Written task 1 Yacine Bako

Sizwe bansi is dead

Buntu: Robert hurry up or we’ll be late to the dinner.Sizwe: [picks up his coat] Buntu remind me again why we are doing this, you know that if the police catches us we’ll be in real hot soup. And anyway it’s not like we can go around and be heroes…… [Buntu shakes his head in melancholy]

Buntu: Robert imagine if I were thinking like how you were right now, brother. Man only likes to count his troubles, he doesn't calculate his happiness. [Buntu picks up his umbrella and opens the door]. Stay if you like im leaving.[Robert and buntu head to the meeting and wait for their guests who are late, sizwe frenzied but buntu bland]Sizwe: Buntu you know I don’t like people who are late [sizwe check his watch again]….what’s taking them so long?

Buntu: Relax Robert why don’t you get a drink. Remember your situation would you conform to being punctual then? [Robert picks up sizwe’s drink and puts it away, Buntu’s friends arrive looking rather skeptical]

Sizwe: you’re late! Buntu: sizwe! What my friend meant to say is what took you so long?Man: ………. [After a long pause] we were told you guys could help us, can you?Sizwe: who do you think you are taking to! [Robert tipsy] umntu osisinyabi!Buntu: don’t mind my friend here he’s had a bit too much to drink. Correct we can help, but first we must know what you’ve done to need this so bad, are you wanted men?Man: [the two men look at each other in concurrence] well do you read the newspaper?Buntu: Yes.Man: have you heard about the bombing in Jo’burg, well that was us! [Man speaks in pride} there were 5 of us but the boys split us up because some dirty rats snitched and our names came up on the polices front desks [sizwe begins to laugh]Buntu: yo! You boys are the real deal eh?

Written task 1 Yacine Bako

Sizwe: Buntu you bloody fool! These boys here are running from the cops. Real deal my assBuntu: so what? [Sizwe looks to buntu as though in nauseation] are you ok? Buntu: [buntu gets up] sizwe don’t you get it! If they are here and the police is probably tracking them, they’ve led them right to us!Sizwe: this can’t be true Robert you’re paranoid. [Sizwe grabs Roberts shoulder as though to re-assure him]

Man: if you want to leave, get out of here. But you’re a bloody fool. [Robert approaches the man]Buntu: you know what I think it’s better if you leave Robert. [Robert gets his coat and walks out glazing back at sizwe in perfidy]

Man: he’s gone, sit down. We need to talk seriously now. I heard you can hook me up with passbooks and a couple a men for a job?Buntu:……a job? Man: yeah man. So are you ready to listen to what I have to offer?[Buntu returns home at 5 am, with an envelope]

Sizwe: [3 days after scrutiny, sizwe finally convinced] still a bad idea buntu! But im only doing this for you. Those bastards don’t realize the danger they putting us in. Buntu: sizwe are forgetting who the real enemy is, those men as far as we’re concerned are our brothers. The enemy is out there in a 200$ suit caring less about us. [Buntu takes a deep breath as though to relax and takes out his envelope] Sizwe: what’s this buntu?Buntu: I didn’t want to show you this till after you agreed to do this [buntu opens the envelope].

Sizwe: where did you get these?Buntu: a friend at the mortuary.Sizwe: I can’t believe we are actually doing this when did we become vigilantes. uThixo asikhusele. “Bombing in Jo’burg” yo the headlines! Im terrified

Written task 1 Yacine Bako

Buntu: im also scared brother, but if we the men are weak our children and their children will grow up in oppression. I don’t want that at all, akhondlela. Don’t forget sizwe we are doing this for our freedom. [Sizwe hints a smile but quickly disappears]Sizwe: and what are the passbooks for?Buntu: you still want to be Robert after the job? You are really dense. Jobs not making you think straight eh?Sizwe: eh Buntu I’ve only been Robert for 5 months. A change already. [sizwe pulls out some paper and finds a pen]

Buntu: what are you doing? Writing a letter to the cops to alert them... [Laughs]Sizwe: my wife hasn’t heard from me in a long time.Buntu: bad idea. Instead get ready leaving in two minutes. [Sizwe begins writing] what are you doing I told you not to! What if the cops find your letter? Did you think of that your family will be in a real mess. Sizwe: I don’t care. [Robert continues to write]Dear nowetu, im okay at the moment. Hope the children are fine. Im sorry I couldn’t make it for Christmas I won’t make it to Easter either, tell the children I love them very much ill come home as soon as I can…….Buntu: I hope it worth it when they catch us [Buntu and Robert pack a bag take only the essential saying farewell to their home]

[Two months after the job Robert and sizwe find a place to lay low in Pretoria, the police are on the lookout for Robert and buntu]

Sizwe….. [Robert kills his cigarette] kamogelo have you had a look at the newspaper lately?Buntu: no why? Sizwe: apparently to men named Robert and Sizwe are wanted in the capital by authorities.Buntu: really?...... [Buntu grabs the newspaper and turns to the page] wow this is even better that I expected.Styles: yo! Bandile you boys get your cut for the last one?Buntu: not yet. [Styles hands buntu a brown envelope] 500 rands boss?Styles: yep. Each.

Written task 1 Yacine Bako

Sizwe: you know Im not doing this for the money right. Im doing this for our freedom and my family.Buntu: So are we! But do you want an empty belly whilst doing it. Your family will never go hungry again.Styles: yo guys can you turn for me real quick [styles grabs his camera takes a shot]

Buntu:….here we go again with that [sizwe grabs his pipe and coat, and walks towards the door as he thinks of the future and what it holds for him ]

Rationale.I decided to write an additional play based on a particular episode of the play Sizwe Bansi is dead. This an additional play will be looking to give life to the characters once more. In the play the characters will be sizwe bansi, buntu and styles. Styles will appear very briefly in the closing scenes of the play, but don’t be mistaken his role is just as huge as the rest of the characters. My task is based on Part 4 of the language and literature course.I chose an additional play because I believe buntu and sizwe had a bigger role to play and I felt it to be my responsibility I have to show it. What inspired me to write this was the bravery that I saw buntu and sizwe showed in it. The most important part I want to tackle is bravery and love for family. The play is about buntu meeting up with new guys Zola has put them into contact with. These guys are revolutionaries and are on the run. They are looking for men to help in that endeavor. With tensions rising sizwe finds himself in a dilemma about whether to choose his family which would put them in danger or join those men and fight for their freedom.

Yacine