Some comrades are now in jail, netted in a swoop on hundreds of anti-apartheid activists under the state of emergency. Officials have said they are investigating residents' allegations that the attacks were mounted jointly by black ``vigilantes'' and members of the police force. In April, eight anti-apartheid activists were killed in fire-bomb attacks on their homes. Community leaders put the figure at more than twice that many. But in periodic explosions of violence since the beginning of this year, official figures show, nearly three dozen people have been killed. The boy knew his father worried about his activities but tried to ease the burden by making light of it: ``He would leave home to go out and he'd say: `Aren't you going to walk me to the front gate? It may be the last time you have that chance.' ''ĭuring the first period of the political violence that has raged almost exclusively in black areas of South Africa for the past 21 months, Alexandra was relatively quiet. There is the middle-aged man whose son is a ``comrade'' - one of the young radicals who have been combatting other blacks allegedly ``collaborating'' with the government in townships nationwide. ``Before the state of emergency, the young people here, our own people, were killing each other,'' says one resident, referring to the June 12 security crackdown by South Africa's white government. But at least for now, they are also at peace with one another. The blacks of Alexandra Township are bitter.
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