Something about the days of the South West Africa court case

By Patrys Smith

In translation

It was a July morning at quarter past nine when Stoney Steenkamp called me in and told me to report to Room 109, no, No 109A, in the Union Buildings with Pik Botha. They need help on the case they are working on about South West Africa.

It was the time of Memorials and Counter Memorials. We had little time for stories. Soon it was Pikkewyn, Koedoe, Patrys and Kittie, together with Marinus, Hein, Miss Stolte and co. If I refer to Pik it is not because of lack of respect for the Minister, but with Pik as a colleague, the memories are as if of yesterday.

The year was 1964. If one thinks back there is so much that one could record. Money was scarce, especially after returning from a first post. Those of us that smoked followed Pik’s example and smoked a pipe, with one like Pik’s. (I still have the old big one somewhere.)

New shoes “with broad round fronts in which you could roll your toes around and new clothes had to wait until you could draw an advance on “S&T” (subsistence and travel allowance) if you were to travel abroad. (Clothing allowances were only for those on transfer, as is the case again today.)

When one thinks back, memories come pouring back, such as how Pik  delayed the last flight to Cape Town on a Sunday night “on instructions from Prime Minister Verwoerd.”  The reason? The draft documents had to go to Cape Town where the only printer who was permitted in terms of a state contract to print the court pleadings, was based.

Everything went according to plan and the “printer’s” staff were waiting for the documents.  In fact this was not on instructions from Dr Verwoerd - Pik told the airport traffic controller that if he did not want to hold back the flight, he should “call the following number and ask for Dr Verwoerd.” He could then provide Dr Verwoerd with reasons for his decision.  Needless to say, Pik got his way. The documents were passed through the window to the captain on the runway at Jan Smuts Airport.

That same week – on Friday afternoon - we needed a book urgently to check the accuracy of quotations used by the advocates in the pleadings. The book was not available anywhere in Pretoria. The proofs had to go to Cape Town that same night. At long last a copy was found in the Wits library. It was ten to four in holiday time and the library was about to close at four o’clock for the weekend.

Pik then arranged for the Flying Squad in Johannesburg to collect the book. One of us would come and fetch it from them. Pik then arranged for the same student who had had to rush to Jan Smuts Airport the previous Sunday night, to fetch the book. “And you see that you are back here within one hour, or I will report you to Dr Verwoerd!” 

In those days the highway between Pretoria and Johannesburg had not yet been built. To everyone’s surprise the young man was back within the hour. He explained that sometimes they had to pass cars on the wrong side of the road. At the entrance to Johannesburg the government car was stopped for speeding. After he had announced himself with a homemade double folio “Identity Card” with the words “ON OFFICIAL DUTY – Department of Foreign Affairs” on it, he explained that he had to collect the book from the Flying Squad “on instructions from Dr Verwoerd” and there was a time limit.

The traffic police then provided an escort with sirens and all to the Flying Squad and back to the outskirts of Johannesburg.

We worked a lot of overtime. Pik, with the support of Mr Donald Sole , arranged for us to be compensated for it. He and others, if I remember correctly, worked 250 hours of overtime in one month!  Helena and the children brought food over the weekends. On Monday mornings the dedicated Helena arrived with his shaving kit and as she put it, “at least a clean shirt.”

During the printing of, I believe, the “Counter Memorials” Pik was the Department’s representative at the printers in Cape Town. The compositors had to work late on many evenings and sometimes at week-ends. They were generously compensated. 

When all was finished one of the compositors came and greeted Pik. The latter thanked him heartily and expressed the hope that he was satisfied with the material compensation. According to Pik, his answer was, “Mr Botha, I shall give you all the money I earned for this overtime, provided you give me that time to live!” 

There are things that are more valuable than gold, such as memories!