ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This mini-thesis was researched over a number of years as I came to collect written and oral sources over a period of time. I initially commenced with research on political prisoners and first interviewed James April in 1986. The more I learnt about Basil February and the Luthuli Detachment, the more I felt the need to tell their story. However, I was unable to avoid many time delays like the two-year waiting period whilst Military Intelligence cleared the archival files of the South African National Defence (SANDF), which I utilised. I spent more time obtaining oral interviews, collecting newspaper articles dating back to 1967 and 1971 and acquiring a copy of the trial record of James April, from the Pietermaritzburg Supreme Court in Kwazulu-Natal. Even collecting secondary sources took time. In 1990 I did an Honours History essay on James April (and to a lesser extent Basil February), entitled: The journey to Wankie: The story of a ‘Coloured' MK soldier. In 1997, to commemorate the 30 th anniversary of Basil February's death, I published an article in the Cape Argus , Basil February: the MK soldier who never made it home. I collected so many different sources that I could not use all of it in this body of work. In all, writing this mini-thesis became a long and arduous process and was in every sense a labour of love.
I need to thank a number of people who assisted me over many years in one form or another. I express my appreciation to James April for being a source of inspiration in many ways. His endless patience in answering my questions about the events around the Wankie campaign and for his financial support during the period of the research is greatly appreciated. I thank him in particular for sharing the memories of his late close friend and comrade, Basil February with me and for his constructive criticism. My supervisor, Dr David Scher believed in me and encouraged me to complete the project. I express my eternal gratitude to him. A thank you to all those who gave of their time for interviews: Terence February, Dr Pallo Jordan, Marcus Solomon, Trevor Oosterwyk and Mrs Van Der Heyden. To the staff at the SANDF Archives, especially Steve de Agrela and Annette van Jaarsveldt who assisted in ensuring that the relevant files were made available to me, I express my endless gratitude. To Ralph Williams, a member of the University of the Western Cape library staff who went beyond the call of duty to assist me - a big thank you to him. To my family: my parents, my brothers and sisters who gave of their time generously, especially Felicia and Esther who assisted with the research and my daughters who sacrificed of our time together so that I could write this mini-thesis - I thank you. This mini-thesis would not have been possible without the assistance of funding I received from DAAD and the National Research Foundation as well my employer, Government Communications (GCIS). I am however, solely responsible for the mini-thesis that follows. |