Document 26 - Letter from Patrick Duncan to John Gomas, 3 October 1956

From: South Africa's Radical Tradition, a documentary history, Volume Two 1943 - 1964, by Allison Drew

Document 26 - Letter from Patrick Duncan to John Gomas, 3 October 1956

Dear Sir,

I very much appreciate your sending me a copy of yr 1tr of 1 Sept.

I endorse much of what you say, particularly about hatred. I agree with your views on honour and respect. At the same time I do not quite accept your paragraphs 2 and 3. They imply that in politics white and non-white must be eternally and irrevocably separated. Thus, to me, they share something of the philosophy of the present govern­ment. I believe that all persons in this country should be equal and that race-barriers should come down, not only in the future South African state, but also in the struggle that is going to produce that State. If you have struggled for 37 years against white domination you have my admiration and respect. Keep it up!