John Kumalo's speech reveals him as a prophet, but a corrupt prophet, one who would never sacrifice his life, nor even sacrifice a week's or a day's income, for a cause. His voice is like a great bull or a lion roaring in an empty chasm. Dubula and Tomlinson are envious of the power of the voice, but they realize that Kumalo has no brains and no courage. Earlier John had ridiculed the people who stayed with the tribe and lived under the control of the chief who did nothing for the people. But now, with his voice, John is trying to emulate the role of the chief. As the police know, John will go only so far with his voice; he will retract rather than be arrested. Thus, he betrays the people who need him because he is unwilling to sacrifice himself in any way and desires only the power and notoriety caused by his speeches. Msimangu feels that it is perhaps good that John is corrupt because with his voice, he could cause South Africa to erupt into a bloodbath.
The news of the new crime — the new robbery and murder — is disastrous because the city and the nation are already so obsessed with fear. And since Absalom is on trial for a similar crime, there is a real possibility that he will be made to suffer for this crime, as well as the one he actually committed. Absalom is likely to be a scapegoat for all the fear, all the guilt, and all the crimes of the city. This desire for revenge has led the whites to demand more police protection rather than demanding more schools that could educate the masses who are performing the crimes.
In the trial scene, the reader should be aware of how carefully the judge evaluates his material — that any way one may look at the case, one must conclude that Absalom is guilty and must be judged accordingly. There is no indication that Absalom did not receive a fair trial. The chapter then presents the final recording of the preceding of the court: the conclusion is that according to the laws of South Africa, Absalom must be found guilty and must be hanged.
