The completion of my master's degree at Unisa in 1968 coincided with important and unexpected changes in my life. However, on its own, the receipt of the degree could not have resulted in the changes that took place from 1969 onwards. What mattered most was that I had recently changed jobs following an offer I had received from the Ellerine brothers, Eric and Sidney. They owned a chain of furniture stores, appropriately given their family name, which targeted the urban African market in Johannesburg and adjacent areas.

I accepted a position as employee relations officer at the head office in Germiston. In retrospect, it now appears as though the brothers Ellerine had prepared an acid test for me. Soon after my arrival I was given the task of investigating what the brothers considered to be a high turnover of black supervisory staff. I accepted the task with an open mind. It was not unreasonable to assume, as I did, that what my employers required from my inquiry was a finding which would help them resolve the problem.

Through my inquiry I established that the primary reason African supervisors were leaving the company was racist attitudes and practices on the part of white store managers in the group. I reported back accordingly and it was a rude shock to discover that my feedback failed to generate the serious examination of workplace practices that I had anticipated. To my surprise, I was shown the nearest door and told to resign or face summary dismissal. It became clear that employers such as the Ellerine brothers had no room for independentminded black people like me. It was time to take my jacket and leave.

Knowing that the work I had carried out at the Ellerines’ request could not be faulted on the grounds of unbridled political zeal on my part saved me from undue anger and humiliation. Fortunately, I have never had reason to look back with any sense of regret, particularly since there is no way of knowing what the rest of my life would have become had I been allowed to keep my position.