette was released after two weeks and Sheila after six, but during that time we "the powers that be". He was detained on 21st June while they attempted to formulate a developed a system of connecting them each Sunday to the worshipping community at St charge against him. Five weeks later Molly wrote to their son Charles, in exile in Antony's. After each service two volunteers would take the flowers from the Communion Switzerland. Table and a slip of paper carrying that Sunday's Bible readings to each Police Station where our friends were detained. And when it was Communion we took the bread and Well, let's start off with some of the good things: I have been going regularly to church in grape juice. Most times these symbols got through the bars; sometimes the detainee was Pageview (non-racial church run by Rob Robertson - you may remember going to play at their house in East London, children your age, Hugh, Pam and Ian. You played snooker on their dining even called out to receive them and on other occasions we sat in the cells and talked with room table). them. Anyway, since Soweto has become largely no-go, and I didn't really have the courage to go to Alison Oettlé describes those visits. Chiawelo alone anyway, I've been going to Pageview. I remember going with Rob to visit people in prison. What struck me too was the respect that Rob A lovely warm, caring congregation of mother-earth types, conscientious objectors, mixed had for the policemen in charge, the fact that he spoke Afrikaans to them and would give them the marriage couples, ECC members, and really committed folk. There is a pastoral group there which flowers if they weren't able, or willing, to give them to the people in prison. This was at a time tries to minister to people in need and, at one stage, there were four of that congregation 'inside' - when both policemen and Afrikaners were frequently despised by English-speaking liberals. plus Francois made five. Another thing that impressed me (says Pam Smith) was that many folk who had been detained So one of the things they do is fill balloons with helium, write a person's name on, and at the close without trial came and gave their testimonies in church. Not one of them was bitter or belligerent of the service we go outside and release these crazy balloons. And off they float, over the bull- or ugly in manner. All seemed to have forgiven the injustice done to them - a great lesson to me. dozed and half demolished houses of Pageview, or over the two remaining mosques, out over Braamfontein and, we hope, towards John Vorster Square! In this spirit the home gatherings explored how detained people could be missionaries to agents of apartheid's domination system. And the Sunday Sheila Brokensha came out of Silly, yes, but somehow it's good to feel that balloon representing someone someday getting free. detention and without ill-feeling told her experience during "news time" everyone was so Well, four of them are out, and now it's just Francois' balloon that goes sailing up into the blue sky. Something else, more practical, that they do is to take the flowers with the text of the day's moved that no one wanted to speak thereafter. She passed on to us the Scripture verses that sermon to the Charge Office in John Vorster Square. had been of particular meaning to her: Matt 5:43, 44, I Cor 13:13, Phil. 1:27-29 and I Peter 4:7. "We want these to be given to the Reverend Bill" they say - sometimes it works, more often it doesn't. It depends who they find on duty and how much that guy is prepared to try to get past the Vusi Khanyile, no stranger to prison cells and at that time also detained, asked us for a Security Branch. copy of F W Faber's hymn. There was a wonderful occasion when he was still at Jeppe [Police Station] when the group came Faith of our fathers, living still Faith of our fathers! We will love across a young, rather sleepy white constable on the Sunday afternoon, and they asked could they please see Rev Bill. And the guy said, "Sure" - and goes and fetches him all bemused from his In spite of dungeon, fire and sword. Both friend and foe in all our strife. cell, and they stood and talked for about 15 minutes. O how our hearts beat high with joy And preach thee too, as love knows how, Whene'er we hear that glorious word. By kindly words and virtuous life. On Christmas Day members of Francois' family and of St Antony's went to Diepkloof Prison, where Francois had been moved, to sing carols to him. We got no further than the guards at the gate, so we sang for them. Peter Watson, PCSA Prison Chaplain, was

148 149 St Anthony’s Activists Sing John Ball - 1986 St Anthony’s Activists Sing John Ball - 1986 allowed to take Communion to Francois in John Vorster Square, and Prof Johan Heyns, News Letter December 1986. "FREE THE CHILDREN". then Moderator of the Dutch Reformed Church (NGK), visited him in Diepkloof Prison The first Sunday in December is Bible Sunday. It is also the nearest to Human Rights and intervened on his behalf. Day, the 10th December. This year we will particularly think of the rights of the Child After nine months he was released without any charges against him but with some and the plight of so many children presently in detention. restrictions imposed (see Colour Plates p 11). On Palm Sunday Molly and he were Many languages are spoken amongst St Antony's members, from Hebrew to Chichewa. together at St Antony's and Francois spoke, struggling with emotion when he mentioned To celebrate the spread of the Bible and its message on that day... we'll arrange that the flowers. the words of Jesus about children in Mark 10:13-16 are read in all the languages used "I had never been to a service here... but I knew somehow I was part of you. The flowers which amongst us. you sent. My God! They were very meaningful. I tell you, when sitting in a cell at John Vorster Out of the 50 people present that day there were 14 different mother tongues to highlight Square, the floor is painted black, those walls are grim, you're behind those bars, and those flowers this passage, including the biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek. Annelize van der Ryst come - and the text that you read in church. Thank you." read in Dutch from a Bible that her great grandmother had taken with her to the The next activist to upset authority over June 16th was Tessa Welch. The United concentration camp where she and nine of her children were interned during the Anglo- Democratic Front called for a national stay-away on that day in 1987. She was one of the Boer War. As they were being taken away from the farmstead near Clocolan in the Free eight lecturers from the Soweto College of Education who asked for leave, were refused State she sent one of her sons back to close the gate - and a British soldier shot him dead. and stayed away nevertheless. The Transvaal Education Department laid charges of misconduct against them and insisted that their trial be heard in camera. Three of the eight On such Sundays the Amnesty candle was lit for the children in detention. Rob Thomson left the College. The others stood their ground and a settlement was reached in February sat looking at the candle. His musical family often enriched our worship with their Africa- the following year. Tessa was still teaching there in 1991. related music. Now he composed his song about the candle using the Zulu of Amos 5:24 as the chorus. 1986 was the year when children in significant numbers were detained. In December the Commissioner of Police admitted that 256 children under the age of 16 were in detention. There's a land that belongs to the children of light The youngest of them was 11 years old. (Race Relations Survey p 824) The previous That was bought with their parents' toil; month the Black Sash had launched the "Free the Children" campaign and our Treasurer, a And the children's price is the blood and tears young Indian lady Paula Harris, was soon its Treasurer also (see Colour Plates p 11). They have shed on the hungry soil. Ukwahlulela makugobhoze njengamanzi, As a consequence Paula's home underwent several midnight raids by the Security Police, Nokulunga njengomfula onganqamukiyo. W/O Paul Erasmus among them. The first was about 10 pm at the Berea commune she shared with Jeanette Schmid and two other women. The police brought a rifle with them There's a people that waits for the children of light; for protection and stood it against the table. They wanted to know if Robertson had pushed There's a world of humanity. her into the “Free the Children” campaign. And the cries of pain are for Africa's child And the child that will set her free. When she travelled to a "Save the Children" conference in Oslo she lodged her passport and air ticket with us for safety lest they be confiscated before take-off. As it was, her There's a candle that burns for the children of light luggage was interfered with on the way to Oslo, and when she got back her car tyres were With a flame that will never die, slashed and her passport was taken away. Till its barbed wire melts in the heat of the sun Also she had another visit, this time after midnight. Now she was living next door to And its rainbow surrounds the sky. Verena Kennerknecht to whom the police went first. So Verena was able to alert me and I spent the next couple of hours observing their visit to see that Paula came to no harm. Rob, an Actuary and now a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, was the first national Secretary of the Methodist Order of Peacemakers and demonstrated publicly, for example, against military hardware and expenses and against Shell's exploitation of Nigerian oil.

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That year the rent boycotts which began in the Vaal Triangle spread to Soweto. Nineteen The 40th anniversary of Hiroshima and the Atomic Bomb in 1985 had brought St Antony's of our members lived there and the subject was thoroughly discussed after a service in into a world telephone link-up that included Moscow. Next year the Johannesburg Quakers August. handled the subsequent "Sing out for Peace" on 3rd August and taught us a song sung by Quakers in the North American colonies long ago. It reflected the early struggles and the News Letter October 1986 joyous optimism of "the Society of Friends" as they called themselves. The Rent Boycott in Soweto is a protest at increased fees and poor services. It has developed into a demand for the resignation of Councillors and the withdrawal of My life flows on in endless song above earth's lamentation; troops from the township. There is no stated time limit, and it now seems that even if all I hear the real though far-off song that hails a new creation. these demands are met it will continue, because it has proved to be a lever against the Through all the tumult and the strife I hear that music ringing; whole apartheid system and white government. We may even expect that people will It sounds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing? claim the rented houses as their own property. When tyrants tremble as they hear the bells of freedom ringing; One case of intimidation and punitive action by other Soweto residents on a non- When friends rejoice both far and near, how can I keep from singing? boycotter was known at first hand. There is no doubt that people fear the destruction of In prison cell and dungeon vile our thoughts to them are winging. their property if they pay rent. They also fear eviction if they do not pay. It is therefore When friends by shame are undefiled, how can I keep from singing? hard to judge how voluntary it all is, but the boycott could hardly be as wide as it is without real support from the community. Suggested actions for St Antony's members are: • Those living in Soweto may be able to get involved in the community control of the boycott and help to make it more democratic and less violent. • Whites might attempt deputations to officials to convey concern. If someone known to the congregation is evicted we can: • store goods and furniture while they stay temporarily with relatives or friends or camp in the street; • help them to move to vacant flats or houses in other parts of the city, realising that while rentals will be much higher, the services will be better. Two of our members, David and Evelyn Sineke, were already living in a flat in Bertrams. David had for years lived in that remarkable commune at 24 Rhodes Avenue, Parktown, along with Anton Eberhard and other pioneers. Then he and Evelyn, after their marriage, moved to Crown Mines. Here were wood and iron dwellings at low rental and in an area technically "white" but never bothered by the Group area inspectors. "Troops out of the townships" was one of the issues that got two of our members arrested in October. They called it the "Peace Ribbon" and the fifteen women stood on the pavement holding it outside the Twist Street headquarters of Witwatersrand Command. When the police came to arrest them for attending "an illegal gathering" they sat down. Adele Kirsten, Fiona Semple and Sheila Brokensha were among them. Sentenced on 26th November they were given a fine of R20 (x 4) or five days in prison. Adele and Sheila spent a short while behind bars rather than pay the fine.

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Sermons often began with some news event involving a member. "At Wednesday's home 21. THE WORD BECAME FLESH gathering Frank Makubung told us of the action that youths are taking in Lebowa. Some of them are desperate. Some of them are cruel. But they seem to have cast off their fears and Presbyterian ministers are "ordained to the ministry of the Word and Sacraments". are looking forward to some kind of new order that they can create. 'Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young was very heaven', wrote the poet Wordsworth regarding Regarding the sacraments, I was scared of infant baptisms and never in 40 years of the French Revolution." baptising actually took a child in my arms. Adult baptisms were more manageable - and more moving. Monthly Communion could be routine, but at times the breaking of bread "What did you think of PW Botha's decision to scrap the Reference Book compared with from hand to hand in the embattled group at St Antony's was charged with meaning dimly the Pharoah we've been reading about in Exodus?" akin to the night before Calvary. "It's been another bloody week, especially in the Transvaal, at Diepkloof and Moutse." Presbyterianism emphasises preaching. "The Word became flesh" wrote the Apostle John. "And John Calvin turned Him back into the Word" joked a Catholic priest once to a "That was very appropriate of you, Paul, to volunteer to read that passage. Good to hear a gathering at New College, Edinburgh, where I had studied Theology. The experiences we lawyer reading the Ten Commandments." Paul Jenkins was busy at the time advising the shared at St Antony's linked word and flesh. Press how to handle the censorship imposed by the State of Emergency. I enjoyed preaching and was constantly domestically scolded for going on too long. Our worship shapes our ethical life. If worship is other-worldly we develop ethics that Occasional there was a compliment. Roman Catholic Grail activist Marilyn Aitken cannot be applied to the real world and we unconsciously go on living daily according to "learned a great deal from Rob's carefully prepared biblical and contextualised sermons". the dubious standards of the world of which we thought we were free. If our worship drags This is also the place for Stan Sher, of Jewish birth and coming to faith in Christ through in all that is happening around us then we find an immense strength to meet the issues the Assemblies of God, to tell his story; head on without resort to the world's patchy ethics. This is how, in the later 80's we translated the Xhosa Hymn "Ndikhangele ngobubele, O nKosi yam!" The events of June 1976 and subsequent questions contributed to my increasing discomfort with a Christian experience that was exclusively white and enclosed in a cocoon of privilege. I read in the newspaper about the Naidu family of Mayfair who, having been evicted from their You gave us a new beginning, You have rescued us from blindness, home, had decided to camp on the pavement as a statement against a system which could act so Jesus, our Lord, Jesus, our Lord, maliciously against its citizens for no other reason than the colour of their skins. The article also When you died to stop our sinning, Not by justice, but by kindness; referred to a certain Christian minister who had pitched his tent on the pavement together with the Jesus, our Lord. Jesus, our Lord! Naidus in identification with their plight and their action. Now may this and every nation Your true servants, by their living - I realised that this was the sort of authentic South African Christian proclamation that I too wanted Understand your incarnation Gentle, fearless and forgiving - to be part of. So began my association over nine years with St Antony’s. I enjoyed the pioneering And your new way of salvation – Sealed the message they were giving, work we all felt part of, namely the building of a non-racial Christian community of people who Jesus, our Lord. Jesus, our Lord! were unafraid to say and to do what were often quite lonely things. Members and visitors were consistently people who were unusual, interesting, committed to change and always special. We believe that our behaviour, The minister was an inspiration to us all in that he persistently carried on standing in his small way Jesus, our Lord, against the apparently all-powerful and often sinister machinery of the state, locating the people Should conform to you, as Saviour, who were behind that machinery, getting into dialogue with them in his inimitable way and leaving them, surely, with many questions. His understanding of the Bible and preaching was Jesus, our Lord! always thoroughly located in South Africa and its realities. We who live among the dying Ask for grace to go on trying However, it was actually Marilyn and Stan and all the others who made this To make peace without denying contextualisation possible. They were the actual flesh and blood in which Christ's activity Jesus our Lord. could be detected. All that remained for me to do was point this out and connect it with some part of Scripture. 154 155 St Anthony’s Activists The Word Became Flesh St Anthony’s Activists The Word Became Flesh

Worship broadly takes three forms in the mainline churches. I drew heavily from Herbert Butterfield's book "Christianity and History" and matched it with what was happening to us. There were plenty of contemporary illustrations. (1) The Calvinist tradition aims at education, the exegesis of the Bible and passing on information for Christian living. News Letter December 1986. (2) The Methodist tradition aims at motivation, involving participants in an emotional In times of great social stress, when many of us are involved in work for social change, change that inspires our living. we may lose sight of some personal standards of behaviour that are just as important. (3) The Anglican and Catholic tradition involves "re-presenting" the Gospel, the acting The four Gospels tell the news of God's salvation in Jesus Christ, which is much more out of "God's coming right order" (as Bill Everett calls it) to which the worshipper's than moral advice to humankind. However, included in those Gospels we often get response is awe. clear indications of the kind of moral behaviour that pleases or displeases God (e.g. I like to think that services at St Antony's included all of these, though we did fall short Matt 15:18-20 and Matt 23:23). regarding the element of wonder in worship. The congregation itself embodied a small Between now and Easter we'll look in Sunday services at some of these passages, fragment of God's coming right order for South African society - "everybody trying to starting with the Christmas ones: The Value of Good lives - The Ethics of Engagement come to terms with everybody" as Beckett puts it. The emotional motivation came through [for Marriage] - The Perfect Life in an Imperfect World - The Ethics of Escaping. the news members shared, the songs we sang together, and the dancing and handshakes. This series on "Gospel Ethics" went on to deal with some moral questions facing activists: Sermons contributed the educational part. • Must we simply obey authority or can one disobey and yet submit? Series of sermons proved most effective for getting information across and building a good understanding. For example, how God's purposes in history are worked out and how we • Can high ideals become a temptation? can share in this. • The ethics of being angry Ministers like to give the impression that each sermon is tailor-made, a new and unique • Speaking the truth in difficult circumstances work of art. Actually we recycle sermons regularly. I had been minister to nine other congregations, some of them three at a time, before coming to St Antony's. Those 21 years • The ethics of confrontation, openness and innocence. provided a goodly supply of sermons which were used again. Of course they were updated Thinking these and other sermons were important, some members urged me to record to current events and there was the odd new one to fit a particular occasion or need. them. We even advertised these recordings to other Presbyterian Churches. But there was very little demand. So let us move back to the action. But when South Africa moved into the "rapids of history", in the 1980s, few of these were adequate or adaptable. We were onto new ground, and that ground was shifting all the time. "The Lord Jesus, on the night of his arrest, took bread..." is how the New English Bible's translates the I Corinthians 11:23 record of this historic event which the Church constantly "re-presents". By 1986 several of our members knew what arrest was like and "Faith and History" was a sermon series that began with this text at the October Communion service. Many of us who dropped out of church after Confirmation moved into adulthood with a "Sunday School" conception of Christianity that left us unable to cope with the hard knocks of history and the disappointments of human behaviour. So the series went on to "History and Theology - Human Nature and History - Judgment and Forgiveness in History - Purpose, Providence and Promise - In Tragic Times" and closed with "How will it End?"

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• The Church Council has been asked to put together a monthly report to be read to 22. STATE OF EMERGENCY - 1987 the congregation; • Fortunately our membership groups are providing contact. Please speak regularly in these groups about what is happening in Soweto and feel free to express there your feelings about the whole situation. Peace has one thing in common with its enemy, For all its might the army found itself almost helpless against the nonviolent forms of with the fiend it battles. resistance that had developed in Soweto and elsewhere. Like war Peace is active, not passive. Professor Walter Wink, of Auburn Seminary New York, had visited South Africa in 1986 Peace is doing, not waiting. to conduct seminars on nonviolence for the Methodist Church. His book "Jesus’ Third Peace is aggressive, attacking. Way" was now entering the country quietly by post, later to be published by the Cape Peace plans its strategy and encircles the enemy. Town based Methodist Publishing House in 1988. In it Walter "identified non-violent Peace marshalls its forces and storms the gates. actions as labour strikes, slow-downs, sit-ins, work stoppages, stayaways, bus, consumer, Peace gathers its weapons and pierces the defences. rent and school boycotts, funeral demonstrations, non-cooperation with government Peace, like war, is waged. appointed functionaries, violation of government bans on peaceful meetings, defiance of (Source unknown) segregation orders on beaches, in theatres, hotels and restaurants and the shunning of black police and soldiers." (The Star – 4th August 87) News Letter April 1987 THE EFFECT OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY Wink found most black South Africans repelled by the term "non-violence" even though it Some dislocation has taken place between [our members] living in Soweto and those was non-violent methods that they were finding most effective against apartheid. outside. This is because, under the State of Emergency, Soweto is something of a war Meanwhile the WCC's Programme to Combat Racism organised a conference in Lusaka zone. It is controlled by Security Forces which do things that would normally lead to a between South African Churches and the liberation movements. Among other things, the public outcry. But the news of this is suppressed so that those outside can only know Lusaka Statement said: about it through word of mouth. For people in Soweto harassment has become so much a part of life that it is no longer "While remaining committed to peaceful change, we recognise that the nature of the South news to them. To hear gunfire and see youths chased and bundled into police vehicles African regime which wages war against its own inhabitants and neighbours compels the has become common-place. So no one reports these things at "News Time" during our (liberation) movements to the use of force along with others means to end oppression." services. Or some may be cautious to report them in public for fear of being picked up Our News Letter's comment was: when they get home. Other racially inclusive organisations in Johannesburg are also feeling this dislocation. And people are often confused by numerous rumours. This is the Just War doctrine applied in support of the liberation movements, as it has been applied for a long time by some churches in support of the Government and its Our Soweto home gatherings, which used to help outsiders understand Soweto issues, armed forces. The SACC National Conference in July adopted this Statement and has have faded out and the Sunday evening Bible Studies have not succeeded in replacing passed it on to its member churches which may also adopt it. Our civil war therefore them. So Sunday morning "News Time" has become more important. Some suggestions now has religious approval from both sides, and both sides use the term 'force' when were made at the AGM to improve the flow of news: they really mean violence. • Soweto residents are asked please to keep on telling the rest of the congregation One way or another change was coming and St Antony's purpose was to have its members what is happening, especially if they have seen or are experiencing it themselves; act as constructively as possible, while others were getting their heads into the sand or • If there is worry over being victimised, tell the minister your news before the service oiling their guns. As usual we dug deep into Scripture for guidance. and he will repeat it without giving names;

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"Will you be away this long weekend?" someone asked Paula Harris. Adele Kirsten "No!" she replied. "I want to hear what happens next to Jeremiah." Adele Kirsten, already mentioned in Chapter 20, was one of our activists who "waged News Letter June/July 1987 peace". She spent most of 1987 living somewhat "underground" because she was then the JEREMIAH AND THE END OF NATIONALISM. The book of Exodus describes the national secretary of the End Conscription Campaign. In the first 18 months of the State of beginnings of the nation of Israel. Last winter we looked at current South African Emergency 89 ECC members had been detained, one for as long as 11 months, and Adele aspirations of liberation in the light of that book. did not want her work interrupted. She was a member of St Antony's and came to services, but there was no address and no phone number where she could be found. (see Colour The prophecy of Jeremiah deals with the end of Israel's nationhood, and this winter we Plates p 13) will work through it, thinking of what we will do when the nationalism that currently dominates South Africa comes to its end. We first met Adele when she worked as a speech therapist at Baragwanath Hospital and joined the Conscientious Objectors' Support Group (COSG) set up to assist Richard Steele "We all know that white people these days are leaving South Africa" is how the first through 1980. Then she came to a series of Seminars on Non-Violence that I ran at Central sermon began, and referred to a car sticker that said: "Will the last person to leave the Methodist Church in 1981. country please switch off the lights?" The series connected Josiah's reform of 621 BC with the "repressive reform" that P W Botha was currently attempting, since both lacked a Adèle told Cosmopolitan Magazine in November 987: change of heart. It likened the "South African way of life" to the clay pot that Jeremiah I worked with People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) for several years. But my practical broke because, once hardened, clay cannot be moulded. involvement began through my church activities in the late 70s. I became aware of several young What has hardened the clay pot of Israel and of white South Africa turned out to be men who were conscientious objectors to military service and who were prepared to go to jail for their beliefs. I was impressed by their courage. I am a pacifist - opposed to all war - and was religion! The security provided by the Temple matched the white South African belief that grappling with the issues of nonviolent direct action as a force for change in South Africa. "God gave us this land". Jeremiah preaches against it and is arraigned for treason. The religious community of priests and prophets condemn him and it is the "secular" leaders of Archbishop Tutu's "Pilgrimage of Hope" had taken Adèle, and also David Sineke, to Israel the people who actually defend him. and Taize in 1980. Then she spent 1984 in Philadelphia, USA, on a work programme with the Mennonites, a historic "peace church", to be immersed in their nonviolence culture and His message is put on paper and the king bans it by burning it. Unlike my backing down belief. when the Christian Institute was banned, Jeremiah writes it out again. Well now, after ten years we are prepared to risk prosecution. While keeping a low profile through 1987, Adèle managed to leave the country and join Anita Kromberg at an international Conference on Feminism and Nonviolence in Ireland. We have beaten the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act and are now launching a non- racial Birth Register among the churches in order to beat the Race Classification process of Next she worked for the "Five Freedoms Forum". Later she married trade union activist the Population Registration Act. The risk of prosecution is not so high now because the Karl von Holdt and, for more adventure, in 1995 took on leadership of the Gun-Free South State is losing its nerve. Africa Campaign. As in the days of the ECC she found herself harassed and their office repeatedly vandalised. Adele was named by the US Rochester Institute as one of the And so the comparison went on. Jeremiah swings to a message of hope. He tells those who world's 100 heroines of 1998. have lost control of their future that hope actually lies with them if they will submit to God's judgment, a judgment that falls on all nationalisms, not just theirs. Even in prison I remember once, she had told Cosmopolitan, when stuck in rush hour traffic, looking at the serene (for advocating something akin conscientious objection to military service) Jeremiah buys face of the woman in the car beside me and envying the very ordinariness of her life as I imagined it. [But] that is not what I want my life to be. I think I would always be an activist. a piece of enemy-occupied real estate to put flesh onto his conviction that a worthwhile existence lies ahead. And he formulates the meaning of the New Covenant that Jesus will inaugurate on earth's darkest day. No need to switch off the lights.

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This event also shaped the future of St Antony's. In the country and in the churches the racial barriers were going down. St Thomas' Church 23 DEVELOPMENTS GALORE - 1988 in Doornfontein, a congregation of the black Lutheran component known as ELCSA, and under the leadership of American Tom Soëldner, had set out in 1985 to include whites in The revolution will not be televised, its membership. Since that time they and we had held several reciprocal joint services. In 'cause the script can't be memorised. almost any denomination a person really looking for fellowship across racial barriers could It's only you and me now find it, and we began to advise our members who had difficulty travelling to St and the folk next door; Antony's to find their way into one of these newly integrated congregations. So the scenes will have to be improvised Consequently also there were fewer new-comers to St Antony's and, for the first time in 14 'cause the revolution years, the Church Council had to tell the congregation that we were losing ground will not be televised. financially. That state of affairs did not last long. No pledge scheme or canvassing was Cairan O'Reilly necessary. A simple mid-year discussion helped us to see that "we had just got careless in our giving" and our offerings jumped 48%. It needed no further attention, but it was a 1 May 1988 signal that our mission was changing. The Rev. Peter Jackson was introduced to St George's today. St Antony's closed their With the induction of the Rev Seth Buttle to Mayfair Presbyterian Church their racial service in order to be present and so that I could give the "Charge" to the minister. integration began. "Six Days in Soweto", the dramatic video depicting what had happened What an occasion! A dream come true in a way I had not expected. in June 1976, was shown there to a meeting of about 25 people from our two Here was the church nearly full; people of all colours sitting packed together, the congregations and we drew a little closer. whites possibly still in the majority. Indians, Malawians, other blacks from Hillbrow, not St Antony's people only. Some of the whites and blacks, perhaps 20 or 30, were the hoboes that Peter has contacted on the streets. News Letter October 1988: THE FUTURE OF ST ANTONY'S The origin of this event went far back to the foundation of Hillbrow House in 1976. Its This is a pilgrim congregation. It likes to move forward. It carries no extra baggage. It first purpose was to gather Christians of all races ecumenically in that teeming suburb. can easily adapt. Brother Jeremy of the Community of the Resurrection was its first Director. Then it developed into providing a Night Shelter and a Day Care centre for drug addicts, alcoholics and homeless people. And with the collapse of the Group Areas Act racial Recently several new challenges have developed. integration in Hillbrow raced ahead. 1. We started with the aim of building a racially integrated congregation, with the It was here that Peter Jackson, himself a redeemed drug addict, found his ministry. In 1987 hope that other congregations of the Church would follow. Now two neighbouring he began work on the streets of Hillbrow, reaching the men and women who termed congregations find themselves in racially integrated suburbs, and have themselves themselves "outies" - out of a job, out of home, out of a family, out of money, food and begun to integrate. They are St George's in Hillbrow and Mayfair Presbyterian. clothing. Peter asked and was given the use of St George's building for an evening service After that marvelous Introduction service for Peter Jackson the question arises: for these outies. Aught we to go on in isolation when perhaps they could do with our support? 2. From just being racially integrated, we have moved on to helping our members to The Rev Jan van Vliet had left St George's at the end of October 1986, the dwindling and be socially relevant in their Christian witness in daily life. Ought we to be sharing ageing congregation finding it hard to meet his stipend. Peter was asked to serve them as these learnings with other congregations? an entity separate from his evening group, but he insisted on uniting the two jobs. And this Introduction service was the outcome. It marked the thorough racial integration of 3. In 1989, from May to September, Rob and Gert Robertson will be on long leave and Johannesburg's central Presbyterian congregation. when they get back Rob has just two years to go to retirement. If we don't join forces with another congregation we will soon be looking for another minister. This

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also should be a move forward -not just a replacement. We should then seek the In a 1998 application to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for amnesty Adriaan kind of ministry that helps us, for example, in discovering new styles of worship. Vlok, former Minister of Police, says that Mr P W Botha, then Prime Minister, told him to 4. Are there other options to consider? Have we perhaps all learned enough to be do something to make the Khotso House headquarters of the SACC unusable. So early on able to disperse and influence many other congregations which we might join -and Wednesday 31st August Eugene de Kock and other Vlakplaas policemen cut through from which some of us came? basement bars and planted 50 kg of explosive outside the basement lift doors. In his book (A Long Night’s Damage), de Kock says the operation, done with military precision, took Meanwhile across the nation the State of Emergency, extended annually on 12th June, only four minutes. The bomb exploded about one a.m. and the blast travelled up the lift continued with its ruthlessness. In February the government effectively banned 17 shaft devastating every floor. Eventually the building had to be demolished. antiapartheid groups, including the United Democratic Front and the Detainees' Parents Support Committee in which several of our members were involved. Church leaders, who "They've hit Khotso House" said Tom Manthata on the phone from Soweto a few minutes had been arrested while marching in protest to Parliament in Cape Town, concluded that after the blast. "Could you get there and see what has happened?" I arrived before the area they had to become the voice of the voiceless. (see Colour Plates p 15) was cordoned off and firemen were dowsing a few flames. To me it looked as if the bomb had been placed at the main doorway but I hurriedly ended my inspection when a whole Christian activists in many denominations, having read Jesus' Third Way, wanted its window frame fell from above onto the pavement next to me. SACC President Peter author, Prof Walter Wink, back in the country to help us understand how to engage the Storey and I went up to the hospital to see an injured SACC watchman and then I relayed Powers. Walter's thesis is that the social, economic and political structures of our time and the news to Tom. Accustomed to our own windows being smashed, I soon got off to sleep. the various spiritual forces that they embody are what the New Testament terms "principalities and powers". Engaging the Powers is the title of his third book on the That very day I was on duty at Khotso House. Came daylight I took a broom and subject and is subtitled "Discernment and Resistance in a world of Domination". Just the handbrush to clean up my office and get down to work, not realising how severe the blast help we needed. had been. The Star news reporter caught a picture of this old fool carrying his broom along the opposite pavement! Because his Jesus' Third Way with its advocacy of civil disobedience had earned him a visa refusal, we had to hold his workshop in Lesotho. Christians in key positions in the churches left this workshop with new courage, able to see that the Powers could not be beaten at their own game of violent oppression but only by the nonviolence of Jesus. After notifying the Department of Home Affairs of my intention, I then drove Wink in from Lesotho along one of the Transkei's many uncontrolled roads. The next day he preached at St Antony's. He was accompanied by the Rev Richard Deats, a USA Methodist minister who had played a leading role in training the non-violent activists who overthrew the Marcos regime in the Philipines in 1986. Unlike Wink, Richard had been granted a visa. Together they attended the Convocation of Churches, called in response to the February bannings referred to above. It was held in St George's Church, and launched the churches' "Standing for the Truth" campaign. (see Colour Plates p 13) Walter explained to us that the Powers always try to disguise themselves as genteel, but when their day is nearly over the mask drops and their brutality comes to the fore. We should take courage. It will not be long now. "Long live the day that is dawning!" Some of that brutality took the form of political assassinations. And the buildings of organisations opposing apartheid were bombed.

“The old man with the broom”, The Star, 31st August 1988

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Fiona Semple missed the bomb by about 45 minutes. Steve Tshwete, sitting next to me, took my arm and pumped it warmly up and down. Jane Dlamini, homesick for Soweto, wanted to be the first! But Thabo Mbeki cautiously over- I had taken a friend to Khotso House to fetch his car from the basement and we were just home in Brixton having a cup of tea when we heard a bomb blast in the distance. In themorning, on hearing ruled their enthusiasm. The unbanning was left for President F W de Klerk to do. what had happened and seeing the destruction caused, I wept - realising what could have happened The rent boycott in Soweto was two years old by now and no one could stop it. These were to us if we'd been a bit later in fetching the car! the days of what John Kane-Berman describes as South Africa's Silent Revolution (SA Later that year, and into 1989, Fiona faced other tests. Institute of Race Relations 1990). He pointed out that it was mainly the work of ordinary people rather than political elites. In the fifteen years since June 16th 1976 South Africa After Stompie Sepei was killed I shared my home in Brixton to give refuge to eight extra people. These included the young men who had lived with Stompie and who were abducted from the had witnessed disobedience on a massive scale, in which ordinary people were creating Orlando Methodist Manse to Winnie Mandela's house. These were extremely tense and difficult new legal rights, and government no longer attempted to stop but only to limit changes. times in a white neighbourhood still embracing apartheid. The refugees must not even be seen in There was an "ideological breakdown in the corridors of power". Changes had become the garden. No TV in the house, suddenly many mouths to feed, one bathroom and fortunately a irreversible and the revolution was unstoppable. compendium of games. My neighbours snubbed me, stones landed on my roof, and some of my family thought I was crazy. All this time interesting things were happening in our building. Each Sunday I would feel affirmed, encouraged and supported by the St Antony's community as I News Letter September 1988 shared the difficulties and concerns I was experiencing. On 17th July the church was packed for a vigil for David Bruce [a conscientious Two of these fugitive youths also briefly stayed in the manse. One was Sibusiso Chili, objector] before he went on trial facing six years imprisonment. Those present, several later convicted of killing Maxwell Madondo, a member of the notorious Mandela United of whom were Jewish, remarked on the homely atmosphere. Then on 26th July, when Football Club. Then Sibusiso's mother Dudu sheltered with us for six weeks after members somebody threw teargas into an ACTSTOP meeting at the Mayfair Recreation Hall in of the Football Club made a revenge attack on her home with AK-47s and petrol bombs, 9th Avenue, we moved to St Antony's and again were packed in to hear Geoff killing her 13-year-old niece, Finkie Msomi. Dudu later gave evidence of all this to the Budlender speak about the three new Bills dealing with Group Areas. Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the presence of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. News Letter October 1988. SAVE PAGEVIEW Vusi Khanyile was still in detention, but had been moved to Diepkloof prison. He and Sixty-seven Indian families still live in Pageview. For seven years they have put up a others developed various ailments while there and were taken, handcuffed, to the legal battle to prevent their being forced out. There is now a deadline for them to Johannesburg Hospital where they insisted on being un-cuffed before they would see accept alternative accommodation in Octavia Hills Flats, Fordsburg. If the Group doctors or receive treatment. Fiona Semple worked there as a physiotherapist and slipped Areas Amendment Bill becomes law they may have no more legal grounds for refusing them tape recorded music to relieve their boredom. Then one day in September, when to move and could then be evicted without delay. another physio wasn't paying much attention, Vusi, Murphy Morobe and Valli Moosa ambled out and took up residence in the US Consulate. After about a month there, they Many of these families believe it is their moral right to stay where they are, and to simply walked free, the State not having the nerve to re-detain them. resist a racial law that discriminates against them. They are willing to improve their buildings. On Monday 24th October our church building was full to capacity for a Later that year the Rev Doug Muller arranged for a small group of Presbyterian ministers public meeting to support them in their intention not to move. (see Colour Plates p 15) to meet some Executive members of the ANC and the PAC in Harare on the subject of And these sixty-seven families eventually won through. army chaplains. At one point in the discussions I put together the experience of bringing Wink illegally into the country and the boldness of Vusi and his friends and suggested how Another victory was also on its way in the countryside at Mogopa. the ANC could hasten its own unbanning. "Choose two or three leading members. I will bring them into the country as with Wink and arrange for them to stay as guests of Gert doesn't often write to the papers but The Star in 1987 had her as saying: prominent church leaders, such as bishops, until they feel safe to leave that protection." Reading the recent report in The Star on the Mogopa community reminded me of the callous way in which they were removed from their land in February 1984.

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I knew one of the families there and had visited their well-built brick home and seen the fertile land and abundant water which made the area self-sufficient. This is the fourth cold winter that 24. TURNING DREAMS INTO DEEDS this family has spent at Bethanie in a shack made from the roofing iron of their old home. The Appeal Court declared in September 1985 that the removal from Mogopa had been illegal. 1989 Surely the honourable thing for the Government to do now is to restore the land tothe community instead of harassing them further? Dear Master, in whose life I see Though what I dream and what I do Late that year a section of the Mogopa people vowed to process back en masse and reclaim All that I would, but fail to be, In my weak days are always two, their land by simply occupying it. But Government managed to deflect them by talking Let Thy clear light forever shine Help me, oppressed by things undone, about an alternative site. To shame and guide this life of mine. O thou, whose deeds and dreams were one! Then the people used another tactic; the duty of caring for their old graveyard. Among the first to camp there to tend the graves was Pauline Kraai's father, Jeremiah More (see John Hunter Colour Plates p 14). By 1989 they had rebuilt some homes. The next year we held a simple With these changes, for which we also worked, came a time of pain and hard decisions service in Jeremiah's wood and iron structure and handed over the Communion set that St regarding St Antony's future. We had to choose between keeping a small supportive Antony's had used through its 16 years. fellowship going while it slowly tailed off, or taking a plunge into the mainstream of In 1992 the people were granted full title to Zwartrand, one of the two farms from which traditional denominational life and the city centre in the hope that we would survive and they had been evicted, while the other, Hartebeeslaagte, remained the property of the State. contribute something.

20 November 1988 The congregation met for two hours today to air its views on the future of St Ant's. The Church Council and I reported fully on our meetings with Mayfair and St George's Sessions and my contact with Diepkloof's Ndoda Mbuyisa and his Session. We explained the process and difficulties of getting another minister and of running lay- house-church outfits. Then tea. Time for discussion. After tea we took an opinion poll of how the 30 members present felt about the options. Nobody wants to go to Mayfair, and only three want a connection with Diepkloof, even if these were the only options. But 23 want to go to St George's and three others would go with them just to keep the fellowship. Seventeen were for another minister if we did not achieve a union. For three it would depend on the minister. Three would go elsewhere and six were undecided. Many more, ten, were undecided about the house church/lay ministry idea. So it is very clear that we first attempt a union with St George's, and they are the most likely to accept and to adopt United Congregational/Presbyterian status. Gert and I came home very relieved. The way ahead seems clear. The job has been accomplished. The only thing that worries me a little is that, as Paul Jenkins said, "St Ant's is a refuge

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for Christian activists who make incredible commitments in the world. They don't need And the Session and Church Council held joint monthly meetings and put out a combined to spend any time keeping the congregation going because Rob does all that. They just News Letter. come and get refreshed. Can we expect or create the same thing at St George's?" Six years earlier the Presbytery had pushed through the sale of the Meikle Street building I thought that St Antony's activists could do it. in City & Suburban where St Martin's, a black congregation, was centered. The St George's itself was going through traumatic changes, and more were to come. From a congregation was renamed St. Patrick's (Diepkloof) and the section of their far-flung membership of more than 700 in the early 1970s they were now less than 200. The sale of membership that had worshipped in Meikle Street moved in to St George's building, using their four-floor castle-like building was at one stage seriously considered due to its cost of it on Sunday afternoons. upkeep. The elderly white congregation then faced the dramatic changes in Hillbrow's Now for good measure Peter Jackson decided to pull in this group of about a hundred population and ethos and many felt unsafe on the streets. Evening services were Presbyterians. abandoned, to be replaced by Peter Jackson's soup kitchen and services for "outies". They got an ultimatum: We can't have a segregated group of black Presbyterians using the Then came the integration described above. Long-standing members moved off and elders building of what is now an integrated congregation. Unite with St George's when the union left the Session. Their brave and capable Session Clerk, Bill Stewart, stayed at the helm with St Antony's takes place, or find another place to meet! So they also later came in on through it all, having begun as Clerk in 1954. Bill also had an impressive career as a the trial period. teacher. For 30 years he was Principal of Bedfordview Primary School. He had been President of the Transvaal Teachers' Association and President of the Southern Transvaal Football Association. And he had won Springbok colours as a soccer referee. Jimmy News Letter April 1989 FIRST COMBINED SERVICE Anderson was their Treasurer, and he and Bill Stewart had been in at the very start of St Antony's. They would be in at the final scene also. There were almost 200 people at this service at St George's on 2nd April. St Antony's were there no longer as visitors but as partners in a search for unity. We proposed a union with St George's in these terms: (News Letter February 1989) The Moderator of the PCSA, the Rt Rev Dr Michael Moore, [who had been the first to 1. that our two memberships be united and that our Church Council unites with their encourage us as we started in 1975] gave the sermon and showed us that what Session; happened in the resurrection of Jesus actually dealt with the personal fears of Mary Magdalene and with the social fears of the disciples who were behind locked doors for 2. that this will form a united Presbyterian/Congregational church named "St George's fear of the authorities. He connected this with our personal times of depression and United Church"; with fears we may have of developments in our own congregations or in the society 3. that the Rev Peter Jackson will be minister of the united congregation; and around us. 4. that after union all services will be held in St George's building. Here is how Michael described it in Presbyterian Life of May 1989: My tour opened with a service at which St George's and St Antony's came together in worship to Gert and I were due long leave again in 1989. We chose the five months from May to explore a possible merger. For fifteen years St Antony's has been our only congregation with a September for a Northern Hemisphere holiday, including long-dreamed-of travel on the racial mixture reflecting our South African society. St George's is situated in Hillbrow, and has for Trans-Siberian Railway. It was the ideal opportunity for a trial run with St George's and over a year been bravely opening itself to make this seething cosmopolitan area its parish. their new minister prior to a final decision on union. So the service included their core of loyal Presbyterians many of whom are now quite old. Also Peter Jackson was appointed Interim Moderator of St Antony's for the period I was away. present was their Sunday School which is predominantly from the "Twilight Children" care centre (see Colour Plates p 15) The first Sunday of each month the two congregations combined for black street children. They also care for the "outies" on the streets of Hillbrow, and for rehabilitated alcoholics from a nearby centre. All these were represented in the congregation for a Communion Service at St George's. Peter conducted another service at St Antony's together with new members of all races from Hillbrow. Members of the Evangelical Presbyterian per month, and visiting preachers or our own lay preachers did the rest. Church (Swiss Mission) had also been invited. With all this it will need a divinely inspired vision, much hard work, and the prayers of us all, if this group can meld together as a loving "people of God".

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On Saturday 22nd April, just 20 days later, St George's took what was for them the bold This union with St George's may not be your future, but find out. Be there at the shared step of allowing the use of their hall by the Detainees' Support Group for a party to raise events. Pray about it. Prayer is dreaming in the presence of God. Let your dreams and your funds for clothing. Dr David Webster, Wits Lecturer in Social Studies, was in charge and it faith get together and produce deeds." was known that the police would monitor the meeting. Nine days later Dr David Webster The trial period was just that - a testing time! St George's people were slow to come to was assassinated by policeman Ferdie Barnard outside his Troyeville home. services at St Antony's even when Peter was preaching. St Antony's people found it "Faith is the turning of dreams into deeds" is how Clarence Jordan renders Hebrews 11:1 exhausting to relate to a huge building and the settled patterns of St George's. But they also in his Cottonpatch translation. It was on my Bible bookmark all through these years and I slowly clicked at the Ascension Day picnic, the Bible studies and in the joint Session looked at it almost every day. It had to be the text on our last Sunday, 23rd April, before meetings. "We need to remember," said one of them, "that an Identity is not something leaving the congregation to experiment with its future. absolute. We should recognise the internal conflict that is brought about by the differences between our members. This should be kept in mind if we are to unite". "Some folks have lovely dreams and that's all, no faith. Others will tell you about their faith and yet they just muddle through life because they have no dreams. Put the two By now St George's had a team ministry made up of the Rev Rod Adamson (PCSA) and together. the Rev Vernon Openshaw (UCCSA), both employed outside the church, along with Peter Jackson. Joseph had dreams, but also the faith to see him through slavery and prison until the dreams became deeds that saved the land of Egypt and his own family. And David and Evelyn Sineke were living in St Antony's manse with their two children and a helper, as usual ignoring Group Areas prohibitions. One of the most famous pieces of oratory of our time is the dream that Martin Luther King had, because his faith turned it into deeds. Then in June 52 persons were evicted from a block of flats in Berea and sheltered temporarily in St George's Hall, sleeping on the floor. This was the beginning of that Hebrews 11 lists the dreams and the deeds of the heroes of faith, and takes us on to the congregation's work with the homeless which would develop significantly under the later greatest of all. Jesus dreamed. "The joy set before him" was his dream. Faith took him ministry of Diane Wicks. For everyone there was a growing awareness of social needs through Calvary to become the Pioneer and Perfector of faith. around St George's and also in Soweto. This congregation is a dream turned into a deed. Some of us dreamed of a church without Probably the most profound thinker in St Antony's membership was Richard Welch. He inhibitions where one could be oneself and even interrupt the minister in his sermon. You wrote to us on how the trial period was developing. Fezi and Janneke had advised him not did it. Some dreamed of the new South Africa, united and free. You did it here. As long as to send the letter. Ten years have passed and I hope no one will be offended if I record 25 years ago I dreamed of a congregation facing outwards, not inwards. Your faith made it some of his wise observations at the time. a deed in reality. The greatest thing St Antony's people fear about union is the collapse of the network of support Last month the Moderators, mostly moderate or even conservative ministers, of the twelve that they have built up. This, in itself, is not enough reason to keep St Antony's going as a unit. Presbyteries of the PCSA got together and asked themselves what were the most Without a vision the network itself will go sterile. significant things that have happened in the PCSA in the past 15 years. First they put the St George's itself has a lot of problems which I think St Antony's people are afraid of. Charismatic movement, and amazingly these conservative leaders put civil disobedience second. Those were deeds that began in this congregation. 1. A sizeable group of St Antony's are people for whom the conventional church service is either very boring or actually disturbing (- it arouses old childhood guilts and fears which put them Now we go into an experiment that could shape our whole future - yours more than mine, off religion, if not off God). because I'm near the end of my future! We are seeking a shared vision for this city. St 2. The building is gloomy and expensive and does not lend itself to communication between Antony's in this small place has been like a sheltered, watered pot plant. Can we take a members. transplant into the hard soil and scorching sun of the central city and carry our values with us? 3. Peter is overworked and his work with the outies is detached from the life of the congregation, so not much energy can go into creating a united church. He has a difficult relationship with the Session and there is not much communication between them and him.

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4. Beyond the core Session, Peter is sceptical about attenders (old and new) who, he feels, are a existence of black and white in the congregation, and how many members took an active passing group. Hillbrow residents are impermanent. part in the service. Coming from one high level conflict area to another, Terry concluded 5. Peter has a very high sense of mission, a vision and a dream for St George's, but in Fezi's from his observations at St Antony's that the South African problem would be resolved words, he is a lone ranger who does not really communicate this to the congregation or have long before the Israeli/Arab one. much idea of some corporate vision coming from the members themselves. The joint events with St George’s continued. 6. Session meetings are bogged down with the mechanics of the church and are not vehicles for exploring and developing the ministry of a united congregation. 7. Older black members of St Antony's do not have the resilience to put up with white patronage. News Letter November 1989. As Humphrey Job put it "being tapped on the shell and told it's OK, you can come out now and talk". It was a hot day for the combined braai. After a good meal and much fellowship we each took home some of the tar from the hot roof of St George's on our shoes! One way of sticking together! There were about 35 folk from St George's and 20 from St Of the people that Richard considered to be regular attenders at St Antony's, he reckoned Antony's present. at least 40% will leave the congregation at union. 20% will join unconditionally and another 20% if certain conditions are met. The remainder may be prevailed upon to come into the union. 12 November 1989 After seven months of co-operation with St George's the congregation met to discuss The differences between the two congregations in style of worship and of decision-making how it had gone. Twenty-two members, two associates and four visitors were present. A remained stark, and difficult to reconcile. People steeped in the traditions of St George's few pleaded unreservedly for the union. Several voiced problems, Janneke Weidema at must have found it equally difficult to relate to these independent-minded activists. some length. Our other option had been Mayfair Presbyterian Church with which we had a friendly but Eventually Paul Jenkins told how his job as a lawyer required that he screen out "keep-your-distance" relationship. At least their building was small! Their neighbourhood people's emotions and help them to see the real choices they actually had. We'd looked was also changing, becoming predominantly Indian. In October 1989, when Seth Buttle at the other options without any enthusiasm. By the end of the meeting it was clear that took a call to St Andrew's Germiston, they had met to consider their future. Some wanted we either unite with St George's or disperse and close St Antony's. to rebuild elsewhere, the majority favoured a link-up with St John's Turffontein, and only one person voted to accept the Indian minister offered by the Ministry Committee. A union For St George's the year ended with an upheaval over the Remembrance Day Parade. St there would also have been a struggle. George's had been the chapel of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment since the beginning of the century and their colours and memorabilia hung on the walls of the church. Peter and Seven years later Mayfair celebrated their centenary, and an Indian minister, Calvin Naidu, Rod Adamson decided to send to them in advance a statement adopted by the Presbyterian was in charge with faithful Willie Jacobs still Session Clerk and Organist. General Assembly on the basis of the Just War doctrine the previous year: Gert and I returned to South Africa late September 1989 having seen the beginning of the The General Assembly of the PCSA declares the actions of all the parties to the South end of the USSR - which would mitigate the South African government's fears of African civil war currently being waged.... to be unjust and wrong. The Assembly calls Communism - and having watched on BBC Television that decisive march in the streets of on all Presbyterians.... to withdraw from or refuse such participation, or to exercise Cape Town when the Mayor joined in and President F W de Klerk had to legalise it. In non-violent alternatives available as a matter of urgent Christian witness. Johannesburg swimming pools and hospitals were being desegregated. Things were certainly moving. The subsequent explosion wiped out that year's Remembrance Day parade, broke the relationship between St George's and the Transvaal Scottish Regiment and led to their Jane Auld was briefly a member of St Antony's in 1977. From a theatre career she turned colours being moved to their regimental headquarters. to journalism and married Terry Plantinga while the two of them were covering the Intafada uprising in Israel. She had brought Terry on his first Sunday in South Africa to St As the year closed Dorcas Sekhukhune died in Baragwanath Hospital aged 60. What St Antony's in January 1990. Reporters are observant. He saw the easy and natural co- Antony's owed to her cannot be measured for she lived, through trouble and pain, by a 174 175 St Anthony’s Activists Turning Dreams Into Deeds - 1989 clear strong faith and helped to set the tone of the congregation right from the start. In addition to her own family she cared for all her neighbours in Mapetla. She was on the Church Council but also humbly cleaned the church every week for nearly 15 years. We never once saw her downcast or without a smile.

The Culmination

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25. CARRYING THE CROSS - 1990

News Letter December 1988 Of those who sought my crib at Bethlehem Heeding a voice and following a star, How many walked with me to Calvary? It was too far! It may be too far for weak human nature. Nobody wants to be crucified. But now we are not living on that side of the Crucifixion. We are living on this side, the Resurrection side, the Pentecost side. We have the presence of the Risen Christ and the Spirit of God to transform our human nature and our human situations. That's why he came to Bethlehem; it was the idea in the first place. Why did St Antony's start up in 1975? Because something in Johannesburg's churches needed changing. All Presbyterian congregations were then racially segregated, and so were most other denominations. These segregated congregations largely lacked a social understanding of their faith -it was just a personal matter "between me and God" and were unprepared for the social changes coming to South Africa. The Presbytery of Johannesburg (as it then was) set up St Antony's "as an interim measure". They agreed that "should such a congregation prove effective it would be desirable that its work be linked or eventually merge with one of our city churches". That was the idea in the first place. Now that we have come to considering this merging it scares us a bit. Are we going to lose our freedom to think and speak and act? Will we lose our "identity" (that favourite South African possession)? Can we carry forward the good things we think we've developed, or will they be lost? When we feel this way we need to remember the mission of our Risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not operating on the mere strength of human nature. We are considering how to obey the One who said: "Go into all the world ... and I am with you always." Even crucifixion is not the end. Keep faith. Once in the history of men That which was dead and buried rose again. That is how we had seen the future of St Antony's from afar. Now it was upon us.

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13 January 1990 abstentions in favour of union with St Antony's. We sang: "And they'll know we are Joint meeting of Session and Church Council this afternoon at our manse. It went well, Christians by our love". in a good spirit. In the course of the meeting St George's elders were asked to After a few words of mourning for St Antony's, the Rev Nigel Uden, observing for the recommend on (1) becoming a Congregational/Presbyterian outfit, and (2) uniting with UCCSA Region, told hopefully how a congregation in the United Kingdom coped with St Antony's. We recused ourselves so that they were free to speak and vote - and they the hurt of uniting and gave us a Benediction at one p.m. were unanimously in favour of both propositions. Their congregation is likely to Just five days later in Parliament Mr F W de Klerk, to the surprise of most observers, follow. That puts the ball clearly in St Antony's court. announced the huge turning-point that would bring the country to a shared future without a The homework had been done. Laboriously a Constitution for the United congregation had violent revolution. To me this confirmed that we had made the right decision about ending been worked out and approved by the Presbytery and the Regional Council. We set the St Antony's separate existence. stage for decision and the dates proved important. Carrying no extra baggage, it was not difficult to wind up St Antony's affairs and On Sunday 21st January after morning service the two congregations had tea together in St possessions. More important was the two months of "mourning" that enabled our spirits to George's Hall and discussed a common vision for the united church. There were about 100 be at peace with the spirit of St Antony's as the name vanished into history. present, 35 St George's members, 25 St Antony's, 10 "outies" and the rest visitors and John Welch for one did not find it easy. In the last "participation service", on our 15th people from the Usindiso night shelter. Ten groups discussed four topics for 40 minutes anniversary, this was his contribution: and then shared their findings on: It may surprise you to know that St Antony was Portuguese. He was born at Lisbon in 1195 of a • our role as a congregation in this city noble family. He joined the Franciscan Order in 1220 hoping to preach to the Saracens and be • our ministry in the immediate vicinity of the church martyred. Instead he taught theology and won a great reputation as a preacher in Italy. He died at the age of 36 on his way to the university town of Padua where he is buried. Like St Thomas of • our congregational worship Aquinas he was a doctor of the church, that is, a man of considerable scholarship and learning. • the rest of our congregational life. St George, on the other hand, is a myth probably based on the legend of Perseus and Andromeda. I think there is a lesson in this. It was the kind of open sharing that St Antony's had been longing for, though in some groups St George's people got a fright at the "political" awareness of the St Antonians. On St George's Day, 22nd April, starting from this myth, I still managed a sermon at St Next Sunday was set for the decision, to be taken simultaneously in our separate places so George's on non-violent resistance under the title "The Relentless Firmness of the Saints"! that one did not influence the other. The decision required a 75% majority on both sides. Margaret Vuso too remembers how difficult it was to accept "the scattering of St Antony's 28 January 1990 members". Just 38 out of the 52 members stayed in for the union, and some of these did not survive long. Others took transfer certificates and found new homes. Associate This morning I felt very relaxed - having done all I can to promote the union. Richard membership was not carried over into the union. Welch, who has worked the hardest on the union, without (until last week) feeling committed to it, is in hospital for an operation. Julien Oettlé, Senior Lecturer in Surgery at Helen Joseph Hospital, later wrote to say: “It After service I introduced the subjects for decision and we had tea. Discussion opened has been difficult to fill the gap which the passing of St Antony’s has left; we had an with Janneke Weidema saying she had been against and had changed her mind, experience of truth which was quite unusual.” especially in view of last week's discussion. That just about settled it. Others followed. The last service at St Antony's church was on Sunday 25th March and the text was Acts Nobody spoke against. The vote was by secret ballot. 28 for, one against, and one spoilt 14:26 "[Paul and Barnabas] sailed back to Antioch, the place where they had been paper which said "Yes, with reservations". commended to the care of God's grace for the work they had now completed.” Then Jimmy Hutton [husband of Gisela and an elder at St George's where Gisela had

also previously belonged] came in to report that St George's had voted 47 to one for becoming a United Congregational/Presbyterian Church, and 37 to 9 with 2

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The Uniting Service The diversity of this wide-spread congregation created immense problems. Standard church processes had to be reorganised. We set up pastoral districts, as in the Presbyterian "It is not often that one gets an opportunity authentically to carry a cross through city system, so that people in these districts - white and black, servants and employees - could streets" said Richard Welch as we walked together through Braamfontein for the uniting get to know each other, and also know what was happening in the city centre. I made a service on 1st April 1990. (see Colour Plates p 16) point of visiting every one of the 250 or so members in that six months. Twenty members and a few others met at the building that had served us so well, wrote News Letter August 1990 their names on the pin boards on the walls, and then walked the three kilometres to St George's. We took turns to carry the wooden cross that would henceforth hang in the small Most of our members are isolated people, domestic workers, widows, pensioners, chapel in St George's. I wondered whether we were going to our own crucifixion. loners. We have very few families. Only one in every five of our homes has more than one member. At the Railway Station Gardens we sat and rested until an equal number from St George's All our members need to know what the congregation is doing in its central "parish" arrived to meet us, greet us and escort us to the church. (see Colour Plates p 16) Together area. We are offering the usual church services and keeping in touch with members. In we processed into the packed building, Humphrey Job at this stage carrying the cross, for a addition our minister, Peter Jackson, heads a remarkable outreach effort. It is directed Communion service and the signing of the Constitution of the United Church. Dr. Alan to the "outies", to drug addicts, to the gay community and to street children; in other Maker preached the sermon. And the two murals from St Antony's were on the panelling words to the rejected or broken people of our city in its Hillbrow "jungle". of the back wall of the church. His aim, and the aim of the few so far working with him, is to help these people find The Evangelical Presbyterian Church and the Ethiopian groups that met in the building what salvation through Christ really means. It doesn't mean they must be well-dressed, joined in for this occasion. The St Patrick's preaching station group had the week previous have a house, car or job before they can be Christians and find a place in the church. It voted to join St George's. So there were mostly black faces present, perhaps 80%, like the does mean that we will "walk where they are" helping them to belong to the Christian South African population. fellowship and feel at home in it so that they discover that their personhood has not At the end we sang "Jabulani Afrika" to electric guitars. A great finale! been lost... This is happening in our evening services. Be sure you attend sometimes. Several social service activities were already in place: News Letter May 1990 What a remarkable congregation is developing here! In addition to all sorts of South Soup kitchens in conjunction with services Africans, we have worshipping with us people from Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi, A Pensioners' Shop from Nigeria and Ghana, from Argentina and Korea. We not only represent this city Rehabilitative work amongst the destitute and street people but are beginning to represent the world. In Jesus Christ we are well ahead of the social and political developments in the country. A counselling service for drug addicts I had committed myself to serve the united congregation for six months alongside Peter A ministry to children from broken homes, or without homes. Jackson and his team. My desire was to help people get acquainted and working together, Social and study groups meeting for fellowship irrespective of class, colour or even and then get out of the way. creed. There were more than enough ministerial persons at St George's by this time. Annelize van In view of the education crisis, Rod Adamson was organising a non-profit-making school der Ryst, a TV personality famous as the Matron in "Dokter, Dokter", had been studying for Standards 2 to 7 in the premises. The school was one of the greatest innovations for St Theology with UNISA. She first preached at St Antony's in 1986 and was now completing George’s and ran through the years of educational transition until 1998. her studies under the guidance of Peter Jackson. Eventually she entered the ministry of the UCCSA. The Rev Mandla Hlongwane, employed in the PCSA Assembly Offices, and his Mandla Hlongwane ran a retreat to help the Church Council members find and understand wife Thelma had also joined the United congregation. one another. An offering scheme that everyone could understand was needed, merging three traditions into one as we had done at St Antony’s.

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This is how I recorded my feelings frankly after four months of struggle. Richard Welch joined the Yeoville ANC branch and got into campaigning for domestic workers’ rights and secure tenure of servant's rooftop rooms. He employed methods 17 August 1990 learned from a long association with The Grail, and particularly under the tutelage of Ann St George's is one big mess, but still a challenge. 250 members, half of them black, and Moore, and used St Antony's experience for negotiating with landlords. One most I'll visit them all before the end of September. Peter Jackson is a law unto himself, successful action involved driving a group of threatened tenants in two kombis one Sunday presently away for weeks rescuing a lass from Satanists. Richard Welch and Fezi Vuso morning to a landlord's house in the wealthy suburbs. Having warned him they were have resigned from the Church Council, Angie no longer tries to attend and Humphrey coming, they sang outside his gate until he let them in. He then negotiatied some security Job has cancer. For all that, we've made some progress. Bill Stewart wants me to stay of tenure and withdrew the eviction they were expecting. on and do the pastoral work. I'm a bit tired of it. Two years on (2nd February 1992) Melody Welch told us of a dream Richard had had. By the end of September I had agreed to serve the Congregational Church in Observatory, Cape Town, on a half-time basis in 1991. It suited me to slow down prior to retirement A whole group of dejected and timid-looking St Antony’s people were standing around outside St three years later. Then came another knock. Mary’s Cathedral in town waiting for something to do. But we couldn’t get into the church and somebody came out and told us to move off. So we walked to the Jeppe Street Post Office and stood around outside there. Inside people were making preparations for a party and they wouldn’t let us in. You [Rob] arrived wearing a very expensive worldly suit and a Mafia type hat. You 25 November 1990 hadn’t come to join us but to buy some cigarettes from a kiosk near the entrance to the post office. Eventually we persuaded you to join us and we all held hands and sang St Antony’s songs. This morning Peter Jackson intimated to the congregation that he is considering a Call to St Margaret's on the Bluff, Durban, and that if it happens he will leave St George's I think it’s an interesting dream. Maybe St Antony’s people don’t fit in anywhere neither into the about the 1st March. church nor the world. 30 December 1990. (Sunday) Quite correct, Melody! We had no intention of fitting in where we saw a need for change, where we hoped for something better, where action was called for. St George's said goodbye to us after the morning service. Peter Jackson is leaving for Brighton Beach on the 19th February. So St George’s move into an uncertain future. I Melody first took her organising and media skills into IDASA. There she and Marianne have wondered whether I should have stayed, but think I would not have the drive now Hoelscher set up "Jo'burg City - Whose City?", an oral history research project and to control that huge building and to coach that congregation. I just hope it survives photographic exhibition which recorded some of the history we had lived through in with someone else's leadership. Pageview and Mayfair and the victories of ACTSTOP. Then she went on to the daunting Of course it survived, but not many from St Antony's chose it as their long-term home. job of co-ordinating the seven working groups that made up the miracle of CODESA and Most concluded that it was not worth the huge effort required to maintain the physical and the country's Interim Constitution. She endured agonies at the moral short-comings and organisational structure of the united church. They were so much involved in the world. political horse-trading of the politicians and we all owe her a debt. Long-standing members of St George's also moved on. But new leaders emerged. By the end of 1991 Vernon Openshaw had been called as full- Towards the end of 1993 Bill Stewart told us of subsequent developments: time minister, and was still there in 1998. The Rev Diane Wicks, a graduate of Union Theological Seminary, New York, had joined the team while continuing her full-time work St Antony’s was known to me. It was of interest to me; but my blinkers kept my eyes on St George’s, and the truly multi-racial, open developments came into my vision when you entered. for the National Co-ordinating Committee for Repatriation. Shortly Diane’s energy had launched a programme for the homeless who slept in the nearby Johannesburg Station. Now St George’s United has a few whites, and a wide range of others, mainly blacks with a strong variable attendance from Malawi. The ministry itself is different. Our probationer, Annelize van In the turbulent years between 1990 and the 1994 general election several past members of der Ryst, is a coming minister with great ability. Vernon Openshaw is a Congregational preacher St Antony’s such as Rob Thomson, Janneke Weidema and Verena Kennerknecht found with a different approach from the Gardiner, Liddell, Paterson mould. With them is the American, themselves in Peace Action which was set up to meet the violence between group interests. Rev Diane Wicks, devoting her major energy and time to the outreach work so necessary. Rev They and others appeared on TV, three of them in one evening on different programmes. Rod Adamson has filled every available corner of our building with his school - outstanding work - and giving his contribution to the dreadful problem of reliable education for blacks, who are

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seeking desperately for places that can be relied on to educate their children. Our choir has more Youth groups in Pimville, Soweto, and then appeared making helpful TV shows black ladies than white. to introduce the "new South Africa". Readers have heard of Homeless Talk and its Cape Town counterpart The Big Issue. • Tony Harding, journalist turned teacher who set up self-help student groups in Homeless Talk began with Diane Wicks and St George’s. Let her describe her ministry, the rural areas, first at Ramathlabama and then at Jane Furse in Mpumalanga, to shared also in part by Fiona Semple (Congregational Chronicle, August 1993). bridge the gap between urban and rural education opportunities. He now works We have a developing community outreach programme which serves the homeless and jobless for the Land Claims Commission. people of the neighbourhood. We serve a hot meal on Friday evenings with a short devotion • Sally McKibbin, who set out with a few sewing machines to help Mozambican before the meal, designed to inspire, empower and support people in their struggles. A support refugees in the Transvaal Lowveld and developed a very effective relief station at group meets after the meal for anyone who would like to stay. We sit in a circle with everyone sharing their own experiences. Tsongwe for thousands fleeing the Frelimo-Renamo war. She rescued children who had risked electrocution on the border fence and were now prey to It is an opportunity to share 1) something we feel good about that we’ve done; 2) any concern we unscrupulous employers. Sally is Northern Irish by nationality and appropriately may have; 3) a plan for the week ahead - one small thing that we know we can do. We close the Queen Elizabeth awarded her an MBE. group by praying together. As we become involved and committed to living out our faith, we can actively share the burdens • Ebrahim Modimokwane, once a lad in our Sunday School, who found his way and joys of the community, making the load lighter and the celebration fuller. We have the through Diepkloof prison and Sterkfontein Hospital to become Chairman of the possibility to build together the kind of church where the least powerful and the most marginalised Johannesburg Association for the Homeless and a champion of the vagrants in of society feel as much a part of our church communities as the deacons and the ministers. Pageview itself, where he had also once lived in backyard shacks. "What a record all these have won by their faith!" (Heb 11:39 NEB) With the closure of the school, which had done its job, attention turned to physically The last word on the meaning of St Antony’s I want to give to Richard Welch as he now reshaping the church building to afford housing for the homeless. describes “those happy and painful memories”. He articulates a personal element that engineers like me tend to overlook. In “church” terms there could hardly be a better outcome from the activism of the 80s. And outside the institutional church, St Antony’s activism continues from squatter camps The great thing about St Antony’s, I think, was that we had there a phenomenon in which one was to plush board rooms. The thing they miss, however, is the community support they helped to be the person one secretly longed to be and to act out one’s most secret and most positive impulses and longings for oneself and for the society. shared. The union with St George’s was in fact the crucifixion of St Antony’s as a “happy band of pioneers”. And that is what it means to be church. Congregations that esteem their So much of Christian personal action is a rearguard engagement - an attempt to grapple with who existence and identity, not to mention their comfort, more important than their mission are one does not wish to be! At St Antony’s we learnt to own our own destinies. Apart from anything like the disciples who ran away from Gethsemane. else this is so much more fun! And what fun we had. What laughs. What rollicking un- selfconscious worship. What a precious memory I have of those free and happy days of just being The Letter to the Hebrews ends its litany of the heroes and heroines of faith with famous oneself - just being an African - a South African. words: "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of...". Likewise we Yes, we were often afraid. But we knew where we came from. “Africa my beginning”, “Christ the could tell of: same”. We started there, and every day we started again at the same place. We went out afraid, we came back rejoicing. Our bodies and minds were stretched, our spirits wrung out and hung up to • Barry and Morag Poppleton, former members of Rosebank Union Church, who dry, again and again and again. studied a year at All Nations Bible College outside London and returned to do development work in squatter settlements South of Johannesburg. Later they At St Antony’s, it seems to me, we cleared a small important space in the thicket of our history, in the tangle of our minds, and then we danced and sang until the dust flew. That was oh so, so good. took on the Tembisa region of the Koinonia organisation initiated by Dr Nico Now when I go out each day, whether I am conscious of it or not, I take with me a little piece of Smith. that experience. • Shadrack Madingwane, brother of Ingoapele, who journeyed through Youth Alive and the National Youth Leadership Training Programmes, organised

186 187 St Anthony’s Activists Let Us Make The World An Alleluia! St Anthony’s Activists Let Us Make The World An Alleluia!

self-control. Some were greedy and grabbed more manna than they needed. They found it 26. LET US MAKE THE WORLD AN went rotten the next day. As liberation comes to South Africa we have to learn a new self- ALLELUIA! control, or we will be grabbing all we can get and it will go rotten. The security Egypt had given them was to know their place, to be completely dominated by masters. Now they moved out into the desert where wandering tribes plundered them. Will that be our situation when oppression is thrown off and we find ourselves so weak that other people are able to exploit us. We need a system of security not based on prisons, guns and armies, but on the kind of social service that our detained friends Sheila, Jeanette and Mastiche have been trained to give. Let us make the world an alleluia! Here we are all together, Their third need was social equity. There was so much strife and crime that Moses was Let us make the world a better place, as we sing our song joyfully; overwhelmed with legal cases to settle and the system could not function until he Keep a smile handy, give a helping hand; Here we are joined together delegated some of it. Does our future compare with this? Let us all join in and sing… as we pray we’ll always be. And turning to the New Testament (Galatians 5:13-26) we find that the real battle is with Beyond Gethsemane and Calvary the resurrection and ascension bring the presence of fallen human nature, our fallen nature as well as that of our opponents. We are called to be Jesus to the "two or three" anywhere in the world. free, says Paul, but if we act like wild animals we will destroy one another, and we can see St Antony’s activism was for the world, to make it a song of praise to God. Let us make how that happens - even today. Then he lists what human nature does. Immoral, filthy and the world, not the church, an alleluia. I think that many of these activists, and those who indecent actions; worship of idols and witchcraft: people become enemies and fight, supported them, have found out through the fellowship at St Antony’s how to make the jealous, angry and ambitious: they separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get world a better place. This is the secular mission of the Church. Now myself released from drunk, have orgies. Such people can never 'possess the kingdom of God' i.e. be really formal ministry it is a task that I am slowly learning. (See Appendix 4) liberated. What does South Africa need now? It is easy to write up this story and seek credit since But when we are controlled by the Spirit of God his influence takes us further than the law apartheid has gone. The "new South Africa" for which we acted has come. But we have can ever do. We begin to develop characteristics of love, joy and peace, all the way another set of problems and threats. Saul Alinsky in Rules for Radicals describes this through to self-control, also very important. By these things we build a new and liberated phenomenon - that every social change for the better seems to unearth another set of society." problems. Or in Walter Wink's terms, when the Powers fall they don’t simply give up. St Antony's Pattern They transform into other systems that still try to dominate our human scene, and they are masters of disguise. In the words of Jesus, if the room that has been emptied and swept is Can this story of St Antony's activists be harnessed to the present and suggest what a few not occupied by something positive one can expect another seven evil spirits to take up committed Christian activists can do now, in the new South African circumstances? Let residence. me try. Back in May 1986 the Exodus series of sermons had touched on "Freedom's First Remember first that resistance to an evil or relief for a need, firmly applied at even one Problems". Here's a summary of it. point only, is sufficient to start a process. It is a pilot light that enables others to see that it can be done, that they can do it if you can, that God's promised future is possible. "Maslow's ladder of five human needs starts with Survival, then Security, then Social Needs. After that, if you get that far, come Status and Self-fulfilment. The Israelites If you follow St Antony's pattern these would be some essential steps. (See also Appendix leaving Egypt soon struck the first three of these needs. 3) First they needed water and food to survive. And when Moses turned on the miraculous 1. Get to the central place of the issue you are tackling. If it is gangs, you have to live in an supply they complained about it. It did not compare so well with what they had had in infested neighbourhood, if it is corruption in high places you have to find a job in that Egypt. It took them time to outgrow this spirit of slavery. In doing so they had to learn 188 189 St Anthony’s Activists Let Us Make The World An Alleluia! St Anthony’s Activists Let Us Make The World An Alleluia!

arena, if it is poverty or unemployment you need to be among such people. Don't immune. Decide before you start that the thing you intend to do is worth your life. As attempt something in which you cannot get really involved. Martin Luther King said, the person who hasn't found something worth dying for has 2. Look around for the other Christians already there, or who might join you, or who not yet found a reason for living. Your decision on this issue robs the Powers of their would support you from more of a distance. Get the Church to assemble at the point of hold on you and will take you boldly through many dangers (Proverbs 28:1). tension. Set up a worshipping group related to one of the denominations of the Church. 12. Drag the institutional church along with you. It is meant to be doing what you are Don't try to form a new church. There are too many already! doing. Keep a foot in it and irritate it if it won't move, but don't spend all your time on 3. Start on worship connected to the issue you are dealing with. If you are not a trained this. The real Church is out there in the secular world where God's full purpose for minister or lay preacher, enlist someone who can explain events in terms of Jesus and humanity is to be realised. his purpose. He is the key person of all the ages. Let us make the world an alleluia! 4. Find a locality, a building, a board room or an open air arena where this can happen. It need hardly be a church building. The more you invade the secular world the more effective you will be. It should be a flexible arrangement, not costly to hire or maintain. Don't accumulate baggage in it. Be ready to move on at any time. Keep money matters simple. 5. Let the activists in your group emerge and take up struggles they feel capable of handling. Teach others to support them by their presence, by prayer, by simple solidarity. 5000 early Christians supported the twelve apostles and seven deacons who shook Jerusalem. 6. Use your imagination as to what can happen. "Prayer is dreaming in the presence of God." Intercessory prayer addressed to your situation opens the door for God to inspire and effect new possibilities. 7. Set the pace. Some will say you are crazy. A few will follow and a movement is born. Take time to share ideas and decision-making with them, even down to the details. Community is built that way. 8. In the midst of social struggle, look after your personal integrity and the moral quality of your own life. Live "above the fog" in public duty and private thinking. Prompt others to do the same. 9. If you don't know the values and techniques of nonviolence then start reading, learning, experimenting. Walter Wink points out that when we deal with systemic evil we are challenging the Powers. They operate on the principle of domination, and domination by force. To oppose them with the same methods simply strengthens the overall oppression of the Powers. 10. Part of nonviolence is to attempt dialogue with all sides in a conflict. Visit, befriend, and know all sides. Include and welcome the gangsters, the corrupt, the exploiters into your home and your services of worship. That's how they will begin to change. 11. If need be, risk your life. You may be caught in gang cross-fire, eliminated before you can testify against a corrupt official, or die of a bug against which the poor are naturally

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St Anthony’s Activists Appendices St Anthony’s Activists Appendices

2. ADVANCE CONCEPTIONS OF THE TASK

Appendices 28 September 1973 Letter to Ian Thomson. I think an essential part of inner city mission, particularly in our racial situation, is the establishing of contact between wealthy (but spiritually anaemic) suburbanites and the poor (but tested) dwellers in the depressed areas of the city. This will do them both good. Moving from North End to Stirling with its comfortable suburban situation has convinced me of the need for this. Have you ever considered taking a call to a white suburban congregation? It's rather shattering to discover how encapsulated they are in their individualism, nice homes and wishy-washy Christianity, and how they go on supporting an oppressive system often without realising it and indeed imagining they are against it by voting Progressive once in five years.

1. FORMS OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT 30 October 1973 Extract from a letter to Neville Kretzmann, later incorporated in a Memorandum on the Future of St Anthony's Mission circulated in August 1974. The Presbyterian system has three levels of government, all of them elected from the Not trained in sociology, I have just the rough conception that inner city problems stem bottom up. from the flight of the capable and wealthy to the peace and beauty of the suburbs. This At congregational level it is the Session, composed of elders plus the minister. At regional leaves the weak, poor and the drop-outs to be shoved around by forces they cannot control, level it is the Presbytery, composed of all the ministers in the area and an equal (or including flat and office development and, in South Africa, the Group Areas Act. The greater) number of elders representing the component sessions. The presbyteries, in capitalist system and South Africa's race policies reinforce one another in creating a wide proportion to their number of congregations, elect an equal number of elders and ministers gulf between people who nevertheless are still inter-related by economics, labour, health to represent them in the General Assembly. and public safety, etc. I see the process resulting in material poverty, hardship and sometimes perversion for those left behind. But I think that the effect on the rich and The chairperson of each of these bodies is termed "Moderator" and the secretary in each is capable is ultimately worse. They become artificial, greedy, individualistic; they lose sense named "Clerk". The Assembly meets annually, Presbyteries more frequently, and Sessions of community and are indifferent to or ignorant of the needs of the weak. They also have usually every month. Power is spread by legislation between these three tiers, but in the their own brand of perversions. According to our Lord it is not the poor but the rich who final crunch Sessions are subject to Presbyteries and Presbyteries to the General Assembly. will have a hard time getting into the kingdom of God! A new congregation in the period referred to in this book usually started as a Preaching I don't know the sociological solution to this lot, but it seems to me that the Christian faith Station of an existing congregation, grew to Church Extension status, and once calls for sharing, voluntary and inspired by love for men and out of debt towards Christ. managerially and financially independent could apply for Full Status. The greater part of the decision to do this probably lies with the rich, whose decision to flee the city created the situation in the first place, but I think the poor can do something Congregational Churches have a Church Council, composed of Deacons and the about it as well. When the capable and rich share their resources with the poor they find minister, governing the local church. Churches in each area are united in and have themselves richly repaid in community, restored humanity, simplicity, faith, etc. representation on a Regional Council and Regional Councils are united in the annual Assembly. Like Presbyterians, office is held by election. In contrast to the Presbyterians, This sharing is for every Christian, not just the Ian and Val Thomsons, but I think it needs the final authority lies in the meeting of members of the local church. Regional Councils folk who will take a plunge like them to help others to get started and to grow in their and the Assembly are presided over by a Chairperson. sharing. Sharing has to be responsible. There are poor people who like it that way, just too

193 194 St Anthony’s Activists Appendices St Anthony’s Activists Appendices lazy to work, and I don't believe in wasting resources on them. One has to discern this, and 3. ST ANTONY'S VALUES it can be done better by on-the-spot community existence than by long-range charity organisations. In that 1989 letter which he was advised not to send, Richard Welch set down ten values that he and his wife Tessa, Fezi Vuso and Janneke Weidema saw in St Antony’s as they faced the prospect of union with I believe that the centre of this sharing is worship, our highest activity and ultimate St George’s. destiny. The experience of sharing at any level can help us to share at other levels, but my St Antony's has: experience is that there is a certain priority for worship and Christian fellowship. When Christ frees us from prejudice and fear in relation to his other followers then we can see 1. Provided support and a Christian basis for action for people involved in trying to change social structures. what to do with our wealth and other resources. 2. Encouraged people not yet involved in social action to become involved. This kind of sharing enables the poor to stand up again and struggle for a decent (not an affluent) life. It even helps those who are lazy. It enables the poor to communicate to the 3. Given vigorous intellectual food to those who are critical Christians but are marginalised in formal rich a better sense of values. It is a challenge to the system of exploitation and apartheid church situations. rather than an amelioration of some of their more obviously horrible results, and that 4. Provided the possibility of a church experience for those who, for emotional and psychological relates to the total situation in South Africa. reasons related to their past experience of the Church and personal makeup, can’t find a home in an ordinary church. If we contemplate the future the importance of some kind of representative congregation is also clear. I think most forward-looking people can see the end coming to this "ghastly 5. Maintained an informal character of worship which has enabled people of different backgrounds to belong - since informality of almost any kind is not as alienating as unfamiliar formality. aberration" called apartheid. The prospect may please us, but it is going to leave behind a ghastly situation needing healing and it is important that there be people who have already 6. Supported and given approval to what in our society are ‘deviant’ relationships, such as romantic ones learned to live beyond apartheid and to share resources, community, forgiveness and hope. between people of different race or colour and friendships between people of different class or social Not only problems of race but also of riches and poverty will hit us hard when the standing, sex or age. ideology of forcible separation collapses. 7. Allowed for some flow of skills, know how and wealth from the more advantaged to the less advantaged people in our society in a way that was personal and not destructive of individual A representative congregation not only helps people to discern the immediate social needs initiative. It didn’t always work, but we should look more closely at what values allowed this to but also to comprehend the larger issues, often political, that lie behind these needs. happen successfully when it did. 2 April 1974 Extract from a letter to the Rev Alan Maker 8. Allowed for cultural and experiential enrichment for members when experiencing the different lifestyles in our country - such as visiting people in rural areas. The only points that are still in the realm of theory for me are (a) whether what worked on 9. Provided a support system for people without access to resources and skills because of the way our a small scale in a small city can work in Johannesburg with its great distances from centre society operates. to suburbs, and (b) whether we are not too late in terms of black consciousness and the advanced state of the destruction of mixed communities in Johannesburg to foster a 10. Acted as a place which enabled people to act or just to function in our society, and which provided representative fellowship, i.e. one that consists of solid folk from our various communities some form of justification (or forgiveness really) for the members. For white people in that they felt themselves to be part of a group of people who in turn were participants in the transformation of the as well as the freaks and flotsam. society. For black people in that they were confirmed in their anger at their oppression and somehow had that anger ‘sanctified’ or at least recognised by the Church. 11. Acted as a sign to others both in South Africa and, less justifiably, to foreigners of the possibilities for the Christian experience in this country. I think that many people’s admiration for St Antony’s was misplaced in that they did not understand the extent to which the structure of the congregation (informal worship, lay ministry, social involvement) gave members strength and enhanced their abilities rather than the members having any special qualities. They may have thought that any church could do the same without making the same kind of changes in their structures.

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4. THE SECULAR MISSION OF THE CHURCH 5. MEMBERS OF ST ANTONY’S In 1996 a group of a dozen members of Central Methodist Mission, Cape Town, examined with dates of joining and leaving, and page of mention in text. the following ten propositions on this subject which arose from two sermons preached by Subsequent married names or titles are in brackets. Rob Robertson. * indicates foundation members 1. The secularisation of the world is the result of the spread of Biblical faith, not a revolt d indicates those who died while in membership against it. + indicates those who came into the union of St George’s United Church. 2. Biblical faith and the secular attitude both involve taking this world, its events and * Adams, Caroline 24.05.75 01.04.90 + destiny seriously. Adams, Cathie 16.08.84 01.04.90 + 3. The secular attitude does not of itself deny the transcendent and eschatological * Adams, Joseph 24.05.75 01.04.90 + 31 dimensions of the world and universe. * Alexander, Stella 24.05.75 08.02.80 d 98 Auld, Jane (Plantinga) 17.03.77 23.06.77 176 4. The religion of secularism, however, sets up the secular world as its god and source of Bassarab, Ann 17.05.79 01.12.79 131 values, etc. and does tend to deny the transcendent and eschatological. So do the Beckett, Gael 23.11.78 10.03.90 94 secular ideologies, e.g. Humanism and Marxism. Brink, Bernie 17.03.77 19.10.78 5. Faith is the perception of, and obedience to, the self-revelation of God, the creator and Brink, Sue 17.03.77 19.10.78 Redeemer, in history. Christian faith is faith in Jesus as the centre of that revelation, Davids, Olga 11.11.76 27.02.79 both before and after his advent. In contrast we use the term "religion" to mean the de Lange, Aart 20.03.80 09.10.85 115 human attempt to establish and control one's relationship with God. It is a substitute for de Graaff, Tessa (Welch) 20.09.79 01.04.90 + 39, 127, 150, 196 faith and becomes idolatry. Eberhard, Anton (Dr) 17.03.77 21.06.79 62, 71, 76, 111, 152 * Fleming, Doris 24.05.75 20.03.79 d 15, 86 6. The secular world is not a neutral field in which the religions, including Christianity, * Fleming, Martin 24.05.75 31.05.89 d 15, 24, 53, 88, 100, 129 compete on an equal basis. It is territory created by the faith of the Bible and is to be Garcia, Kathy 18.08.83 02.10.84 42 claimed and liberated from religions, including the religion of secularism and religious and 20.03.88 01.04.90 + forms of Christianity. Having lost touch with the faith which produced it, the secular Garcia, Kevin 18.08.83 02.10.84 world also goes astray and needs redeeming. and 20.03.88 01.04.90 + 7. Our mission then is not to oppose the process or results of secularisation, but to Godsell, Bobby 14.07.77 01.04.89 56, 57, 108 appropriate the secular world for Jesus. This means helping it to discover that he is its Godsell, Gillian 14.07.77 01.04.89 43 "Lord' and "Saviour" and finding terms in current language to convey this meaning. Georgio, Anna 20.04.78 20.11.80 41 Haiden, Gill 03.01.82 10.07.83 8. We do not claim the secular world in any imperialist or triumphalist sense. It is Haiden, Ronald 03.01.82 10.07.83 claimed, as Jesus did, by accepting our place in it, living simply and joyfully in it, * Halliday, Pamela 24.05.75 08.08.78 15, 27, 44, 55, 71 loving, helping and healing it, and by suffering for it in the struggle against its evil (Phil Hutton, Gisela 13.12.79 01.04.90 + 38, 69, 180 2:5-11). Jemaine, Colleen 25.02.76 13.12.79 9. This is not a matter for discussion but for action in which we experiment in being the Jemaine, Henry 25.02.76 13.12.79 secular body of Christ. Jenkins, Paul 16.08.84 01.04.90 + 157, 169, 175 Jenkins, Angela (Noelle) 16.08.84 01.04.90 + 38 10. Anything we discover must be shared with the institutional Church, of which we Job, Humphrey 21.03.85 01.04.90 + 176, 182, 184 remain a part. Keen, Mary 20.09.76 10.03.90 10, 15, 37

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Keen, Paul (Dr) 20.09.76 21.02.83 d 10, 15, 37, 60, 89 Ogle, Leslie 08.12.83 10.03.90 Kelfkens, Michael 22.04.89 01.04.90 + Petersen, Heather (Dr) 09.10.80 26.10.82 105, 106 Kirsten, Adéle 27.04.83 01.04.90 + 64, 153, 161 Petersen, Robin (Dr) 09.10.80 26.10.82 105, 106, 131 Kraai, Pauline 14.01.76 01.04.90 + 43, 53, 104, 123 Rendall, Kirstie (Mkosi) 30.06.85 23.04.87 122 Kromberg, Anita 19.06.80 27.11.85 38, 115, 119, 122, 139 Reuch, Karin (Dr. Slater) 22.04.89 01.04.90 + Kromberg, Johann (Rev) 06.07.86 06.02.90 * Robertson, Gert 24.05.75 01.04.90 + Kromberg, Mary 06.07.86 06.02.90 * Robertson, Hugh 24.05.75 12.05.77 99 Kutumela, Peggy 03.06.79 20.11.80 * Robertson, Ian 24.05.75 27.01.83 23, 72, 81, 124, 135 Ledwaba, Regina 11.10.81 01.04.90 + and 23.05.85 17.03.88 Legge, Nigel 18.04.85 22.12.89 115, 128 Robertson, Pamela 06.02.77 16.10.83 23, 85, 115-117, 125, 132 Lennert, Lynette (Ogle) 23.04.81 10.03.90 * Robertson, Rob 24.05.75 01.04.90 + Lennert, Myrtle 23.04.81 10.06.88 Sanders, Deborah 20.12.79 13.02.85 le Roux, Ingrid (Dr) 15.07.76 30.09.81 30, 72 Scheepers, Jeanette 19.03.87 01.04.90 + 131 Lyons, Lily 23.07.75 20.01.83 52, 61 Scheepers, Johann (Dr) 15.03.84 24.03.90 Lyons, Meshack 23.07.75 20.01.83 52, 61 Schmid, Jeanette 18.04.85 01.04.90 + 122, 135, 146, 147, 150 * Mabatle, Elaine 24.05.75 10.12.76 Schwanecke, Ulrich 02.07.78 23.05.81 95 Mabulwana, Gladys 07.12.86 01.04.90 + Sekhukhune, Dorcas 23.07.75 04.11.89 d 13, 22, 30, 36, 41, 60, 175 Madingwane, Elizabeth 22.03.79 01.04.90 + 31, 45, 71, 75, 78, 112 Sekhukhune, Laura Madingwane, Shadrack 11.10.81 24.03.90 122, 146, 186 (Mosoatse) 11.10.81 01.04.90 + Makabung, Frank 13.09.78 01.04.90 + 55, 64, 121, 157 Sekhukhune, Mankopodi Mathang, Ruby 11.10.81 21.03.85 (Makabate) 06.02.77 01.04.89 72, 74 Matshaneng, Mohau 07.08.88 01.04.90 + Sekhukhune, Masepeke 05.03.78 22.01.87 74 McDonald, Brian 22.07.82 01.04.90 + Sekhukhune, White 25.01.79 01.04.90 + 13, 25, 31, 38, 41, 86 McDonald, Kathy 22.07.82 01.04.90 + 42 Semple, Fiona 23.05.85 01.04.90 + 35, 38, 135, 153, 166, 186 Mlongoti, Mike 11.10.81 01.04.90 + 124 Shabangu, Joseph 07.08.88 01.04.90 + Mngxekeza, Nomhla (Brown) 28.08.77 30.09.81 Sher, Alison 20.11.80 10.03.90 38, 41 Mohale, Jacob 11.10.81 21.03.85 Sher, Stan 20.11.80 10.03.90 95, 124, 154 Mokoena, Aletta 17.02.77 25.02.78 44 Sineke, David 15.11.84 01.04.90 + 75, 152, 161, 173 More, Bertha 11.10.81 22.04.89 122 Sineke, Evelyn 15.11.84 01.04.90 + 75, 152, 173 More, Lucy 06.02.77 01.04.90 + Stevenson, Lynn 21.05.87 01.04.90 34-40, 63 More, Rosina (Mabaso) 06.02.77 22.04.89 53, 104 Stewart, Glenda 20.03.80 28.06.81 Mosikidi, Alinah 11.10.81 20.09.84 Trollip, Anthony 22.03.79 17.09.81 Moys, Denise 17.11.77 19.01.84 71 Trumpelmann, Margot (Uys) 23.06.83 10.03.90 Moys, Michael 17.11.77 19.01.84 36, 71 Uys, Thys 20.11.80 10.03.90 37, 88 Mphahlele, Johannah 15.07.76 24.12.78 * von Schaeffer, Frederick 24.05.75 04.03.80 21, 60 Mphahlele, Mary 23.11.78 23.12.81 * von Schaeffer, Sophia 24.05.75 04.03.80 Mphahlele, Namedi 23.11.78 23.12.81 3, 91 Vuso, Fezi 28.08.77 01.04.90 + 72, 73, 104, 173-4, 196 Murray, John 23.05.85 30.10.86 Vuso, Margaret 28.08.77 20.03.90 39, 64, 181 Mvubu, David 03.06.79 17.03.88 Vuso, Thami 01.04.84 10.03.90 73 Ndlovu, Nomvula 19.08.76 13.12.79 30, 45 Vuso, Victoria 19.03.81 21.12.86 d 73, 86

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Vuso, Zozo 06.07.86 01.04.90 + 73 ………………Richard Schaerer 11, 13, 22 Weidema, Janneke 23.11.78 26.08.82 64, 135, 136, 147, 175, 180, 1981 ………...Jimmy & Mariel Anderson 31, 78, 172 184 ………………Ed & Jean Paulsen and 20.02.86 01.04.90 + ………………Gugu Mbongwa 99, 115 Welch, Richard 18.10.79 01.04.90 + 39, 43, 55, 74, 127, 173, 174, ………………Grace Masuku (Bam) 45, 115 182, 185, 187, 196 Welch, Melody (Emmett) 21.08.86 01.04.90 + 44, 185 1982 ………..Charles May * Wilkerson, Beverley 24.05.75 01.06.76 17, 40 Wilson, Ewan 20.01.83 15.11.84 115 1983 ………..Solly Maqambalala d. 114 Womack, Meg 17.02.77 18.11.77 ………………Pam Smith 29, 36, 39, 46, 102, 124, 138, 148 Womack, Ray 17.02.77 18.11.77 1984 ………..Tony Harding 187

1985 ………..Paula Harris (Helfinger) 150, 160 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS ……………...Annelize van der Ryst 45, 151, 184 ……………...Marion Murray with year of enrolment and page of mention in text. Those who subsequently became members have not been included in this list. 1988 ………..Morag & Barry Poppleton 186 d. indicates those who died while they were associate members. 1989 ………..Vera Watt 1975 ………… Marylyn Aitken 43, 154 ………………Hennie van Wyk ……………….Emilia Charbonneau 31, 43 1990 ………..Francois Bill 149 ……………….Ray & Freda Cole 23 ……………...Molly Bill 149 ……………….David Finch ……………….Cecelia Goslin d. ……………….John Halliday 71 ……………….Cyril & Rosemary Henley ……………….Ken Kitchin 31, 43, 56, 91 ……………….Margaret Kitchin ……………….Alan Kitchin ……………….Muriel Murray d. ……………….Harold & Joyce Patel d. 25, 31 1976 …………Eleanor Anderson 88 ……………….Liz (Elizabeth) Anderson 74 1977 …………Erin Bradley 1978 ………..Margaret Franz d. ………………Mike de Klerk 1979 ………..Julie Nzimande ………………Margaret Meyer (Dr) 1980 ………..Violet Mootong

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6. GLOSSARY Session ………………... Congregational governing body in Presbyterian system Session Clerk ………….. The secretary of a Session Sodom & Gomorrah …... A group of dwellings in Pageview used by prostitutes Special Branch ………... The Security section of the SA Police Amandla awethu ……… Power to us (Xhosa/Zulu) Toc H ………………….. Talbot House, a servicemen's organisation, begun during Apartheid ……………… Separateness (Afrikaans) …………………………. World War 1 Baas …………………… Master (Afrikaans) Tsotsi ………………….. A gangster (Xhosa) Black Sash …………….. Women's protest movement Verlig …………………. Of enlightened outlook Boers ………………….. Literally "farmers" (Afrikaans) Term for Afrikaners Vetkoek ……………….. Fried dumpling Braai/Braaivleis ………. Barbeque Voortrekkerhoogte ……. Military base near Pretoria (formerly Roberts Heights and now Cattie ………………….. Catapult …………………………. renamed Thaba Tshwane) Chichewa ……………… One of the Malawian languages Wits …………………… University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Convenor ……………… Chairperson of a committee Dagga …………………. Marijuana Dominee ………………. Reverend (Afrikaans) literally "teacher" Dour …………………... Sullen or grim (Scottish) EcuNews ……………… Occasional publication of the SACC Executive Commission .. The executive body of the General Assembly of the PCSA. Gemeente ……………... Congregation (Afrikaans) Ghetto Act ……………. Indian Land Tenure Act of 1946 Grail, The ……………... Roman Catholic lay women's movement Guardian angels ………. Security police Guma-guma van ………. Police pick-up van Jabulani Afrika ………... Rejoice, Africa (Xhosa/Zulu) Jo'burg ………………… Colloquial for Johannesburg. Jol ……………………... A revelry Leader, The …………… Monthly publication of the Presbyterian Church. Mfundisi ………………. Minister/Reverend (literally "teacher" - Xhosa/Zulu) Mielie …………………. Maize, corn Missus ………………… Mistress or Madam, female employer Moderator …………….. Chairman of Session, Presbytery or Assembly Morena boloka ………... God bless (Sotho) first line of Sotho national anthem Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika …. God bless Africa (Xhosa/Zulu) first line of national anthem Outie …………………... Vagrant Pass ……………………. Reference Book issued to Africans only Presbytery …………….. Regional governing body of Presbyterian system Progressive ……………. Progressive Federal Party, precursor of the Democratic Party Rand …………………... South African unit of currency & short for Witwatersrand Reef …………………… The Witwatersrand gold bearing reef Sangoma ………………. African traditional healer or herbalist

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7. ACRONYMS ACM ……..…………… Annual Congregational Meeting ACTSTOP …………….. Action Committee to Stop Evictions ANC ……………………African National Congress CI ……………………… Christian Institute CO …………………….. Conscientious Objector/Objection CODESA ……………… Congress for a Democratic South Africa COSAS ………………... Congress of South African Students COSG …………………. Conscientious Objectors' Support Group CPSA ………………….. Church of the Province of South Africa (Anglican) DB …………………….. Detention Barracks DRC (NGK) ……………Dutch Reformed Church (Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk) ECC …………………….End Conscription Campaign ELCSA …………………Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa IDASA …………………Institute for a Democratic Alternative in SA IFOR …………………... International Fellowship of Reconciliation JODAC ………………... Johannesburg Democratic Action Committee KTC …………………… Informal settlement in Nyanga, Cape Town MBE ……………………Member of the Order of the British Empire MCC …………………... Mennonite Central Committee NEB …………………… New English Bible NGK (DRC) ……………Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) NUM …………………...National Union of Mineworkers PAC …………………… Pan African Congress PCSA ………………….. Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa RSA …………………… Republic of South Africa SA …………………….. South Africa SABC …………………. South African Broadcasting Corporation SACC …………………. South African Council of Churches SACLA ………………... South African Christian Leaders Assembly SADF …………………. South African Defence Force SAP …………………… South African Police (now SA Police Service) SASO …………………. South African Students Organisation SB/SP …………………. Special Branch/Police SRC …………………… Students' Representative Council UCCSA ……………….. United Congregational Church of Southern Africa UNISA ………………... University of South Africa WCC …………………... World Council of Churches YF ……………………... Youth Fellowship

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