Ebook: If This Be Treason (South African Treason Trial 1956-60)

Flyleaf:

"English-born Helen Joseph was
Accused Number Two at the South
African Treason trial. A teacher and
a social worker, she had been uncon-
cerned with politics all her life, and
only became active in connection
with the African National Congress
as a result of what she learnt through
her work of conditions of life among
non-Europeans in South Africa. With
many others she was arrested and
charged with high treason, a capital
offence, after Congress's declaration
of its Freedom Charter in December,
1956. During the four-year trial
which followed she was again arres-
ted, this time under the Emergency
Regulations which came into force
after the Sharpeville massacre in
March, 1960. She was then detained
in gaol for five months, spending
nineteen days of that time in solitary
confinement, but apart from that
being delivered to Court daily for the
treason trial.

Mrs Joseph's book gives a com-
plete picture of the trial--of the
absurdity of the Crown's case from
the legal point of view, and of its
tragic gravity in terms of rational
humanity--but its core is the journal
she kept during her detention after
Sharpeville. This is a vivid, very
personal document, all the more
impressive for the warmth and lack
of pretention with which it is written.
From this central document the
reader comes to know Mrs Joseph's
personality and those of her fellow-
accused--an inspiring experience."


~~~~
''To us,' said Chief Luthuli, 'it is a painful thing and all along the African National Congress has taken a strong stand in claiming our rights to land. Being dispossessed of land is almost to be dispossessed
of life itself.'
--p46


~~~~
'By now it is known that Hannah [Stanton] may be deported at any time... She is distressed but wonderfully brave and calm, sweet and gentle, so loved and respected by all--by these women so different from her. All are Jewish except two, all are politically 'left', either now or formerly, and almost all of them are professed atheists....' --p.84



[File contains at end a 1963 letter from Christian Action / Defence and Aid Fund, Rev. Canon Collins, Amen Court, London EC4 acknowledging funds 'for the work we are doing'.]