who have supported the work of the Alexander Defence Committee will be pleased to note that a date has been fixed for the appeal, namely, March 2nd. Postponed since last November because the lawyers for the Defence were refused permission to visit the prisoners on Robbens Island to get their signatures and take their statements, the fixed date means that no effort can be spared during the next few weeks to raise money which is required to meet the legal costs. This retrial of Dr. Neville Alexander and 1o of his associates will investigate whether the chances of the defendants have been diminished through certain irregularities which took place at the original trial, e.g., the unlawful opening of the instructions of the defendants to the defence Counsel. These instructions had not been passed on by the prison authorities to the Defence and when the defendants received the instructions back, they found among them a page in the handwriting of a secret policeman who had interrogated the defendants (in one case under conditions of torture), Little is known about the personal conditions of the 11 defendants though there is evidence that Neville Alexander was physically assaulted by warders at Robbens Island. This was because of his objection to the brutal and degrading manner in which prisoners are searched. Every day after work the prisoners are compelled to do the “Tausa dance”. This involves jumping in the air, clapping their hands, whilst stripped naked and exposing their sexual organs. Dr. Alexander received an injured ear drum as a result of the attack. Lionel Davies, Marcus Solomons and Ian Van Der Heyden who witnessed the assault were placed in solitary confinement. Fikele Bam had the temerity on June roth, last year, to ask for more food and was kicked
and slapped by a head warder. When he reported this to the authorities the next day they told him that as he is a Kaffir he should be thankful for the food the department of prisons is wasting on him. Don Davies is also reported to have been beaten up by warders. Reports from South Africa show that Dr. Alexander is anxious to continue his academic work while in prison and has had to get special permission to do so from the prison commandant. Alexander’s intention is to continue his work about Gerhart Hauptman — the German dramatic poet — on whom he wrote an excellent thesis during his brilliant career as a scholar at Tubingen University. The National Union of South African Students wanted to help him to do this but has had great difficulties in doing so, because this organisation which fights hard against race discrimination has lost many of its most courageous members through arrests (The NUSAS represents over half of all South African students), In this country there is increased interest in the case of Dr. Neville Alexander. In the December 31st issue of the Times Literary Supplement, which has a circulation of 47,000 copies and is widely read throughout the academic world, Dr. Alexander’s study of Gerhart Hauptman, “Studien zum Stilwandel im dramatischen Werk Gerhart Hauptmanns” was reviewed. The review states that “Mr. Neville E. Alexander, whose study was written at Tubingen before he returned to his native South Africa where he is said to be in trouble with the authorities, has produced much the most intellipiece of criticism for some time . . .” C. L. R. James, author of Black Jacobius and World Revolution, pointed out in a letter to the editor and printed in the January 14th issue of the supplement points out the following facts concerning Dr. Alexander’s “trouble with the authorities”.
Jan, 27, 1965 — THE WEEK