of local rebellions. According to Krikler:
… the fuse of rebellion moved along the railway line from Johannesburg spluttering around Germiston, briefly flaring in Boksburg, detonating spectacularly in Benoni and Brakpan and fizzling out in Springs.60
The nerve centre of the rebellion from which the activities of the Council of Action emanated was Fordsburg in Johannesburg. It was from there, for example, that the initial call from the revolutionary leaders to attack the police was made on the morning of Wednesday 9 March. Smuts’ old adversary, Benoni, did not trail far behind. Passions had been building among the strikers since mid-February when the government and the Chamber had offered deep provocation through a systematic attempt to organise strikebreakers. In the last week of February meetings took place in Boksburg, Benoni and Fordsburg to consider revolution. The killing of strikers at Boksburg on 28 February tilted the balance among the organisers of the strike away from Constitutionalism and towards Direct Action. A policeman reporting on developments in Benoni talked of ‘a change’ of atmosphere on 7 March when fights broke out in Benoni Workers’ Hall, and the Constitutionalist chairman of the strike committee was rudely kicked out.61 Edwin Gibbs, chair of the strike committee in Brakpan, decided to quit the Brakpan command early in March because of the growing influence of Direct Actionists who wanted violent action.62 Clear evidence of a change of gear came on the evening of 10 March when nine boxes of rifles and ammunition were opened in Workers’ Hall in Benoni and distributed to the local commando, with the men of the Putfontein commando being prominent.
On 10 March the Benoni commando seized control of the town pinning down the police and soldiers in the police camp on the west side of town.63 Brakpan’s commando was the next most successful, when it launched a ferocious attack aimed at crushing the authority of management at Brakpan Mines. Once the mine headquarters had been captured on the morning of 11 March, however, this soon degenerated into mindless brutality, as the surrendered defenders were beaten to a pulp by bicycle chains, rifle butts and iron bars, and then, unconscious and defenceless, shot where they lay. This was a moment of pure barbarity, which spoke volumes of the intense hatred which had been generated for management among a minority of the men.64
Elsewhere in Ekurhuleni the Germiston commandos were almost immediately scattered by aerial bombardment on 10 March, while in Boksburg its numerous mobilised commandos ambushed a police contingent but then faded away. Their lack of revolutionary commitment and divisions among strikers (possibly along English/Afrikaans lines) meant that only 75 of a potential 500 commando members assembled at Workers’ Hall on the morning of 10 March. Thereafter resistance melted away, and the revolt, as one historian has written, ‘was over almost before it began’.65 Likewise in Springs no concerted onslaught occurred and the same lack of commitment or bravado was displayed as in Boksburg.66 It was thus in Benoni that the most sustained and successful uprising occurred. Not only were the police pinned down and isolated in their camp on the west of town, but a large troop of Transvaal Scottish who boarded trains in Johannesburg to relieve the embattled police and mine management of Benoni were ambushed by striking workers at Dunswart junction. Eleven of them were killed and 30 wounded, compelling the remainder of the troop to retreat through Benoni’s African location.67 It was evidently this incident and the days that followed which led African residents of the location to rename it ‘Twatwa’ after the sound of guns which rang out through that day. In Benoni the rebellion ultimately collapsed after the arrival of burgher commandos led by General Japie van Deventer from Standerton and the south-west, and the bombing and strafing of the strikers and their headquarters from aeroplanes, which prompted an internal collapse of discipline as one part of the rebels degenerated into looting and burning.68 In a state of extreme inebriation these were in no state to continue the fight. The use of aircraft, in particular, not only intimidated the strikers, but also profoundly embittered the residents of the town. ‘The bombs that fell on Benoni … caused panic … it was a pitiful procession’ as the local newspaper reported.69 The unhappy event made Benoni one of the first towns in history to be subjected to aerial bombardment. Robert Barnet, who was living at the Hotel Cecil in the middle of the town, leaves an eye-witness record of what transpired. The diary begins on Wednesday 8 when the general strike was called:
Wednesday, 8 March 1922. An uneventful day as far as Benoni is concerned. No papers. No news. Rumours from Johannesburg of further shooting … No one knows the truth. The strikers talk of dark happenings tonight and tomorrow. A Scotch Evangelist is here and is conducting meetings outside the Cecil and in the Hall. He is roaring, as I write this, that he is saved.
Thursday, 9 March 1922. This morning no news, only rumours – Mine Manager shot in town, Commando coming from Free State, etc.
Defence Force called. No trains to Benoni. Big parade, 500 strikers in military formation, preceded by pipe band.
Probable attack on Post Office. Special force of Police with fixed bayonets guarding.
Rautenbach, leader of Mounted Commando, tried for something yesterday and acquitted. Enormous crowds inside and outside Court ready to rescue him if convicted.
The Scotch Evangelist is appealing to Scotchmen to come and get salvation ‘without money and without price’. That ought to appeal to Scotchmen, he says, ‘something for nothing’.
Friday, 7 a.m. A battle is raging in Benoni. Shooting started at daybreak and police are all around the Hotel – under the verandas and in doorways. Three bodies are lying in Market Avenue in front of my gate (policemen), one quite dead, the other two twitching.
The young swanky officer who patrolled the streets yesterday was bowled over by a bullet just now.
8.30 a.m. Still shooting. James, the butcher, said to be shot dead. Ambulances and doctors arrive. Republican flag on Trades Hall.
9.30 a.m. Aeroplanes have arrived. Armed with machine guns. Fired on Trades Hall. Returned to Johannesburg, one apparently winged.
Friday, 5 p.m. Firing re-started 3 p.m. Been going on intermittently ever since. Police awaiting reinforcements. Hotel established as headquarters. Aeroplanes returned and bombed the Trades Hall. No lights to be allowed to-night. Outside rooms to be vacated.
Saturday, 7 a.m. Firing re-started at daybreak. Transvaal Scottish arrived last night. Aeroplanes again. Bombing Trades Hall. Said to be women and children there.
1 p.m. Sniping. Trades Hall said to be evacuated. Rennie’s house said to be burnt, also Murphy’s.
3 p.m. Barricades across street above Bunyan Street. News has arrived of the Transvaal Scottish arrival last night. Disembarked near Dunswart and advanced in skirmishing order. They were met by a body of strikers and sustained 60 casualties. Mostly inexperienced young lads from offices. Two officers killed.
Sunday, 7 a.m. ‘... to keep it holy’. Firing re-started at daybreak. Body of strikers entrenched in plantation behind dam. Finally attacking Police Station. General van Deventer advancing from Pretoria. (Was there ever such a strike!)
11 a.m. Quiet just now. Just been trying to cheer up the women. How they cling to their husbands and are afraid to let them out of their sights.
1 p.m. Continuous firing. Sound of heavy guns near Boksburg. Deventer said to be engaging strikers in their rear.
6 p.m. Getting dark. Possible attempts to fire the Hotel tonight. Arrangements made for the transfer of women and children if necessary. Banks, Chemist and Bottle Store blazing.
Sunday, 6 p.m. Daring sortie by strikers. Kuper’s office and Benoni Arcade burnt to the ground. Heavy bombardment all afternoon.
Monday, 13th 9 a.m. Aeroplane overhead. Desultory sniping.
10.30 a.m. Rumours that Johannesburg is also in revolt. What’s that? Horses. Van Deventer has arrived in front of the Hotel with a huge commando. The siege is raised!
10 p.m. Trades Hall ablaze!’70
Accurate figures of casualties of the strike do not exist, but it is likely that between 150 and 250 were killed, and 500–600 wounded. Five thousand were arrested, about 1 000 of whom