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Letter from Tony Hall, March 1963

From M. A. Hall
Frankenwald,
c/0 University of the Witwitisrand
Johannesburg
AFRIQUE DU SUD



Mr and Mrs R. Steinhardt
9 Rue Roger Bacon
PARIS 17
FRANCE


8th March, 1963


Dear Mom and Richard,

I have just sent you a telegram to say that the appeal failed for Eve and the other three. But, you know, all the lawyers told us there was not much chance of anything being taken off the sentence. I did hope hard, of course, but it is just as well it's over and we know where we stand. We set so little store by it that we expected the disappointments.

The day before yesterday a Sunday Times reporter went up to Pietersburg and was shown around the prison. The reporter, Margaret Smith, whom we know fairly well, got permission to do a story on the women's section. Yesterday she was able to give me quite a detailed account of regulations and routine. She saw Eve and the other three sitting with the rest of the women in a sort of sewing room where they do crochet work all day. They gave her a big smile (the four who know her) but did not try to communicate in any way, as it is not allowed. The prison is a modern airy place, with good facilities compared to the other places.

The routine is up early, breakfast, then they go to the workroom for their crocheting until 11. Then half an hours exercise outside, followed by lunch. Back to the crochet until 4. Supper until 4.30 and into their cells by five - except for eight of them, including the four political prisoners, who have permission to study in the workroom until 11p.m.

These 8 occupy quarters leading into this workroom. They are allowed to talk most of the time. Some cells are single, some have several beds. I don't know what Eve is in. The cells contain bed, locker and mirror. The beds have coloured counterpanes. They wear make up and print dresses on Sunday and may study all day. I have arranged for the Anglican priest in Pietersburg to visit Eve every Saturday afternoon. So, although it is difficult to pass actual messages, we can get an idea of what's going on with each other through this kind man. He wrote to me yesterday to say Eve seemed very cheerful and relaxed.

I was rather depressed when I last wrote, Mom and it was sweet of you to write comfortingly. But you mustn't think of our activities or beliefs as 'nonsense'. Ours is quite a mature approach to the situation in this country - which every intelligent person in the world knows to have gone quite mad. Of course we won't do anything more. They have tightened things up so much in the last year - even Liberals are being banned. They'll be getting at Helen Suzman in a couple of years, mark my words. However, this doesn't mean we are going to give up our beliefs. But let us not discuss this subject again. The boys have been through a bout of tonsil infection, one after another, but are now fully recovered. I'll be sending you the most gorgeous pictures soon.

Lots of love,

Tony

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