rivoniaunmasked

one of the policemen on guard. The van halted in the middle of the driveway, directly in front of the
entrance to the cells.
One by one the accused were escorted from the cells and into the van. The doors slammed shut and
the van moved slowly towards the farther end of the driveway. The gates were opened and the van
passed through, emerging into the street, where armed policemen were waiting in two police cars to
escort the van to the gaol.
Earlier in the day, when the court session commenced, Dr Yutar stated that he understood that
certain persons were plotting to rescue the prisoners, and advised the plotters not to waste their time.
The authorities, forewarned and alert, were in no mood to countenance such attempts. The security
measures were foolproof.
How right Dr Yutar was now became apparent. The security measures certainly admitted of no
possibility of escape or rescue.
When the van swung into the public thoroughfare, defiant fists appeared at the high barred window
giving the ANC salute. The salute was returned and the cry of 'Amandla Ngawethu! * " taken up by a
knot of ANC supporters in the street.
The van drove on and disappeared from sight. The groups of people began to disperse. To-morrow
was another day.
Office workers began to pour into the street. The afternoon rush hour began. News vendors on
street corners did a brisk trade. Everyone was eager to read about the first day of the Rivonia trial, and
this interest was by no means confined to the Republic. It's Overseas reporters flashed the news to their
various countries. 'Rivonia' was rapidly becoming a household word all over the world. The name
leaped out from newspaper headlines, it was splashed on placards and posters, it was repeated over and
over again on the radio and on television. The eyes of the world were on South Africa and on the
Rivonia trial.
* Translated as: "Power to the people," a common communist phrase.
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