Mr. PS MARAIS

1417 ASSEMBLY DEBATES 1418 REPORT OF COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY sons’ Council, and a university, which will INTO IMP1 OPER POLITICAL INTERFER have a student body of nearly 600 enrolled ENCE AND POLITICAL REPRESENTA students this year already. Tliis is already TION OF THE VARIOUS POPULATION more than twice the number of students en GROUPS rolled at the old Victoria College at Stellen bosch in the days when it produced leaders (Debate resumed) such as Dr. Malan, General Hertzog and General Smuts. What a contrast to the old *Mr. P. S. MARAIS: At the conclusion of dispensation which extended over many hun business yesterday I was pointing out that the dreds of years and during which it was diffi white people and the brown people had been cult to produce impressive evidence of the walking the same road in this country for positive side of any policy which preceded the more than three centuries. As I was saying, policy of separate development. Now we find this has been a long road, one extending over that we are already far advanced in a for three centuries, and we have been covering it ward movement in which work on the future in our own particular way. When we analyse of our brown people is being done at a totally this long process of development, there is one new rate in numerous spheres by numerous outstanding period which may be described as bodies and persons. Sir, as a young man in the most unfortunate period, when a small this House I listened with the greatest ad section—and please note, Sir, only a small miration to the courage, to the spirit of ad section—of our brown people was being used venture. but also to the confidence which mercilessly in our political arena to act as radiated from the Leader of my party, from arbitrator between White and non-White in the contribution made to this debate by our this country. As a party man who played an hon. the Prime Minister two days ago. An active role in our party machine, I recall those idealism, far removed from the days when the days and how United Party women from such brown man, as a result of the struggle about select residential areas as Kenilworth, Ronde- his political role, had to be regarded and bosch and Pinelands. came to constituencies treated as a threat to the integrity and the like Vasco, Parow. Malmesbury, Worcester, standards of our white community, radiated Paarl and others on polling day. What did from his vision of the future for the brown they come to do? They came to drive man who at present and at this stage shares Coloureds to the polls on polling day, once this country with us. every five years, and to use them there as But I want to proceed. Is it not remark arbitrator between White and non-White in able that over the past number of years we, this country. And that evening, after the the Afrikaner Nationalists, have been the very closing of the polls, those United Party women people, who, in a new spirit, have been in the returned to their select areas in the Peninsula, forefront with new plans, with a new vision, and for the next five years they were uncon for brown community development in this cerned about the weal and woe of the country? Afrikaner Nationalists have devoted Coloured population. Thereafter those people their best energies to the practical develop had to fall back into their poverty and re ment of a true, brown civilization, which must turn to their poor residential areas. That was be properly manned by leaders of ability, one of the most unfortunate periods in the breeding and character. This is the spirit in process of development of our brown people which and the courage with which we, in pur in this country. In those days the brown suance of this report, are once again going to people were no more than a cynical, futile, take a further step in respect of a brown dis power political factor in the political disputes pensation in the future pattern of our country. of the white man. Brown community develop I think it is fitting at this stage for us to turn ment in its true sense and at its present rate our eyes in the direction of the brown man only became possible after a National Govern and, while we are creating a new order at this ment had launched a search for new patterns stage, for us to talk very seriously to the for the future of our brown minority in this brown man in our country and tell him cer county. Even to-day any person who wants to tain things. What should we tell him? To-day, be fair in his judgment must bear me out that on this occasion already, we should tell the the old, shadowy, ambiguous position of the brown man this: Here is a further oppor Coloured on the fringe of our white com tunity for you, but remember that in the end munity is in the process of being exchanged a nation has to save itself. Now opportunities for that of a population group in its own for understanding the white man and co right. Just see how this pattern has taken shape operating with him are being opened to the over the past number of years. brown man as never before. Therefore the Over the past number of years announce brown man must come forward and must ments dealing with brown community deve prove to us that he does in fact deserve the lopment in the news columns of our news bigger role, the higher status, within the bor papers have come to read like a beautiful and ders of the country we live in. If the brown many-sided serial: A new dispensation in edu people prove this, the opportunities to deve cation for our Coloureds, colossal plans for lop into good and valuable partners in the house-building and school-building projects, Western civilization of the white people are recreation places and facilities, a Coloured virtually unlimited. Here there is an oppor Development Corporation, a Coloured Per tunity now for giving new momentum to a 1419 1s t MARCH, 1968 1420 national attitude from which the old and often alongside each other—during our lifetime, unfounded disbelief in and suspicion against during the lifetime of our children and during each other can disappear to an increasing that of our children’s children. Within our extent. borders we shall still have to seek for many If we study this report and if we give further years to come for those boundary lines which consideration to the new order and future pat are necessary for good neighbourliness. I say tern of South Africa, we may tell one "good neighbourliness”, because none of us, another that there may be other alternatives no supporter of the United Party or of the to those which may flow from this investiga National Party, wants to see the perpetuation tion. What are these alternatives? I want to of a dichotomous symbiosis in South Africa mention a few of them without motivating at present, a condition in which White and them in detail. Brown will constantly imitate each other. We In the creation of new patterns, as I have are looking for a new order. To-day we may indicated, there are certain alternatives, and tell one another that the time of ‘‘the the first alternative is that this strong, white bl. boer” and “the Hottentot” are drawing Government of ours, this National Govern to an end for ever. As far as that is con ment with its large numbers that has been cerned, we are approaching a completely new governing South Africa for the past 20 years, world. could immediately have done one thing as an Then there is the other alternative—that of alternative. It could have decided that the gradual absorption or integration. I do not brown minority in South Africa had to be even want to discuss this alternative. In our pushed out to the 'black majority. But it is South African politics it is as dead, as much axiomatic that this side of the House and this of a fossil, at the present time as the United Government will not follow that line of action. Party is in South African politics. Something like that would not be a sound I am convinced that the proposed legisla policy for the white man, because it would in tion, the legislation which will flow from the point of fact mean suicide for him. To us on report of this commission and from this dis this side of the House it is a matter of elemen cussion will take us further with our modus tary common sense to lay down the principle vivendi, the way of this party to seek, un that the brown and the white people belong tiringly and wisely, the ideal formula for co on the same side in the real and great con existence in this beautiful country of ours. trasts threatening in Africa. And they belong on the same side not because of an irrevocable *Mr. J. D. DU P. BASSON: The hon. anti-black hostility, but because of that equili member for Umhlatuzana informed us yester brium which is so essential to political peace. day that his side was giving serious attention The hon. member for Umhlatuzana men to the creation of a separate “homeland” for tioned a second alternative, i.e.

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