The Man with the Suitcase, by CJ 'Jonty' Driver

The Man with the Suitcase: The Life, Execution and Rehabilitation of John Harris, Liberal Terrorist

'At tea-time on the afternoon of Friday 24 July 1964 a young white South African, John Harris, put down in the main concourse of Johannesburg station -- a large brown suitcase containing eight sticks of dynamite, a quantity of Cordtex, a two-gallon plastic container of petrol, a timing device adapted from a pocket-watch, an electric battery and two detonators. On the suitcase was a handwritten note saying, "Terug binne 10 minute" (back in ten minutes). At about quarter past four he telephoned the Railway Police and two newspapers. He spoke in English to the Rand Daily Mail--the reporter who took the message thought it was the voice of a black South African--and in fluent Afrikaans to Die Transvaler. He said he was speaking on behalf of the African Resistance Movement, that there was a bomb in the station, and that the station should be cleared at once. Although the newspapers passed their information to the police, in the time that elapsed apparently no action was taken.

Author C.J Driver
ISBN 9789292279141
Format Paperback
Pages 89p.