Character Analysis
Geel Piet, or "Yellow Peter" in Afrikaans, is a long-time prisoner in the Barberton prison. He's spent forty of his forty-five years in jail, so he's a little bit of a crusty old guy. Still, that doesn't stop him from being a genius boxing coach, and he trains Peekay to dance and win all of his fights.
Unfortunately, Geel Piet is caught in the middle of South Africa's racist system. He is called yellow because he's a half-caste—half white and half black—so he doesn't really fit in anywhere. He's a genius businessman, though, and makes a killing off of black market tobacco, sugar, salt, and letters with the help of Peekay, Doc, and Mrs. Boxall.
Geel Piet suffers the consequences of his success when Lieutenant Borman beats him to death trying to find out who gave him the letters he's found carrying one night:
"I killed the bastard, you hear!" Borman shouted "[...] He wouldn't tell me who gave him the letters, who brought the letters in. I caught him red-handed, two letters, man, red-handed! [...] He wouldn't tell me. I broke every bone in his face. [...] The black bastard wouldn't talk!" (14.113)
It was Peekay who was bringing the letters into the jail for prisoners, but Geel Piet dies without telling on him, no matter how much he is tortured. This event, and Lt. Borman's horrible confession, shows not only how loyal and tough that Geel Piet was, and how much he loved Peekay, but also how much hatred he faced in his day-to-day life because of his race.