"RATEGAN DOES MOZAMBIQUE" THE FIRST ARREST

“Well.” Thabo glances around and leans in, whispering in his ear.
“We are all here on government bursaries.Which means most of us are (snap)”, he snaps his fingers in Rategan’s face, and leans back.

“One phone call away from informing”

He is closer to Rategan’s face in a way no black man has ever been.

“So we tend to keep our opinions to ourselves.”

Rategan raises an eyebrow.

Thabo bursts into laughter.

“But not today, comrade.Today we talk freely, hey?”

He places his arm around his shoulders and leads him into the chapel.

Something big is about to happen in Rategan’s life.He knows that he’s so ready.Inside, he has been hoping for something like this for years.

There are about twenty-five of them in there.Half and Half.

They start.The first hymn.The voices are firm, harmonising effortlessly.

A white professor starts reading the first lesson.

Then.

BANG.The doors burst open to his right.Screams, a blur of khaki, a thunk and his arm seized, blue police caps.

The cops are closing down the service.

The men in blue swarm like furious wasps.Women scream, men yell.An officer announces.

“This is an illegal gathering.You are all under arrest”