Beverley Naidoo - Journey to Jo’Burg

The children looked at each other.

“Do you think we could …” Tiro began.

But Naledi was already carefully pushing apart the barbed wire, edging her body through.

“Keep watch!” she ordered Tiro.

She was on tiptoes, stretching for an orange, when they heard, “HEY, YOU!”

Naledi dropped down, then dashed for the fence. Tiro was holding the wires for her. She tried to scramble through, but it was too late. A hand grasped her and pulled her back.

Naledi looked up and saw a young boy, her own age.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

He spoke in Tswana, their own language.

“The white farmer could kill you if he sees you. Don’t you know he has a gun to shoot thieves?”

“We’re not thieves. We’ve been walking all day and we’re very hungry. Please don’t call him,” Naledi pleaded.

The boy looked more friendly now and asked where they came from.

So they told him about Dineo and how they were going to Johannesburg. The boy whistled.

“Phew. So far!”

He paused.

“Look. I know a place where you can sleep tonight and where the farmer won’t find you. Stay here and I’ll take you there when it’s dark.”

Naledi and Tiro glanced at each other, still a little nervous.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be safe waiting here. The farmer has gone inside for his supper,” the boy reassured them. Then he grinned. “But if you eat oranges you must hide the peels well or there will be big trouble. We have to pick the fruit, but we’re not allowed to eat it.”

He turned and ran off, calling softly, “See you later.”

“Can we stay here for the night?” Tiro asked.

Naledi wasn’t too sure if they should.

“It can go badly if the farmer finds us. Remember what happened to Poleng’s brother?”

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