“unfair and ill-advised” arranged Marriages

Shortly after Mandela’s return to Mqhekezweni the regent informed Justice and him that he had arranged marriages for them to take place immediately. the lobola (dowry) had already been paid. the matter was settled. Mandela and Justice left the interview “dazed and dejected”. Mandela was “a romantic” and not prepared to have anyone choose a bride for him. he approached the regent’s wife, the queen, and promised to marry a relative of hers as soon as he had completed his studies.

In Mandela’s words, it was “half a ruse” and the queen was persuaded to make his case to her husband but the regent was adamant that the marriage should take place. Mandela felt that the decision was “unfair and ill advised” and he had been left no choice but to run away. he believed he could not remain under the regent’s guidance if he rejected his plan for him. Justice agreed with him and they made plans to leave secretly for Johannesburg.

they had some idea of the difficulties involved in making such a trip but were little prepared for the unexpected events that compounded those difficulties. All Africans over the age of 16 were obliged to carry ‘Native Passes’ issued by the Native Affairs Department. the passes listed the bearer’s place of residence, his chief’s name, and whether or not he had paid the annual poll tax, which was only levied on Africans. Failure to present the pass to any white policeman could have meant arrest and even a jail sentence.

Mandela and Justice made their way to Queenstown where they chanced to meet the regent’s brother, Chief Mpondombini, and explained that they needed the travel documents because they were on an errand for the regent. Mandela admits frankly that it was a lie. the chief, however, was taken in and escorted them personally to the office of the local magistrate. the papers were prepared but, just before handing them over to the young men, the magistrate decided, “as a matter of courtesy” to inform the chief magistrate of their district of the procedure.

the regent happened to be in the chief magistrate’s office when the call came through and the phone was passed to him. When he heard the story, the regent exploded with rage, “Arrest those boys...and bring them back here immediately!” the magistrate denounced them angrily: “You boys are thieves and liars. Y ou have...deceived me...I am going to arrest you!” however, Justice had a friend on Queenstown who worked for a white lawyer. the lawyer’s mother was leaving for Johannesburg the following day and agreed to give them a lift. Once in Johannesburg, the “possibilities seemed infinite”. “(Mandela) had reached the end of what seemed like a long journey, but was actually the beginning of a much longer and more trying journey that would test (him) in ways that (he) could not then have imagined”.

Mandela had “a little knowledge of the law” and used it. he acknowledged that they had lied but stressed that they had “committed no offence and violated no laws” and could not be arrested on the request of a chief, even if that man happened to be their father. the magistrate backed down but ordered them to leave his office and never return. Chief Mpondombini was also angry and refused to help them further.