Kumalo put his hand on his friend’s arm. The things are not happy that brought me to Johannesburg, he said, but I have found much pleasure in your company.
Indeed, at one robot where they stopped, a traffic officer was talking to one of these white men, and they heard the officer asking whether the white man had a license to carry the black people. I am asking no money, said the officer. . . . Then take me to court, said the white man.
All roads lead to Johannesburg. If you are white or if you are black they lead to Johannesburg. If the crops fail, there is work in Johannesburg. If there are taxes to be paid, there is work in Johannesburg. If the farm is too small to be divided further, some must go to Johannesburg. If there is a child to born that must be delivered in secret, it can be delivered in Johannesburg.