Steve Marsling, a retired teacher from Aldringham, has always been a passionate campaigner for justice.
As a young man, these principles were put to the test when he was sent to South Africa on a daring mission with potentially fatal consequences.
Mr Marsling, 71, was born in Elephant and Castle. At 20, he was working as a labourer, and was also a member of the Brixton Young Communist League.
During this time, the black South Africans who made up 80% of the country were subject to apartheid.
The policy of apartheid (racial segregation) was enshrined in South African law when the National Party took power in 1948.
The African National Congress (ANC) party responded with a campaign of civil disobedience, led by Nelson Mandela.
Mr Mandela was imprisoned in Robben Island in 1964. He would serve 27 years.
In 1970, the President of the ANC was Oliver Tambo, who was determined to build and harness opposition against apartheid.
“Tambo told Ronnie Kasrils, an ANC executive member, to go to London to recruit young, white people to go out South Africa and carry out agitational work,” said Mr Marsling.
“Why white people? Because only white people could move around freely.”
This was how it came to pass that Mr Marsling was approached by a YCL member, and asked to meet with Mr Kasrils.
“He said, we want you to go out to South Africa. We will put explosives in the false bottom of a suitcase, and instruct you how to make leaflet bombs,” said Mr Marsling.
“He said, I must warn you that if you are caught, you will be tortured. You will be placed in solitary confinement for at least eight months, and the minimum sentence you will get will be five years, no remission.
“This turned out to be quite prophetic.”
In August 1971, Mr Marsley and his fellow recruit, Sean Hosey, arrived in Cape Town.
They were appalled by the racism they witnessed.
“They were just hitting black people on the streets, pushing them out of the way if they didn’t get out of the way quick enough. It was horrible, just shocking.
“Everywhere you went, there were signs – blanc and non-blanc.
“Race was a constant factor of knowing what bus, what cinema, or what sports stadium you could use.
“It was like a prison.”
They immediately got started on their mission, assembling the ‘leaflet bombs’.
“We had to carry them to the main areas where the black majority congregated, the train stations, the bus stations, areas we knew would be crowded,” explained Mr Marsling.
These bombs were not designed to hurt people. They operated on a timer, giving Mr Marsling and Mr Hosey time to depart the scene, before exploding. Leaflets would then be scattered far and wide, bearing the message that the ANC still lived.
In total, the pair managed to distribute six bombs, including one outside Cape Town parliament which was swarming with soldiers.
Mr Marsling remembers one hairraising occasion when the needle of a malfunctioning detonator reset to the detonator.
“If it had gone off, we would have been caught,” said Mr Marsling. “In panic, I jammed my fingernail between the detonator, and very slowly turned it back 20 minutes.
“Sean was as white as a sheet.”
There were other times when the pair felt they were on the knife-edge of discovery.
“I broke protocol, and became friendly with a very beautiful female receptionist at the hotel,” said Mr Marsling.
“She, myself, Sean and another girl were all in a restaurant when the police walked in.
“The two girls froze. After a few minutes, the police left and I asked what was wrong.
“She said, 'we are not white.'”
Although both girls had appeared white to Mr Marsling and Mr Hosey, their documentation would have showed that they were not, had the police demanded to see them.
“She said, If we were found in this white, Sunday restaurant, we would be arrested,” said Mr Marsling.
“Sean and I thought, you would be arrested!”
The pair made it safely home, with the ANC “ecstatic” with their work.
Mr Marsling then began teacher training.
In 1972, he received an emergency phone call, purportedly from the ANC.
“They told me, we need you to go out to South Africa again. No explosives this time, we just need you to hand over some money and passports,” he said.
“It sounded easy, but my first teaching practice was coming up.
“So, I explained my dilemma to Sean, and he said he would go. He had lots of leave, and it would be nice and sunny.”
However, the phone call had not been from the ANC, but the South African government.
“Sean went to a place just outside Durban, and they were waiting for him.”
His friend was beaten and shown his grave before being placed in solitary confinement. It was nine months before his captors tried to strike a deal.
“They said, if you denounce the ANC and say you now realise that apartheid is a good regime, you can go home,” said Mr Marsling.
“But Sean refused. He was never going to say that in a public court. He got that a five-year sentence.”
Mr Hosey was eventually released, and made it safely back to the UK.
He, Mr Marsling and their fellow recruits had all been sworn to secrecy. They were hidden from history until after apartheid had been abolished and Mandela had become president.
A book has since been published sharing the stories of the ‘London Recruits’ as they were known, and a film will be released later this year.
“I’m proud of what we did,” said Mr Marsling. “It will stay with me forever."
For more information about the upcoming London Recruits film, visit: www.londonrecruits.com/
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