Elegy for a Revolutionary
The African Resistance Movement (ARM) in which a group of young white South Africans, despairing of peaceful opposition to a government prepared to use all means to retain it's grip on power, embark on a program of sabotage that would not entail the loss of human life. Amateurish in their organization they are soon tracked down by the police and put on trial for acts of terrorism. The story uses the underground political action in South Africa during the '60's - '80's. During Apartheid in South Africa, DONALD and JEREMY are best friends. Donald is a journalist, but struggles with his identity because the media is controlled by the government and Donald must write what he is told. However, he is quickly tiring of this and feels he must be true to himself. Unfortunately, he's not quite sure what that means yet. His friend and roommate, Jeremy, is a member of a revolutionary group of white South African students at the University of Cape Town. Together they decide to join the African National Congress (ANC) to help change apartheid's unfair laws and create effective change in South Africa, but on the grounds that they will not be involved in any violence and that no one is harmed. HUNTER, an ex-mercenary from Rhodesia, becomes their instructor in explosives. As the group executes their plans of sabotage, SERSANT, head of the Security Branch, is on their trail. During an attempt to blow up a railway pylon, a black NIGHT WATCHMAN is killed. Although Hunter sees the man's death as justifiable, Donald is extremely upset and questions his involvement. Due to their remorse, both Donald and Jeremy attend the funeral where they are noticed by Sersant Van Der Post. They are both arrested and tortured. Jeremy finally caves in and becomes a state witness against Donald as part of the deal for his release. Because of this testimony, Donald is jailed and Jeremy goes free. Jeremy then devises a new plan. He'll place an explosive concealed in a bag in the charge office when he goes in for his weekly check-ins, as long as someone calls from an outside pay phone to warn everyone to evacuate the building. In spite of his betrayal, Donald concedes to help and provide information as to the whereabouts of a hidden cache of explosives. But the plan goes horribly wrong, killing three more people. Under threat of the death penalty, Donald is now forced to double-cross Jeremy and becomes a state witness against him to save himself. His testimony results in Jeremy's death. Donald is forced into exile. The question at the end of it all is -- who is the real traitor?
