I Il10. '"I .. I VOICE REFLECTIONS Ie OF I WOMEN ON FED SAW

I .IlprD 17th marD the 35th anniversary oCthe C~unding oCthe Federation oC South African Women which brought together women oC all race. and - 35 province. in the .truggle against apartheid. M we continue with the proc~ .. oC building a national women'. movement under pr'esent-day I conditions, the Federation'. le.. ons become very important to us. MAYIBUYE interviewed Comrade RaYi Simons, first Secretary oCFEDBAW and member oC the National 8ecretarlat oC the Women'. Section oC the I ANC on the.e experience. and their relevance today. YEARS ON MAYIBUYE:What led to the formation ofFEDSAW, and what role did you play I In this proce~s? JAY SIMONS: I. together with other women had been organising trade unions In which manyworkingwomen I were members. Whilst organising working women. It became clear that our women are the most oppressed I and exploited of our people. At work they had the meanest Jobs with lowest wages. In fact, laws and regulations of the regime would lay down wages for 'I women at the same rate as Juvenile male workers under 18 years of age, I.e., 200Al less than for adult males. After World War II. we had food Fedsaw members pray for detainees and (Sharpuille Six), I shortages. not enough houses. schools, other women organisers. the major affiliate, and the banning of clinics, etc. The conditions were hard. In Cape Town. a meeting of women Individual leading activists, It bC{;ame particularly on our women. We leaders, trade unionists, women's food very difficult for this body to continue organised food clubs. The need for an clubs and other women's organisations functioning. What measures did you I all-women's organisation became much was convened. The most burning Issue take to make the Federation continue moreappan:ntand urgent. At the same we faced then was the Increase In the working? ' Ime. we learned about the existence of prices , of bread and' rit'eaC and e Women's International Democratic withdrawal of subsidies from flour and RS: What we did was to follow the ~federation (WIDF) which was mealie-meal. We organised a campaign M(Mandela) Plan, We organised established In 1945, We also learned In the form of mass meetings and women's groups in , the townships that women In India. In Nigeria and deputations to the then Minister of according to streets, sewing clubs and I many other countries established Finance, Havenga. As a result. we so on; and kept the Federation and the women's federations. A number of us managed to stop - for a time - the plans ANC Women's League alive and active got together and resolved to establish of the regime. This was an Important during the period of repression. the Federation ofSouth African Women. victory. We also organised other However. this bC{;ame more and more I The first local federation was campaigns against Increased bus fares. difficultin the 1960's. because ofheavy established In Port Elizabeth. Comrades etc, All these actions stimulated the repression. The situation is different Frands Baard. Florence Matomela and organisation and the coming together today because the mass of worn en and myself were the speakerS at the mC{;tlng of women, -me Cuardlan- (the people In general are active despite I on the 1st of April 1953. The meeting progressive people's newspaper) even heavier enemy repression. There mandated me to organise such bodies published our campaigns. are more and more women and other In Durban. Johannesburg, CapeTown activists involved. and other areas, I was then Secretary MAYIBUYE:Asweknow, FEDSAW was I of the Fpod and Canning Workers' not banned. But since the banning of MAYIBUYE: At Its founding conference. Union. I ccmmunlcated this Idea to the ANC Women's League which was the Federation adopted a Women's Charter, What did the ~harterembrace I 11 f . . " ~. '.' .. . .' : ,I. ·,' . . .. :...... :".. ~ \ : ...... '. :".. :;. -.:. : .' I .,.. . :~: : M'AYIBUYE 11 I vow Ie

I [18=~..... ,;:-'" ; :A~ . Continued from page, 10 ~lj;i~l;15EFIA.NCE ~ij?~~~';<,~,~<, .:;~",,;;,:,. I as a major concern? , ',' ('

RS: The Charter embraced women's rights as a major concern. But Its In our country, as in most countries where an oppressive regime ;s in I priority was for women to play an power, women are to be found in the front ranks of resistance. Our history' active role In the struggle for national is a living testimony of women's valour, resilience and deiermination to liberation. It also expressed concern. stand against successive apartheid regimes. for example. at tne multitude of legal , It is particularly in the defiance of apartheid laws and measures affecting I restrictions on women. It opposed the women that we have seen the real worth of South African oppressed women. triple oppression of black women - The ANC was only a year old when the first major campaign of defiance by the women was launched. The result was that the attempt to extend oppressed because of the colour of the passes to women was shelved for decades. I ~elr skin. as women and as a class'. It Again, in all the campaigns relating to the rising cost of living, which .so emphasised children's rights. particularly affects women, they have been in the forefront. They have do?iied bulldozers when the regime tried to uproot families from their homes. They C~YIBUY.E:ThedemocratiCmovement have refused to give in without a fight even though in many cases they have has been working for the formation of a acted from a position of relative weakness created by the socio~onomic I broad anti-apartheid coalition. How do position to which they have been relegated by the apartheid system. They derive strength from the justness of the people's cau~e. from their unity. these efforts relate to the process under organisation and determination. way to form a national organisation of As we enter 1989, we call on the women of our country to take thcir I women? position in the front ranks of the mass political activities to be undert3kcn this year. They must, together with the youth, workers. and others, work RS:Ourwomen are working to establish rclentlessly to ensure that this becomes truly a year of defiance and daring a single national body of women on our part! _ The January 8 statement, in a call to the people to engage in struggle I Irrespective of race. colour and around issues which directly affect them, identifies. among others, the plight profeSSion. WI! support this aim for of millions of our people who live in appalling conditions in shanty towns women to be united Irrespective of in many areas of our country. whether they have adopted the Aloo, our women together ....ith all our people mllst fight for the rcicase I FEDSAW Charter or the Freedom of our children from prison and detention and an end to the executio n of Charter. Let the women come together patriots. The Groups Areas Act and the migrant labour ~ystcm which divide and and form a body to defend their rights undcrmine family life must be dealt a final blow throu3h mass action. We I and advance the struggle. They have a right to decent family life. themselves will decide what name such Most of our women are employed on commercial farms and as domestic , a body will have. and what charter or workers in the white suburb!; "",h~e they and their children are treated as ndPles to adopt. slaves: The democratic movement must draw more and more workers of The oppressed and exploited women these workers into its ranks. The living wage campaign must be intensified especially in sectors where women are employed, ~'e making a grcat contribu tlon In the ~struggle against the repressive and Inhuman actions of the regime against THE PLACE OF WOMEN IS IN THE STRUGGLE!! an our people. young and old. Therefore I everyone who believes In human rights and children's welfare - black and white MAYIBUYE :What do you think the overemphasised, on this the 35th -should come together and establish a women of our country should do to Anniversary year of the founding of the I broad anti-apartheid women's mark the 35th anniversary of the • Federation of South African Women". organisation which w111 mobllfse all formation of FEDSAW? It concludes by saying: " ... Let this women to struggle side by side with last year of the decade be marked by men of all ages to liberate our country RS: I think the January 8th Statement unprecedented mass action for an end I from white racist rule. Our children's of the NEC summarises the task facing to the apartheid system; for the creation lives are In danger. We must protect all women and Indeed the entire of a united. non-racial and democratic and save our children. We must stop democratic movement in our country South Africa". the racist regime and Its security forces when It says: • The objective of anti­ I , from detaining, torturing, abducting apartheid unl ted action faces all seCtors and killing our people. ofour people. In particular, democratic The formation of an anti-apartheid and anti-apartheid women's women's organisation should organisations have for some time now I con Uibu te towards and become part of striven to setJ.lP a single national body. the overall effort to set up a broad anti­ The urgency of this task - at both f.. ?artheld coalition. national and regional levels - cannot be

, . " .. . .. " MAYlBUYE 12 YOUTH FORWARD

I ~::::=, .. ~-Y-=O=U=T=H=A=C=T=IO=N FOR I PEOPLE'S POWER I I

I the challenge contained in that ~all. QlU!stion: What are the perspectives of underground structures and activity of our the youth in this year? movement. Question: What is the capacity of the Internationally, we have to deepen the youth inside South AfriC2 to undertake Answer: Theyear 1989,mustseeusbetter isolation of the racist regime. Increase the these tasks in the light of the fact that poised to effect our goal ot national effect of the sanctions against the regime many of the youth leaders are in liberation. We, together with the rest of the by involving youth of all countries. The detention and their organisations have I other sectors, must more resolutely push youth internationally have a special role in been banned? .' for the birth of anew non-racial democratic making People's Sanctions more biting on South Africa. 'Through our own effort we the Pretoria regime. In short, in this last Answer: Many of the leaders of the must destroy apartheid and its structures. year of the decade of liberation, we should I democratic youth movement in Sout.~ We have the task of acting enmasse to defy mount a gigantic all-round offensive Africa have been murdered, deLained,jailed and malce ineffective all restrictions placed against the regime. harrassed and so forth, but all this has not upon us by the regime. As working youth, stopped us from struggling. We have I we must defeat the rightwing attack on the QlU!stion: How do these campaigns discovered and use new :nethods of Trade Union Movement and build upon related to the issue of Mass Action for organisation and operation. Indeed the our gains. People's Power as the year has oc-en youth and ::>ther sectors have been As students we should advance more on designated by the ANC? extremely resourceful hence at local and I the campaigns for a peoples education, regional levels the organisational creating and building viable structures for Answer: We should al\l(ay~ .. fOql~ . Our formations remain, in most of the ar~ better organisation and co-<>rdination. In attention on People's Power because this intact, continue to grow strong. I our community organisations, be they is what our revolution is about. It is about There shall always be leaders thrOV.l1 youth clubs, spons, civics, we must take the seizure of power by the masses of our up by the struggle itself to take over from the offensive to the regime in an organised people. From this, it stands toreason that those the regime managed to temporarily and disciplined fashion. Religious youth the only agents that can bring people's incapacitate. The determination and moraJe I and their organisations must also join the power is the people thenc;elves. There of the youth remains high. I think they offensive against the regIme. should not be any spectators in this struggle. have the capacity to undertake the tasks But more important in this 10th It is a national liberation struggle where before us. We have resolved to be our own 1 anniversary of the cold-blooded murder of the overwhelming majority must be masters, so that the restrictions and Solomon Mahlangu is that U1 greater involved. Now the youth constitute a bannings of the regime must be defied by numbers than before and with more significant percentage of the population. us beC.1use they are not intended to helpus determination, we should join the people's This alone places a lot of responsibility on liberate our selves. In actual strruggle we I army, Umkhonto we Sizwe. them to act in this manner that will bring have made the banningsistate of emergency We should sharpen and strengthen the change in the shortest possible time. This, and other oppressive measures taken by spear of the nation for our liberation. We in our view, isacall to battle for all of us to the regime to lose their intended effect on have to be pan of this offensive which is dislodge once and for all the regime that us by increasing our activitY-and bringing I· y the onl language the regime understands. clings to antiquated notions of · white new forces to the fore. On this 40th The best of our young men and women supremacy. Anniversary of the Programme of Action, must find their place in this army of It means we should maintain, strengthen . we must be more organised and active to liberation from all the Soutll- African and cultivaq: an offensive posture with the 1 defeat the BOtha. regime's ~chemes. - -...:- . .nationalities. For this to bedTtctiveas it - backing and partiCipation d{th~ ~s~ of .f- ·nt~t be, we must be read:=:,o~ci~ _~e . our people. TIti~ is't)lli-.~~e.~r:m.?ing of Continued on p;ge-'13

.: ...... ' , -- '.~ ;.: . in.1 YIBUYE 13

I REMEMBER SOLOMON MAHLANGU continued from page 12 . , Tell my people that I love them and that they must continue the struggle. I ( Juestwn: Do you as a youth have some My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom. A Luta short term programme and objectives Continual" was the last message of Solomon Kalushi'Mahlangu as he passed that you want to reach? For instance the baton of struggle to those who were to follow on his foot steps. this year is the 10th anniversary of As he walked tall to the gallows, Solomon Mahlangu gave the ANC salute, I Solomon Mahlangu's execution and as stood upright and smiled to the shame of his executioners. In his training, you said earlier on, it is also the n black violance is the worle of the I.immediate example that is quoted is regime directly and through its surrogates. I f- :" .; I MAYIBUYE 14 ~:;II[~~~::YX~::~::;::l;;:l:;::·::;I:!i.::i:ll\;I;!iii::::[i:l::!:~::~:Ri:~:§ ::;:::;i:[;::."i : ~~Ci~¢"'tiiig~-;:=== I( MASS· ORGANisAtIONS UNDER THE STATE OF EMERGENCY 1. COMBINE ALL ·FORMS OF I ORGANISATION AND STRUGGLE The Botha regime is bent on destroying democratic organisations and preventing aU living such lives does not mean that they opposition to apartheid. This Is the aim behind the February 24th and subsequent should then become unavailable to other I restrictions on democratic organisations; the . Labour Relations Ammendment Act; , activists and the organisations in general. assassination of Goniwe, Mhlauli, Stanza Bopape, Sicelo Dhlomo and othen; terrorist Whilst taking all the precautions, they should actions on OmCC3 of COSA TU, the churches and other organisations; restrictions on leaden ensure that they remain in touch with of the MDM-1o quote but a rew examples. democratic structures and the people in gen c:r.:U. I If they do not continue making their full On the other hand. Botha and his ·generals councils. But.oI&dllisation according to houses. contribution to the organisational and lenow that the people shall not surrender. streets and zones remains a necessity: theseare mobilisational process• . they lose the very Therefore. their minimum objective is to drive the strucrures that should form the foundation reason for their station as leaders and organisers us onto the defensive. The regime wants us to of township/suburb.regional and national I of the people. The enert}y also consciously be bogged down simply defending the gains we integrated political centres of the mass seeks to achieve: this purpose: to dislocate and have madeand not advancing to new ground. It democratic movement. wants us also to strain our sight searching for destabilise democratic structures by "chasing the lead-=rship completely out of circulation". the needle of 'legal space' in the haystack of THIS ARTICLE IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES general repression. As a result. the enemy would Certainly, a mass organisation has to main­ DEAllNG wrrH MASS ORGANISATION UNDER 1 - .hen move onto the offensive and regain the tain as public a profUe as possible. It cannot as THE PRESENT CONDITIONS. A lLOT OF strategic initiative. The art of leadership lies in an organisation operate underground (like the recognising the objective conditions under EXPERlENCE HAS BEEN GA./NED. YET THERE ANC which is illegal). All means must be used which the struggle is being waged and all the HAYE BEEN MANY SET BACKS; AND to spread the message of the mass democratic time acting such that we lift the struggle to new WEAXJYESSES IN ORGAN;JATION CONTINUE movement. The media-.-such-as·pamphlets. leaflets and stickers. videos. ord inary cassettes heights. TO MA.NIFEST THEMSELYES. IN THIS SERlES, We have amassed a lotof experience in this and so on • should be used. House-te-house I WE EUBOIU.TE ON SOME OF THE PERTINENT regard. In organisational terms. the launch of visits and other forms are also very effeetive. ISSUES A.1USING our OF THESE EXPERlENCES. SAYCO. the 1987 UDF National Working And out of struggle. more and more possibili­ Comminee meeting. the NIC Conference and ties will emerge. For example. the people of I theCOSATV Special Congress are someof the For example. in a township. it is necessary Mdantsaneconducted widespread agitation and leey examples of our capacity to adapt. that all sectorS of the oppressed people: workcrs. spreaJing of information in t:ains during the Politically, we have dealt the enemy many youth. students. women. religious bodies and famous bus boycott in the early eighties. heavy blows under these conditions. The 1987 others should come together to exercise The organisations which ha ve been restricted I railway and mineowrkers strikes. the boycott leadership. The manner in which this would should also look beyond themselves as of the Local Affairs elections last October. express itself in practice would differ from organisations in order to conduct their work. and the 3-day general strike are ample proof area to area. UDF Area Comminees. COSATU More and more forms should be employed: that the masses are prepared to act. if given the shopstewards. local structures of the church religious bodies and gatherings. sports and I leadcrship. have to come together on a representative cultur.ll forms. sewing clubs. stokvels and so Yet. the MDM has not been able to hamess basis at township. regional Of national·levcl. on, to organise the people and spread the message the potential it has. National leadership has But account would have to be taken of the of struggle. Where there are other democratic not been effective in guiding local state of repression. In other words. we have to structures which have not been restricted. we organisations and struggles. The UDF. balance hctween democratic representation and should skilfully employ them in selected tasks. COS/\TU and the churches have not mustcred accountability on the one hand. and restriction --At the same time. we should broaden the front their combined strength to generate more and of operational information on the other. It is of organisations and individuals active in the I more mass actions. 5/\ YCO's development not necessary, for instance. for each and struggle for the eradication of apanheid. and has been slowed down by thearrestofvinually everyone to "know the actual constitution of the narrow the social base of the regime. its entin:: nationallcadcrsh ip. Wc must improve integrated leadership body. when and where We must combine the task of adapting to our methods all thc time. they hold their meetings and so on. But members existing conditions with a deliberate drive to I Ourexpcricnce has taught us that the basic of organisations from the lowest level need to galvanise people to defy thelaws and restrictions strength of a democratic organisation lies in take part in choosing their leaders. among aimed at immobilising our structures and the powerofits grassroots structures. Without whom would then emerge those that would leaders. M i Ii tant mass defiance wi II help acti vate ~trong local organisations. the democratic take part in the integrated political leadership our forces to widen the "I~gal space" in which I movement can only exist in name. Whcn and bodies. On the othcr hand. through the network we can operate. It will fcnher liber.lte them whcre we had managed to organise street of structures which form part of thedcmocratic from the psychology of acting only within the committees. wc were able to draw the collective. decisions of higher bodies would bounds of the law which is otherwise made to ovcrwhclming majority of our people into be transmitted to lower bodies and the other stop us from struggling. In tbe process of I dccio·n-making and into active struggle. way round. struggle. a new prople's legality is emerging. Despitc the problcms created by the State of The network of the mass democratic We must cultivate and str7ngthen it. Emcrgcncy. thesc structures have survived in a movement is made up of the leadership, the numOcr of areas. Thcir charactcr and function organisers and the-mass of members. The (In [wIVe articles o[ this series we shall I might havc slightly changed: for examplc. in leadership and organisers arc the ones usually examine these and other is.;~s in greaJer detail) the sense that they do not have the character of most sought out by the enemy. There(ore. nrg~ns of popular govcmment like at thc time many of thcm have to lead underground lives whcn we had de ~ tr0Yl-d the rcgime 'scommunilv rn :1 Vf'id ."'~ ; nn ,....,("v,.. ~ ,1 .... , ... L.. • • • L...... _ ,,-, • • n ." t- ..

l' .} ••• .. :~. " -:-"., . : },;. '.. :... ---~------~ . .----~--~~------~------.------MAYIBUYE 15 I ANNIVERSARY OF BOPHUTHATSWANA SOLDIERS' UPRISING ( THE FIGHT FOR PEOPLE'S POWER CONTINUES

1 February lOth mark. the fiut annivez;...ry of the revo.It of patriotic 801dien in gope Is. than the man ncr In which he has Bophuthat.wana. The .wilt re.pon8e by the Both. regxme to re.tore Mangope been treating even those who have all .hould convince all tho_ who harboured any illwoion. about lJO~aDed independ­ along been In his ruling clique. Under ence of theM! bantwotana. February lOth therefore emphaai8e. the illegitimacy of every bush and under his pillow. he sus­ I the bantu.tan .y.tem. and the erim. into which apartheid·. grand .cheme. have pects plotters conspiring to remove him plunged. " from power. Mangopemlght be right about the extent of opposition to his rule. But to The Bophuthatswana bantustan has the soldiers. The task of rectifying this remove a so.called minIster because he all along been portrayed by the apartheid weakness belongs to all patriotc forces. sought to 'WOrk according to the legal I regime as a shining examp Ie of the benefits Including the vanguard movement. , . . , "_" system Mangope himself created Is a re- of ·homeland Independence'. Business We must unite all the people Into a flection of Insecurity to say the least. For interests Joined the reglme's chorus and broad front against Mangope and his Mangope to have acted against a judge descended on Bophuthatswana I1ke vul­ masters. All scctors of the population because he followed Mangope's legal I tures. to benefit from the abject poverty of Including chiefs. rcl1glous bodies. youth. system shows how a paranoid gone the people and corruption amon'g the workers. women and others should be beserk behaves. , puppets. The patriotic soldiers' uprising - organised Into broad formations on the If anything. these actions show that which recleved popular support - showed basis of their grievances and demands. At Mangope's small and dwindling clique Is no uncertain terms that the reglme's the same time. these forces should merge not In control. Neither are their masters. I paganda had not fooled anyone - least into a broad coal1t1on to actively challenge Even within the puppet circles there, are , all the oppressed people. After all. Mangope and his clique against eorrup- manywhoarecomingtoreal1sethefollyoC rople's concrete experiences are a far cry lion. repression.shortage ofland and jobs. their ways. and are seeking genuine solu. tfrom the 1m1tat!on glitters of Hollywood high prices. low wages. poor health faetll- lions to the problems facing South Africa. I and Dallas. ties. lack of hOusing ...... bantustan 'lnde- We must tdent1lY all such elements _within The outcome of this brave effort by pendence' and apartheid oppression of the ~nny. police foree, cMl service. the these patrioUC soldiers Is well-known. The which Bophuthatswana Is an ocr-shoot. 'parliament and cabinet itself _ and win event had so shaken Mangope's bosses in Since he was rescued last February. them over firmly into the ranks of the Pretoria that they had to come all the way Mangope and his masters have introduced active army against apartheid. In thewords I to Mmabatho to wish him a sound sleep a retgn of terror never Witnessed before In oftheJanuary 8th statement. those within and declare: ·We are tonight back In con- this area. The soldiers and other patriots enemy structures with so much as a shred trol·. But the people shall not allow them on tIial have been subjected to the most In- of conSCience left must • ... act together to be In control. We shall not allow human treatment. The People's Progres- with the people against the common en. I Mangope to have a sound sleep. slve Party has been banned. and the Na- emy to bring about the collapse of such Though short-lived. the soldiers' upris- tlonal Seopasengwe Party has been Institutions as the local government struc- Ing Is pregnant with many relevant expe- targetted for all kinds of schemes In order tures. the bantustans and the tri-cameral riences for future battles. In the first to wea ken it. Democratic acUvtsts are being sham .• I Instance. we showed that we have It In our hounded day and night. This Is to be Thc vlt:!ousness of the Mangope clique power to advance to people's power In any expected from people who do not enjoy the puts Into sharp focus the need for armed and all areas of South Africa. But to do so. support of the population. But It must not actions withIn Bophuthatswana. as In we have to be united at all levels: workers. b~ allowed to continue. We must seek and other parts of South Africa. It Is the task of patriotic soldiers, chiefs. religiOUS Instltu· rInd ways oforganiSing under the conditions all patriots, and ~heyouth In particular. to I tlons. civil servants. farmers. women. of repression. and engage In campaigns of organise themselves into combat groups. studcnts and others. Herein lles oneofthe sol1darity with the patriots on trial and acquire and manufacture weapons and aslc weaknesses of the soldiers' uprising: against the reign of terror. ,.' ",' '" '' act In a disclpllned manner against the Ir actions were not co-ordlnated with As If this 'Is not enough. Mangope has tyrants. Patriotic soldiers within the ban- , ose of the population. There were no gone on a campaign to depose chiefs who tustan army should form themsclves Into ~uch strong llnks. Thus. the mass sup­ oppose his unjust and COIT'Jpt reg1me. units to spread the message of liberation port the soldIers recleved was spontane· Chief Mankuruane. Chief Molotlegt and and act In a purposeful ' manner against ous and confined to the university and a Chief Ramokoka are among thc Victims of the bossy boer soldiers: In fact, most of few other areas. The people's jubilatIon this rampant actions of dlsrcspect for the the demands that patriqtlc soldlcrs ad- I was not channelled Into an organ1sed and traditions of our people. This provocation vanced last February are even more rele. purposeful revolt <:Jovetaillng With that of must be met with the full weight of popu- vant today. On the other hand, the move. lar opposition. Using ment underground and Umkhonto we all possiblemcans. we S1zwe In particular have an Important role I mustact declstvely for to play In the organisation and mobillsa. the reinstatement of . tlon of the people In thIs part of our all patriotic chiefs. country, in gUiding mass political and Through democratic combat activity, and In 'giVing a cutting 1 organisations. the edge to popular actions. traditional struc· The Bophuthatswan ~ soldiers' rcvolt tures. churches and - is Just one example of the cr.sis affiicting where practicable - the bantustan system. With the events in even the courts. we the Transkei. Ciskci. Venda and othcr I. must campal!!n , to bantustans the apartheid grana scheme Is stop this harasiment. crumbling before the very cyes of Its Nothing demon· architects. strates the state of mind In which Man- I Even the centre Itself shall not hold for 10nl1. t ~' ";" .

. " ... ~

" ~'." " ...... " j , "' II

•II 1 ~ -...!. . ..•I ' : 1' ~ • •.£~ - , ~ :::- '7"'11 1

: : J

1 j , ~ . ~

•I "' ~ : ~ ~ '" FEBRUARY 1989 EDITORIAL ~ NAMIBIA AND OUR STRUGGLE ISSN:0031-0509 SECHABA Vlllume 2:1 No 2

It is a year now since the battle of Cuito from Namibian soil. CONTENTS: Cuanavale ended and since then much has Cuito Cuanavale :has certainly changed EDITORIAL . .' happened. There was a ceasefire, there the course of history of Southern Africa. Namibia and Our Struggle ...... I were negotiations in London; New York Their acts of "bantustanisation" in Namibia and Africa. As planeloads of Cuban troops are coming to end. The people of Namibia MASS ACTION FOR PEOPLE'S POWER left Luanda to return to Havana, the United demand Peace Now! - after all, their arm­ January 8th Message, 1989 ...... 2 Nations Angola Verification Mission ed struggle was a struggle for peace. The ANC STATEMENT ...... 14 (Unavem) was satisfied that Cuba and pre-condition for peace is the implemen­ Angola intend to observe the terms of the tation of the 1978 United Nations General CENTRE PAGE accord. Assembly Resolution 435. The Threshold of Freedom ...... 15 President Dos Santos has gone on record What is the task facing us in this context? SWAPO STATEMENT ...... 18 as saying the Cuban contribution to Angola The task facing us and Africa as a whole is will never be forgotten and that Angola in­ to fight to complete the anti-colonial revolu­ ANC INTERNATIONAL ...... 19 tends to build a monument in honour of tion on the continent; a process which is CONTRADICTIONS IN BANTU EDUCATION those Cubans who died in the crucial bat­ basically anti· racist. This is definitely in the By Elaine Unterhalter ...... 20 tle of Cuito Cuanavale. The independence interests of the Namibian people. There is of Angola is now assured. The Cuban Com­ more to il. If South Africa is not liberated TODAY'S GENERATION: THE UDF TREASON TRIAL mander in Angola, General Abelardo Col­ a Damocles swqrd will hang over their By N Mosikare ...... 24 ome Ibarra, said the Cubans and Angolans heads. They will continue to be exploited LETTER TO THE EDITOR ...... 27 had shattered th~ myth of South African in the South African mines and economy­ an economy they helped to develop. 28 invincibility. '. REVIEW ARTICLES ...... N ow the ball is in the court of the apart­ By liberating Namibia, these people have ' Graphic design by Hylton Alcock heid regime. Under the agreement signed brought the day of our liberation nearer, in New York, the apartheid regime commit­ and we are duty bound to help them secure ted itself to end its support for UNIT A and their independence by overthrowing the to grant independence to Namibia. But as apartheid regime. we know them, the racists are full of tricks The ANC has pledged to do everything LISTEN TO RADIO FREEDOM to say the least. They are raising in its power to facilitate Namibian in­ "technicalities." As if this is not bad dependence. The ANC in its 'Nisdom Voice of the African National Congress enough, they are intensifying the conscrip­ decided, as President Tambo says in the And Umlthonto We Sizwe, the People's Army tion of thousands of young Namibians into January 8th Statement, in consultation with the South West African Territorial Force the fraternal Government of the People's Radio Lusaka Radio Madagascar (SW ATF) because - according to them - Republic of Angola and other friendly Daily 7.00 pm: Monday·Saturday 7.00 9.00 pm: SW APO "has still not made any formal an­ African countries, to help in this process by Wednesday 10. 15· 10.45 pm: Sunday 1.00·0.00 pm: Shon wave 49mb 6135 Kllz nouncement regarding the halting of its ter­ agreeing to move its military personnel Thursday 9.30· 10.00 pm: rorist activities." At a time when it is clear from Angola "so as not to allow the racists Friday 10 .15· 10:15 pm: Radio Ethiopia Sholt wave 31 mb 9505 Kllz to everybody that SWAPO is going to and' their allies to use the presence of ANC Dally, 9.30· 10.00 pm: sweep elections in Namibia, they still military facilities in Angola as an excuse for Sunday B.OO·B.'I5 am: Shon wave 31mb 9595 KHz regard SWAPO as an enemy which is blocking or otherwise delaying the pro­ Short wave 25mb IIBBO KH z Radio Tanzania engaged in "terrorist activities." Are they cess now in motion." This is political Radio Luanda Monday Wednesda y Friday B. 15 pm: going to change their attitudes if SW APO maturity, revolutionary solidarity and inter­ Monday·Saturday 7.30 pm: Tuesday Thursda y Saturday 6. 15 am: takes over? Are they going to stop harbour­ nationalism in action. Sunday B.30 pm: Short wave 31 rnb 9150 KI [z ing, training, financing and deploying We know we are dealing with a wound­ Short wave 31 mb 9535 Kllz ed beast and as usual a wounded beast is The above are South African times UNITA bandits? Are they going to stop and 25 mb threatening and/ or attacking Angola? Even the most dangerous animal in the jungle. if they do not, they will certainly not do that Let us deal with this wounded beast!

--., - - --'-' - -- -~------.. -

Collection Number: AK2117 Collection Name: Delmas Treason Trial, 1985-1989

PUBLISHER:

Publisher: Historical Papers Research Archive, University of the Witwatersrand Location: Johannesburg ©2016

LEGAL NOTICES:

Copyright Notice: All materials on the Historical Papers website are protected by South African copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published in any format, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein, you may download material (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal and/or educational non-commercial use only.

People using these records relating to the archives of Historical Papers, The Library, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, are reminded that such records sometimes contain material which is uncorroborated, inaccurate, distorted or untrue. While these digital records are true facsimiles of paper documents and the information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be accurate and reliable, Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand has not independently verified their content. Consequently, the University is not responsible for any errors or omissions and excludes any and all liability for any errors in or omissions from the information on the website or any related information on third party websites accessible from this website.

This document forms part of a collection, held at the Historical Papers Research Archive, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.