EPISCOPAL CHURCHPEOPLE for a FREE SOUTHERN AFRICA E 339 Lafayette Street, New York, N.Y. 10012·2725 c (212) 477-0066 s

A #58 23 April 1987 BISHOPS TO·.BOTH A To inform SA State President ·that war situation 1s reaching calamitous stage

------BY GWEN LISTER ------NAMIBIAN churchleaders, meetme with the Ad· ministrator General, Mr Louis Pienaar, on Wednesday THE OBSERVER, SUNDAY 12 APRIL 1987 afternoon, requested an urgent meeting with the South African State Preaident, Mr P W Botha, in order to resolve the war situation which they describe u hav­ ing reached a "calamitouslltage... A spokesman from Mr ATTACK FEARED Pienaar's office confirmed that the request had been Fearing another South African --­ transmitted to the office of Mr Botha, and added that commando raid, Zimbabwe yesterday the State President's attitude to such a meeting would called on the international community depend.on the "motive" behind the request by chur· to prevent the Pretoria regime from chleaders, and that the meeting would be unlikely to engaging in ' military adventurism ' take place before the elections in . against any of its neighbours, Jan Churchleaders, including Biahop James Kauluma of the Anglican Church; Raath reports from Harare. The call, Biahop Hendrik Frederick of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; Biahop Kleopas Dumeni of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in (ELCIN); by Foreign Minister Witness Reverend Karl Sundermeier of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church Mangwende, follows warnings last and other member churches o(the Council of Churches in Namibia, lllid in week by South Africa's President a brief statement that they were aeek.ing an urgent appointment with Mr · Botha "so that an opportunity may be given lA> us lA> expreaa our <:Oncern P. W. Botha and Foreign Minister Pi.k over this dangerous oituation qf ecalating conflict". Botha that South Africa would retaliate .Recalling the ..concerns and warn­ tiona which he would JK*! to them. it the front-line States failed to halt the ings which-have previously brought Such qiHIStiona"""""'"""­ alleged incursions of ANC guerrillas lA> the attention of the South African by chU!'Chleaders made in various through their territories. Mangwende State President", the churchleaders parts of the world. The spoluwnan said that the " aituation is referred in particular lA> a recent state- emphasised that Zimbabwean support deteriorating month bymonthandday - ment by Biahop Dumeni concerning for the ANC ' does not extend to the by day, and needs ~nt attention tA> - · allePIOou U.t ~l.ieopcen- .fli tlae prevent it from e.ca.lating beyond the SADF had been aeen in northern provision of bases or transit facilities present already dangerous point". Namibia with the bodies of dead peo­ within or via Zimbabwe.' The churchleaders lllid in the state­ ple suspended from them. Mr Botha, ment that Mr Pienaar had been lllid the spokesman, would demand 11 receptive" to their request, and in· dates and times and evidence of such dicated that it would be communicated allegations in order lA> inveatiga~ to Mr Botha, but cautioned that there· He added that ehurchleaders had quest for a meeting might not be met madeitclearthatthewiahedoolely!A> THE SUNDAY TIMES 12 APRIL 1987 before mid-May (aft.er the elections). diacuas with Mr Botha, the escalating MrBotha'sofficev.'BSapproachedfor war. situation, and that they did not would facilitate a meeting with Mr comment, but a spokesman said no in· want lA> deal with allegations of Botha. This meeting would largely de­ formation could be given on any ofthe atrocities on the part of Swapo. Mr pend on whether the chU!'Chleaders State President's meetings. Botha would not agree lA> talks on the had an "honest motive" and "recon­ Also approaehed for comment, a Heecalatingwar" since it was the opi· ciliation" in requesting the meeting, spokesman from the office of the Ad­ nion of the authorities that Swapo ac­ and were not merely "playing lA> the ministrawr General said that there­ tivities had "diminished" and were public gallery". quest for a meeting had already been "winding-down" rather than Church oourcea confmned that the aent to Mr Botha's office, and eonflTID­ eoealating. deteriorotinsl: ....,. situation in nor­ ed the meeting with Mr Pienaar and The spokesman lllid he felt, in view them Namibia would be the IA>pic of ehurchleaders on Wedneaday. of the fact that Mr Botha refuaed, two auch a meeting. They odded that the He said that Mr Pienaar had made JMl"8 ago, to meet with CCN chur­ meeting with the Administrator it clear in the meeting, that chur­ chlMdera, that ifthechun:hleadersin GeDel'al wu morder lA> pus the re­ chleaders would, if they met with Mr ~n .. spoke out against violence -quest for diacuaaiona with the State" Botha. have lA> anBwer certain ques- from all .odes", that ouch an attitude President.

• Red drive on Unita. A inajor dry season offensive by a joint Angolan. Cuban and Soviet force. aimed at driving rebel Unita guenil· las from their bases in southern is about to begin, South African com­ manders believe. It will be the most deter­ mined so far, backed by massive Soviet airlifts, and South Africa may have to Bishop Kleopaa Dumenl intervene directly to suppon Bishop James Kauluma Unita, or come face to face with Cuban. Soviet and Angolan forc,es on the Fnday April 10 1987 l'HE NAMIBIAN Namibian border. ' THE NAMIBIAN

4 Friday March 20 1987 ANGOLANS ON ASSAULTS THREE CIVIUANS from tbe Oiputa village In aoutbern ADgola,laat week bitterly accuaed memben oftbe South African Defence Force of"malicioua aasault" and oftbe "mercUeaa roaotl.nl" of peaceful and delenceleu civiliana in tbe reJion. Speaking from their hospital wards Afrikaans. I replied in the negative". BY CHRIS SHIPANGA at Taandi, in Ombalantu, the three "The aoldierthen asaaulted me with men claimed that unita of the SADF fieta and ordered the black aoldiers to frequently croaaed the Angolan border Haikali, 30, alleged that on February gather fire wood and to make a fire. fo r "nothing other than to molest 11, 1987, unitaoftheSADF in Buft'el After this he ordered me to ait on the civilians on the other aide and to ac­ trucka arrived at their homestead in fire, but I refuaed, and he forcibly threw cusethemriusiatingPLANfighters". southern Angola and demanded to me into it". The civiliana further accuaed securi­ know from hia father how many eons "As I struggled out he would kick me ty forces of occasionally destroying hehad,andhowmanyofthemwentto back onto the fire," he aaid. their property and of unlawful deten­ achool. The civilian further claimed that tions, which many times allegedly "At that stage a white soldier spot· several other people were alao resulted in the deatba and or diaap­ ted me in one of the huta and stormed asaaulted that day before the soldiers pearance of people. towardsmeeeizingmebytheneckand proceeded to another village. One ritheciviliana, Mr Ndimulunde asking me whether I understood any The third civilian, Mr MariuAitula, Sheeuya, 67, alleged that many 23, alleged that in February this year, CUBpir trucka, with the wording Z5, members of the SADF were moving onMarch8,1987,arrivedathiehome from the one village to the other quea­ just acroee the Angolan border and of. tioningciviliane about Swapo fighters. floaded several wet sticka which He aaid many people l"ere being roughly measured about a metre each beaten up with wet aticka. imd that the in their lengths. aoldieracame tobiahome and arrested He aaid all men were blackandapoke him for looking "auspicious". adialectaimilartothatritheOvahim­ MrAitulaclaimedthatbewaetaken ba of the Kaokoland region. to Sector 10 Headquarters at "They were all in camouflage Oebakati, where it was aaid that he uniform and they started to inter­ Bhould be taken to the "weerma& rogate everyone about Swapo, while bokke" for detention. He l!lleged U.,t they indiecriminately -ulted main­ .. he was unlawfully detained there for · ly young people with tlio8e aticka. I about_two weeki and later released. · brawlyfoughtbaclt,bt••waeeoonOYI!I'• "IreturnedtomyvillageatOiputa, powered by about -n men who Southern Angola, butonFebruary20, knocked me to the ground:' 1987, the army cameagainandaccua­ "While I was atill on the ground, one ed me ofbeing a Swapo terroriat. This ofthemaaidbewould-tothatidon't time they pulled out aticka from a hut run away, to which betook a panga and in our kraal and made a fire". stabbed me in the right foot;• the "I was told that they would 'cool me civilian aaid. oft' nicely before braaiing me'. The security forces then allegedly hole was dug in the ground took four young men with them before filled with water, and they left hie village. then my bead was forced in· The second civilian, Mr Leonardo to it and covered with soil" He a118ged that aftAir Mr llarlu Altula undergoingthe aameaction several times he was then taken to the fire place. was then thrown into it first, but I jumped out, the soldiers grabbed me by the hands and legs and literal­ lyroastedmybackovertheopentire," the young man said. He also claimed that an amount of R240 in cash, as well as clothing and blankets were stolen by the soldiers. (Despite a denial from a Defence Force apokeeman in ri knowledgeoftheincidenteandaclaim thatnoneofthematterawerereported with Sector 10 Headquarters at Oehakati, the matters were reported in the presence of the writer ofthil'ar· tiel e. to a Lieutenant Saunders, 8Jld' M~r van der Merwe from Sector l O; The latter promised that the arnjy - • would investigate. The Chair­ man of the Ovambo Admin istration confirmed that he pereonaUy raiaed the issues with the Administrator-Goo .erallast week. A Defence Force spokesman later con lfirmed that the matter had been reported to Sector 10 late on Wednesday, and investigations were being carried out). Trains bum at four stations By SEFAKO NYAKA DESPITE the heavy presence of armed police on trains and stations rail traffic was disrupted when cmpt; coaches were set

fear its exposure would provoke hysteria," she said. Teachers go She said the plan was not being taken seriously by all principals; it was on full alert regarded as "a bit of a joke". . WEEKLY. ~.-\IL, . ~pri! . ~-~ to April ,1 ~ ·. ~ - ~,8~ _3__ --. Among the sections of the document regarded as absurd were the cun instructions on bow to respond in the for May Day event of the abduction of a principal TED draws up By GAVIN EVANS of staff member, she &aid. WHITE s c~. oo l principdl; in the "If principal is abducted and Transvaal hav e been instructed to ordered to give instructions to staff ensure thJI teachers patrol their and pupils, make use of a code-word, schools in p:lirs on ··sensitive" days in as a warning NOT to follow 'anti-guerrilla' the calender, according to the instructions .... Change in form of National Education Union of South address can be used as code-word," Africa. the document notes. This in itiative forms pan of tho In the event of a "terrorist attack or Transvaal Education Depanmem' s tornado during breaks ... or during school strategy "emergency plan" to combat guerrilla change of classses" the appropriate anacks on white schools, which has action suggested is for children to AN emergency plan to combat been implemented with the "drop to ground at once" and "crawl By GAVIN EVANS guerrilla anack.s on white schools has cooperation of the Joint Management for cover ( eg rocks, tree, ditch etc) and lie still until danger has past''. been launched by the Trans vaal Defence Force will provide the Committees. Education Depanment with the co­ necessary protection, "but for day-to­ A document listing several In a section on "conduct of hostages" operation of the Joint Management day safety of children entrusted to "sensitive" days on which 5chools the following instructions are given: Commiaee system. their care, teachers and parents will were to be placed on special alen "Do not be afraid of ta.'dng food and The plan, outlined in three have to assume greater because of fear of guerrilla attacks drink given to you by the terrorists. It confidential documents distributed to responsibility." was shown to the Weekly Mail by a will almost certainly have been all TED school principals and selected For "selected parents and education Neusa representalive. Among the days provided by the police, a"d as such will not contain any harmful heads of departments, seems to officials" this includes carrying listed were March 21 (Sharpeville substances." indicate that the shadowy JMC web firearms- with the provi ·o that "as day), May 1 (May Day), June 16 has extended beyond the townships far as possible pupils sho.. ld not be (Soweto Day) and September 4 Some of the key provisions of the and mto the hean of white society: the aware of the f=arm.'' (Sebokeng Day). "emergency plan" are the following: government school. The document states that the The Neusa representative said the eThe appointment of a teacher as a If implemented. it will take the school security officer who should "' · decision to carry firearms must be school-patrolling programme had 0 militarisation of white schooling already been implemented on these address staff and pupils monthly on made by the principal after )> significantly beyond cadet and youth consultation with the m.ini-JMC or the days last year, and that in some security matters. preparedness programmes. SAP. schools pu.pils were also involved in eThe selection of block leaders who ~ One of its provisions is the increased the process. are to be equipped with radios. .., . A third document entitled "Life or use of young teachers who have One of the plan's provisions is that A system of checking and -"' Death" begins with the following e completed their national service in where children are transponed to or controlling all persons and vehicles disclaimer: "The heading could implementing the proposed civil­ through unrest areas they should be entering or leaving the school site. "'.... equally well have been 'When may I military alen system. accompanied in each vehicle by two eRoutine bomb searches in likely shoot?', as this is a very topical The plan includes frank instructions teachers armed with guns. The bomb sites and in school buses. question.'' on "When may I shoot", how to drop children should not be made aware ePeople opening school post should It states that "one cannot casually and roll away in the event of a that their teachers are armed. be aware of "possible undesirable shoot someone else", but goes on to handgrenade anack, what to do when According to Neusa, the secret reading matter" and of letter bombs. stress that "cenain circumstances your principal is abducted by document, "Emergency Plan for e Careful noting of telephoned justif): and legalise squeezing the " tet"!'orists" and how to avoid the Colleges, Schools and Hostels", has bomb threats. trigger." distribution of "undesirable readino been handed to the principals of all eThe provision of an emergency matter". " The Week/\• Mail addressed several TED high schools in the P\VV area. alarm system. When the signal is The 40-page "Emergency Plan for cuestions o~ the olan to the TED in The document may also have been given "all concerned must drop to the Colleges, Schools and Hostels", warm Pretoria. Directo~ of education, Dr circulated elsewhere, throughout the ground, crawl or toll to shelter as th.at "the present situation facing ou r HP Bredenkamo. said: "The securitv Transvaal. A Neusa representative practised". "Training in the use of rifles is countrv has made it essential th-at an measures that were responsibly said she wa~ also aware of several e EMERGENCY PLA!'\ make implemented at schools by the junior school principals who had essential and will be given by provision for the protection and depanment in the interests of pupils received the document. commandos." safeguarding of children, staff and and staff anc for the protection of "Principals received this plan with The TED was not prepared to black workers.'' properry are. by their very nature. not instructions that it was only to be' comment on the Weekly Mail' s A second document, stamped g1ven publicity. The depanment shown to selected heads of depanmont enquiries about the role of the Th!Cs in "secret" and entitled "Memorandum therefore would prefer not to and not to other members of staff drawing up the document, how widely to Heads of Education Institutions'' comment on this sensitive and possibly because many teachers ar~ it had been distributed or whether S:>te s that the SA Police and SA confidential m':lrter :· opposed to the government and they there was any imminent threat of guerrilla attack. A huge - and vocal- youth movement launches amid

A FIERCELY milicant, outspokenly vocal new youth movement, boasting more than half a \~uu 1'' "' nn11"' million members, was born in conditions of elaborate secrecy last week. That the birth could talce place at all, despite the . &CNGfitSS most severe restrictions on political organisation ~\\"\" in this country's history, is perhaps its most remarkable achievement. With more than 2S 000 people in detention over lAUNt\UNG &UNHRlNCE the past year - the bulle of them under 2S - and thousands more in hiding, the South African Youth Congress (Sa yeo) represents a new Conn of political organisation in this country- combining 1981 man membership with a clande>tine form of ., organisation . Sayco organisers played elaborate cloack·and­ dagger games to prevent their launch in Cape Town last Sarurday being scuppered. Few of the 100-odd delegates and observers who assembled during breakfast on Saturday -..:. an hour before the launch- knew exactly where the meeting was to be held . ."We were merely told to be ready, as we were to ' be talcen to the meeting in groups of 10," said an observer who auended the meeting. Three rapid, last-minute changes of venue followed, as well as a carefully planned In its guiding principles, Sayco has formally disinformation campaign which at one stage adopted the ANC's guiding light, the Freedom identified Durban as the venue. Chaner. A similar tactic was used before Sayco's first Its members are the youths who pioneered the press conference, held in Johannesburg this week. street commiuc:cs and civic scruccures which exist Initially planned for 2pm on Wednesday at the SA in the townships and in rural areas. Council for Higher Education's (Sached) offices, They ace the "graduates" of the now-banned it was moved to the Congress of SA Trade Unions Congress of South African Students (Cosas), (Cosatu) head office on the other side of town, and which rra ns fonned the face of youth polilics in the then to Open School in Sauer Street, where it early Eighties. started juSI before 4.30. · They describe themselves as hardened activists. A representative explained afterwards: "There Soweto Youth Congress (Soyco) president Rapu i1 oothing 1inister on our side. We arc just Molckanc - now the sec rotary general or Sayco avoidin& ltiU.e action. .. - said or the organisation in December: "Wc Sayco .has already made a bold, even brazen, learnt some hard lessons in the first State of dcclarauon of its aims and objectives, a Emergency. Many of us were picked up in the dc~laration it says can and will be backed up by first wave of detentions. By June 12 (the second acta on. Emergency), we had adjusrod." Its uncompromsing slogan is: "Freedom or Molckanc, a rormcr student reacher at Sowcto Freedom or death: Peter Mokaba, presid1 death; victory is certain," and its colours are Teachers' Training CoUcgc, spent seven months in blade, green, gold and n:d. Its logo is a youth detention during the flfst Emergency. leadership." representing Pretoria and areas north of it. holding a red flag. · From the inaugural speech by president Peter He said there was no question of Sayco It has more than 150 youth congresses in its Slogans, freedom songs and shouts of "power to Mokaba -described by one delegate as "a fi«­ challenging the UDF's multi-class united front membership, 40 of them from Sckhukhuncland. the people" and "freedom or death" wen: its birth cater from the Northern Transvaal" - Sayco has policies. Bur the fact that it is now the front's It has 10 regional structures, nine of which were cries at the launch rally in Cape Town at the pledged to work in close CO·Opcrarion with largest affiliate cannot be ignored. represented at the launch. Only the Border weekend. Cosalu, the UDF, the National Education Crisis Sayco also has close links and "a mutual delegates failed to tum up- apparently because lis executive has been dubbed "The Class of '87" Commillec (NECC) and other progressive understanding" with Cosatu. The keynote address of a breakdown in communication. because of its natoiral succession to the "Class of organisations. at its launch was given by a Cosaru official, Khctsi The other regions arc Northern Transvaal, '44", lhe African National Congress Youth Every one or the youth congresses in Sayco is a Lchoko. Southern Transvaal, East

SABAROMETER Volumel.No3. IOApri/1987

Resolutions and Programme of Action

Resolutions were passed: *Opposing all forms of imperialism i' *Setting conditions for the acceptance of international funding *Calling for a people's democracy based on the Freedom Charter in the light of the May 6 elections *Calling on Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho to end collaboration with the SA fovemmenl Supporting progressive organisations and disassociating Sayco from all apartheid structures, Azapo and Inkatha *Sup~rting the international isolation of the apartheid government *Calling for the unbanning of the ANC .ao... I "' The programme of action includes: Organising unemployed youth; joining Cosatu's living wage campaign; a literacy campaign; campaigning against the Emergency; supporting all UDF campaigns .., Messages of support were sent to: *Sister organisations: SA National Students Congress (Sansco), National Union of SA Students (Nusas) and National Student Crdinating Committee (Nascoc). *Congress of SA Trade Unions

Molcaba stressed in his acceptance speech that Sayco would stand for no nonsense, and that its stren:&th and power lay irl its unity, its broad base and JIS democracy. He also pointed to the hard ' road ahead. To slogans, he said, would be added sweat, labour and careful thought. In its resolutions, Sayco demanded the i~ediate lifting of the State of Emergency, the president of the new national youth organisation Picture: PAUL WEINBERG, Afraplx wuhdr~~al or troops from the townships, the uncondJII??al release of Nelson Mandela and all All Sayco office-bearers were elected The idea of youth congresses was initiated by other pohtJcal leaders and the unbanning of the unanimously. Cosas at its annual congress in Cape Town in 1982. · African National Congress. The organisation's aims and objectives are: By the time Cosas was banned in September 1985, It also took a decision to liaise "with ali •To unite and politicise all sectors of the youth the youth congresses had taken on a life or their progressive bodies" on what action to take on May - working youths, unemployed and students, own - .with their members hardened by the 1976 6, the day or the white election. regardless of race, colour, sex or religion. and 1985 student struggles. However, until late A message of support was received from the •To encourage youths to join progressive trade last year they remained largely locally-based South African National Students' Congress unions "which form part and parcel of total organisations. (Sansco), formerly the Azanian Students' political and economic liberation". Organisation '(Azaso). •To strive "together with women as equals "for the achievement of a non-sexist, free and Mono Badela democratic South Africa". SA BAROMETER Volume J. No3. JOApriJ 1987 41

Profile: SA Youth Congress (Sayco)

The recently launched Sayco, which has adopted the Freedom Charter, is the largest national youth grouping to ~e since the fmnatioo of the ANC Youth League in 1~. Launcbed: Saturday, March 28 m Cape Town Membership: 500 000-700 000 (claimed) Colours: Black, green. gold and red .• .. . Slopn: Freedom cr dcuh: Victcry is certain

-• ,. National executive The class of '87: (Left to right) education ofllcer Ephraim Nkwe, publicity. m~ secretary Simon Ntombela and vice-president Mzlm811 Mangcotywa m President: Peter Mokaba (Executive member of UDF Northern Transvaal and ,..~ Mankwen' Youth Congress) -< Vice-presadent: Mzimasi Mangcotywa (PE Youth Congress). ~ f\ toughened prison GeneralleCI'etary: RaSoJckane (President, Soweto Youth eoogn:u> F Education Offtcer: E · Nkwe (Soweto Youth Congress) Publicity teeretary: imon Ntombela (Natal) "0• Treaaarer: Fawcet Matbebe (Moutle and Ncrthem Tvl Youth Caogreu) ' ...01: veteran at just 25 0 PETER MOKABA, the leader of the South December last year. "0• African Youth Congress (Sayco), has been tried, In his executive, Moltaba is surrounded by convicted and served part of a sentence for young people who have been in detention Structure !1>* undergoing guerrilla training. themselves. ... However, he was released from Robben Island General secretary Rapu Moleltane, president of Ten regions are represented in Sayco: Eastern Tvl; Northern Tvl; Southern Tvl; Western •- after a year of his seven-year sentence. His the Soweto Youth Congress (Soyco), was detained Cape; Eastern Cape; Northern Cape; Southern Cape; Border; Natal and the Orange F ':" conviction had been set aside by the appeal court. · in 1983, again in 1984 and -for seven months - State. Today,at the age of25, Moltaba bears the scan during the flnt Statc of Emergency In 1985. of awe repression. He has been in and out of Three others who were held for the same period Each of these consist of representatives from local youth groups. There are about 1 000 detention cella and prison cells over the last 10 in 198S arc vice president Mzimasl Man~tcotywa, localised youth groups which are affiliated to both Sayco and the UDF. yean. Last year, his home in Manltwcngtownship education officer Ephraim Nit we 1!'4 Pllblicity was bombed by vigilantes. secretary Simon NtombeiL . In 1977, aged IS, he was detained in Pictersburg Moltaba outlined his organisation's goals at a but released without being charged. In 19112 he press conference in Johannesburg this -it. · Alms and Objectives was arrested and convicted of furthering the aims He said: "We have been able to launch Sayco of the African National Congress (ANC). He was despite numerous roadblocks, police harassment *To unite and politicise all sectors of the youth, ie: the working youth, the unemployed jailed for two years, and redetained on his release In September 1984 -and charged with having and the use of the vigilantea. That is because Sayco youth and the student youth regardless of race. colour, sex or religion. undergone military training outside the country is a direct product of long suffering- politically, *To channel the militancy and resourcefulness of the youth to the benefit of the whole and bringing arms into the country. socially and economically." national and class struggle. He was released on March 1,1985 after 1 He said Sayco's existence also destroyed the *To promote and deepen amongst the youth the outlook of the most progressive class - suceesful appeal. illusion that the Emergency had succeeded In the working class. M It b d · ~ · · I 1 1985 d squashing political opposition. 0 1 1 was etam .... agam m u Y an He stressed that it was not the formation of *To fight against all forms of superstition. held in terms of Section 28 of the Internal Security Act _ the "preventative detention" clause_ and Sayco, nor the UDF, that threatened the iecurity *To develop and encourage a progressive and dynamic South African culture free of the released on March 21 last year. of "our white 'compatriots. decadent and backward clements of culture. Mokaba's home was wrecked soon afterwards '"They are legitimate residents of South Africa. *To strive together with our student youth in the struggle for the realisation of a free, non­ by 1 bomb. Miraculously, he escaped unhurt. It is the continued presence and ruthless racial, democratic and compulsory education. An executive member of the Northern enforcement of the apartheid system by a military *To mobilise and organise the unemployed youth for active participation in our popular Transvaal region of the United Democratic Front junta that threatens their existence," he said. · national struggle. (UDF) and president of the Manltweng Yo1,1th He said the launching of Sayco should be seen as *To encourage the working youth to join progressive trade unions which fonn part and Congress, he has played 1 key role in developing a statement -a fum rejection of the forthcoming parcel of total political and economic liberation. . youth congresses in the Northern Transvaal. white election. *To strive together with women as equals for the achievement of a non-sextst, free and He describe& himself as "a staunch opponent of "We have no sympathy for the election. We are , democratic South Africa. the bantustan policy and apartheid 11 a whole". building our Qwn future with our own hands. We Worlc.ing with youth congresses in the area, he arc not pleadin& for our. right~." , played a ltey' role in ensuring that KwaNdebele .. rejected the planned independence scheduled for Mono Badela WEEKLY MAIL, April 10 to April 16, 1S87 5

Plclure: ANNA ZIEMINSKI, Alraplr THE township rent boycott has entered a The s oweto rent war "So far we have evicted very few people on a decisive phase after a Rand Supreme Court permanent basis," Malan said. "I can count the decision upholding the power of the Soweto number of cases on my one hand." Council - and, by extension, township Out f When action was taken against defaulters they c6uncils throughout South Africa - to evict often paid their arrears or made arrangements rent defaulters under the Housing Act. 0 to pay them, Malan said. If their water or light The decision by Judge LI Goldblatt late last was disconnected or .if- court officials week confirmed the right of the Sowcto t confiscated some of their possessions to cover Council to take action under the Housing Act, c 0 u. r ' the amount owed, families often made good which provides for speedier, less costly and their debts, he added. more effective action against tenants refusing Malan insisted that permanent eviction was a to pay rent. . . last option and·that the council's first option Put starkly, under the Housing Act the d. • t · was still to "persuade:· defaulters to pay. Council can send its officials to evict rent an Ill 0 The;cnt boycott started in earnest in June last defaulters. year, escalating rapidly into perhaps the most Until Goldblatt's judgement, the council had effective.' non-violent resistance campaign to apply to the courts under the Magistrate's against the; white-controlled government and its Act for an order against a rent defaulter and, if h agents in the townships in decades. it was granted, to wait for messengers of the t e street At its peak last September it affected 54 court to act on it. townships and, according to the Community The Housing Act provides for en masse Research Group at the University of the action by council officials. That means that the Witwatersrand, .was costing the state R40- restraints on the council arc political rather By PATRICK LAURENCE million a year in lost rentals. than legal. Soweto rather than in Soweto itself. They are The boycott, however, seemed to lose Fears of evoking popular resistance - as .thus out of easy reach of enraged crowds. momentum as local authorities, bolstered by happened last August when at least 20 people Questioned on reports that the councillors the State of Emergency, stepped up the were killed in clashes in Soweto sparked by had each selected 25 target families in their pressure to break it. -reports that evictions by council police were respective wards, Soweto town clerk Nico The original demands in Sowcto include imminent -weigh more heavily than fears of Malan replied: "I am personally not aware of resignation of the Soweto Council, the release legal counter-action. that move." of detainees from detention, the withdrawal of Against these fears, however, arc the popular On the extent of the boycott in Soweto, Malan troops from the townships and a "just" rental. fears that the town councils are preparing fC?r a said: "About 50 percent of householders are In face of the massive mobilisation of power crack-down on rent defaulters in a bid to break paying." by the state, there are reports that a negotiated the boycott. The council is now collecting about R3,5- settlement is being mooted in some quarters in They were sparked by a speech to the East million a month from rents and service Soweto, in which the boycott will be called off Rand Development Board by John Griffiths, an charges. At the height of the boycott it collected in rerum for a "just" rental. executive member of the Transvaal Provincial a mere Rl-million, meaning that six in every One sign of this is the recommendation from Administration. He lamented the loss of the seven householders were refusing to pay rent. Soweto's former mayor Ephraim Tshabalala to revenue and the empty coffers and called for Soweto's accumulative debt now stands at his followers- a not inconsiderable number tough action against defaulters. . about R68-million, Malan said:adding that the -that they pay only Rl5 on the service Popular anxiety has since been fuelled by Soweto Council had been forced to function on charges which account for most of the monthly reports that each Soweto councillor has been bridging fmance or loans. rental. mandated to select 25 families in arrears with The Soweto Council was determined to In the meantime, new forms of non-violent rent for eviction, as well as by a spate of small sustain its campaign tC? persuade people to pay resistance are coming to the fore, as evidenced scale evictions in townships along the Reef. rent. It would use all three legal options open to by the defiance by black miners of mine Most Soweto councillors now.. Jive behind it: evictions under the Housing Act, company regulations prohibiting them from razor wire and armed patrols in a relatively repossession under the Magistrate's Act and bringing their wives and mistresses into single- luxurious housing complex on the outskirts of cutting off electricity and water. sex hostels. , .. · . ~ Defiant , rr •-' • .,. .•( Shaft dispute I •¥ . - over 'picanin' miners ' - bag carriers By PHILLIP VAN NIEKERK move A~GLO American yesterday reopened its number five shaft at • Freddie's Gold Mine in the Orange Free State following a dispute involving the refusal of black miner's WIVeS .. passcs" .. wcrc needed for a Wed/y assistants to carry the bags of white MaU team to proceed into the hostels miners. I and into the rooms. In what the National Union of The occupation of the hosrels will Mineworkers (NUM) described as a , into le~d to unrestricted movement of lock-out, the shaft was closed on ' visitors into and out of the hostels. Sunday night after fi.vc days of industria.J action by several thousand The much-~sented .. indunas" who workers. ' in the pilst h:J.ve rigorously sc~ned However, an Anglo spokesman ev~ry visitor, have either joined the denied it was a Jock-out, saying the hostels .. unton or h:J.ve turned a blind eye to events. shaft was closed after an undcr;round By SEFAKO NYAKA go-slow created unsafe working MIGRANT mineworkers at At Landilu near Witbank this weelc conditions. several Anglo American sever:1l workers and their wives we~ Freddie's is part of Anglo's gisantic Corporation·controlled coal found WO!tching television in the hostel Free State Gold Mines, the Jare est mines in the Eastern Tnnsva::lll b:1r or lounges of their rooms. minin& complex in the world, wh ich h:~ve confronted the mi~rant Tfiere h:J.ve been no repons of employs more than lOS 000 workers. labour system head on: they violence resulting from the p~sence The Anglo spokesman said the issue have unilaterally moved their of women, despite management's of the carrying of a miner's bag by a wives or cirlfriends into the concern about .. unpleasant scenes". In nUner's assistant was on ly n.ised on sincle--scx hostels. --· the bar, men and women were the third day of the dispute after the The move - done in ddiance drinking togelher and chatting. shaft had been closed. o( mine manacement - is the The decision to occupy the hostels .. At that stage it was clear that the first such public action was ~en at a regional meeting of the National Union of Mineworkers had rollowinc the National Union t\1JM three 'O'edts ago. lost considerable suppon for its or Mlneworkers (NUi\1) pledge Soon after the NUM con ferencc actions," he said. It their recent annual adopted the resolution to dismantle Responding to NUM claims that conference to "take control" of the migr:uory l:».bour system, Anglo they pcnniaed racism and baas/cop on the compounds and dismantle said it was concerned about the !heir mines, lhe Anglo spokesman said the micrant labour system. detrimental effects of the: migrant no worker was expected to carry the It creates :m acute dilemm:~ personal belongings of fellow labour system ;md the consequent hos­ ror mine manacet:nent, who worken or supervisors. · tel system of accommodation. have repeatedly stated their He differ~ntiated between the Anglo representative-· Peter Gush opposition to the single-sex carrying of penonal belongings, on compound system but have been s.J id it was the ultimate objective of the one hand, and the carrying of ICCUUd by the union O( comp.:1ny to give employees the explosives for the white miner. draccinc their reet in changing opponunity of owning their own The .. picanin'' system, in which a it. homes, and living with their f:J.m.ilics black worker is forced to look after Now management will either in a no~! soc i ~t y should they so the welfare of a white miner or have to turn a blind eye to the choose. defiance - thus acknowled~ing He ~d the success of such a vencure that miners h:.ve at least parti:.l would depend on the· avail.:~.bility of control or the compounds - or land for procu~mcnt , the speed of • throw the wives out, dis· procurement and the provision of creditinc their claims to infrastructure. support the concept of mixed I What workers might now be hostels. Mfosi wes one of hostel. George Mbukwena looks on looking for from Anglo is a cleu The occupation or the hostels Ptctun: ERIC llnlLEA, AfretMI statement on how long it would take i.s likely to test An;lo's libenl Attempts by senior officials th:.t l do not condone your not be treated like a lady". them to provide family houses for policy and utur:~nces , from the Chamber or Mi nes and presei1ce in the hostel single There has been no attempt to those of its employees who need it accordinc to an NUM mine man::~e;ement to stop the ::~ccommodation :IS I believe it stop women from obtaining Other mining houses, fearing the repreHntative. occupation of the hostels have •ill lead to complications from food from the kitchen, although The "'occup:.tion" or the been unsuccessful. other oCcupants or the hostel," · some workers have been Anclo American Collieries Workers have Jenored a the circular from mine purch:uing cooked rood rrom (Amcoal) mine- hostels started circular sent to their wives rruanac;er AP Bugden warned. outside the mines. last WHkend at Land:.u, Bonk, rrom mine management The circular added that the There were none or the usual Kriel 1nd Goedehoop Collieries warninc them their presence facilities and food provided by security officers or "indunas,. in the Witbank.Middelburc constitutes trespass. the mine were "(or our :.t the goltcs and no special area. "I would like you to kno'• employees only 01nd you will ~-..::.....----'--__.1. _ _ ·---- -·· number of employees' wives spent the I weekend in the collieries' hostel Miners defy 'no accommodation." I The majority had returned to their homes, he ~d . Management was presently discus- ! sing the issue with . union repre· i wives' rulings sentatives. Until agreement had been I reached, .. we can't comment funher worken around the common issue of on the issue," Smith said. eFrom PAGE 1 being denied the right of a decent spread of similar action to their family life. Homosexuality and NUM representative Marcel mines, might put pressure on the prostitution have flourished in the Golding said yesterday the occupation is the font step "in the fight to bring an government to provide mo~ land for single-sex hostels. the building of houses and the Minewcnken have in the past paid end to the migrant labour syStem and abolishing of influx control laws, even dearly, sometimes with their lives, for hostel life". where these affect workers from the favoun of the few women on The occupation has been disciplined neighbouring countries or the neighbouring farms and villages. and co--ordinated and new communal "homelands". Yesterday, Amcoal representative rules governing living arrangements The move is also tx>und to unify Mark Smith admitted that "a small have been ~tablishcd , he said. It feels human, says miner FOR the flJ"St time in ye:J.rS, mignnt By SEFAKO NYAKA A Mr \Vigley from the Chamber of mineworker Jud:ls Ngwenyil felt like a Mines called a meeting of sh:J.ft human being. He had just paid a hefty dowry (he stewards on Monday li15t week and Ngwenya. a worker from Leb.zi in would not disclose how much) for his asked them to wait for six months . wife, Fikile Mahlaba. before brin&:ing their wives to the He sought and found her em· mines. ployment on a neighbouring farm. He Management has accused the could sleep on the fann, but at his own stewards of stage·managing the issue risk, he said. The farmer would deny and has stated that should any violence he had grontcd permission for Ng­ etupt on the mine, the blame will be wenya to live with Fikilc on his land. put squarely on the shoulders of the On more than one occasion stewards. N gwenya had had to pay a R2001 ·whether the government and admissiOn of guilt fine after police, mineownen will tell Ngwenya what raided the fann and found him th\.TC. type of government separates man and .. It is for this reason that when the wife ~mains to be seen. mine management announced they But so far, said Ngwenya jolcingJy, would not provide food for my wife I .. Since my wife moved in I have never fell it was better than the R200 fine." been la!e for work." .... ~ l, ::< _lfl' Union. battles I I 1 {' '· · move Into .. ..,. ~,...~r,-

' -• -r· · ~-~:~1: the township , "• "'· J· STRIKES at three black township By SEFAKO NYAKA '" ·;•, · >~ supermarkets this week herald a new . ~, er.1 in gbour ~lations between unions 16to be ~garded as paid holidays . and the emergent black business In the past they have "contributed sector. generously" to the "comrades" to i Evening shoppers lithe Blackchain ·assist in the ruMing of funerals. · ' -- Supermarket in Soweto were recently Several shops have also suppone" ~ confronted by placard-carrying youth and community projects. l \ ; ' ·:. •· t j ,• ' 1 !,: . 11rikers who· were chanting and Blackchain sponsored the Soweto ~ singing outside the Diepkloof sto~ . Youth Congress fun-run a few years ' \. The strike came a day after workers ago. .. at Dobson ville's Releke-Sizame A Ccawusa's ~presentative said the t ; ~ ,- Supermarket and Tembisa's Tembi move by unions into the townships Supermarket went out on strike in was 10 make people aware of what he demand of a "living wage". said we~ the "double standards" of A few weeks ago the Commercial segments of the black business sector. Catering and Allied Workers Union ~ey underpay their workers, treat (Ccawusa) applied to the Industrial cuStomers with disdain and then go on Court for the appointment of a to support detainees' families, Conciliation Board after talks with ~his is tantamount to a bribe by Maponya Discount Sto~ deadlocked. keeping people from looking at what The militancy of workers employed is behind their businesses." in township stores might mark an end He criticised those black to the informal alliance between black businessmen who claimed that because business and political organisations. they are black they are therefore In the past, township stores have unable to pay their workers a living benefitted from boycotts of white wage. businesses. Mif they make a profit it is only right . ·0 Township store owners we~ always that the workers who generate the · .._ canvassed during consumer boycotts wealth get a share of the profits." The 1111 big Ccawusa atrlke: ~I and were always willing to lower their A major drawback black OK Bazaara, where the union 1 prices. businessmen are facing at the moment militancy and organisation Th h . d f th' ty f . bl' h d d · d earned subs!enllal Increases for a! t _ey game rom IS pe o IS an esta . IS e an expenence .:>K workers. a.soc1auon can be seen from the labour relattons team. The union 11 now Involved In a number_ of ~Orner stores sudde?IY T~is will prompt t~ e m to seck the biller struggle with Soweto expandmg mto large self-servtce advice of labour relat10ns consultants, ahopowner Richard 'Riehle Rich' concerns. often paying astronomical fees. Maponya - one of three similar Capital from some established white Jackie Motlogeloa, a co-director of township disputes -over supermarket owners soon found its Mzamo-·Moleko Enterprises, the recognition. · way into the township under the guise holding company of Releke-Sizame ceawun say~ It Is determine~ of "providing manageria1 expertise" and Tembi' Supermarkets, said to stamp out ' double standards to black business. allowances should be made for the fact In the black business sector. Township businesses have always that black businessmen are just Picture: SANDY SMIT, Afraplx heeded the call for May Day and June out.

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