People's Spirited Reply to Schoeman
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THOUSANDS MORE JOIN BUS BOYCOTT NEW tGE PEOPLE'S SPIRITED REPLY Vol. 3, No. 14 Registered at the G.P.O. as a newspaper. TO SCHOEMAN JOHANNESBURG. NORTHERN EDITION Thursday, January 24, 1957 PRICE 3d. q'^HOUSANDS OF AFRICANS DECIDED AT GREAT WEEK-END MEETINGS IN THE REEF TOWNSHIPS TO JOIN THE BOYCOTT OF THE PUTCO BUS SER VICES IN SYMPATHY WITH THE ALEXANDRA. SOPHIATOWN AND PRETORIA ... -......................................................................................... .................................................. - - ....................................................- . - _______________________ BOYCOTTERS. THEY STILL SAY "AZIKHWELWA” This is the answer of the African people to the callous attempts of Nationalist Minister Schoeman last week to break the boycott and further the interests of the employers. A huge Moroka meeting, representing the African National Con gress, the Vigilance Association and the Advisory Board, decided unanimously that there would be no boarding of the PUTCO buses. On Monday morning the boycott was 100 per cent effective. In Germiston location, too, a big meeting on Sunday decided to boycott the PUTCO buses, and on Monday morning the buses all travelled empty. The fares to the south-Westem region townships have not yet been increased, but the people are boy African Nurses Don't cotting as a gesture of solidarity with the brave men and women of Want Pass Books Alexandra, Sophiatown, Pretoria and other areas affected by the penny increase, whose boycott of JOHANNESBURG. the PUTCO buses is now in its Following widespread reports of third week. < thi.^ intention io issue reference DISGUSTED book passes to African women nurses in municipal clinics, a meet Transport Minister Schoeman’s ing representing nurses of various suggestions to an employers’ delega clinics decided unanimously they tion last week that motorists should were not prepared to take the books. refuse lifts to boycotters and em It is reported that attempts have ployers should cut their wages if already been made to press the they came late to work have aroused unrses of the Waterfall clinic. Wes anger and disgust among the Afri tern Areas, to take passes. can people and their allies. A press statement issued by the African National Congress brands ttie Minister’s statement as “calcu- latedly insulting, inhuman and pro Defies U.S. Ban ve cative.” The boycotters are not LONDON. criminals. Congress declares. “Not even in Nationalist South Africa has Wiilliam .Worthv, American Ne it become an offence for people to gro journalist of the Baltimore walk to work when their fares rise “Afro-American,” has entered above their ability to pay.” China in defiance of the U.S. State It suggests that the Schoeman Department’s ban on travel to that statement was made *in the hope of country. goading weary and troubled people Riding bicycles, walking, hiring taxis, getting lifts—one way or another the African people of Johan to desperate action, when the oft- nesburg and Pretoria arc making their way to and from work, facing hardships gladly rather than used baton and sten gun machinery tamely accept an increase in fares. of the Government can once again Durban Proiesi Rally be put to use.” Expressing the confidence that DURBAN. th: boycotters “who have shown such outstanding discipline and A mass rally has been called by good sense” will not allow them the Natal Indian Congress for 5 p.m. selves to be provoked, the statement Sunday, January 27 at the Arya Would Parliament Hove Passed The Freedom Charter? warned the Government that decent Samaj Hall (Bellair) to protest South African citizens of all races against “injustice and oppression in CAPE TOWN. prepared it for presentation to would not stand by idly “in the face this country and to press for the of Government inhumanity and extension of democratic rights on a his fellow M.P.s;— dereliction of its duty.” The boy- par with the white section of our JpARLIAMENT would have cetters would continue to walk; country.” Speakers from the local “That this house, recognising been asked to adopt the humanitarian people would continue branch and headquarters will ad that the policy of apartheid is to offer lifts. And, if need be other dress the meeting. Freedom Charter if Mr. L. B. fallacious, repugnant to human sections of the population would In a statement issued to the Lee-Warden, M.P. (Africans’ Re find appropriate ways of showing Press, the Mayville Branch of the dignity and unacceptable to the presentative for Cape Western) their solidarity with the boycotters. NIC states: “All development of the great majority of the population, Mayville area has practically come had been allowed to attend the COD STATEMENT calls upon the Government to re to a standstill since the passing of opening of the session last Fri A leaflet issued by the Congress the notorious Group Areas Act in verse this policy, cease persecut day. of Democrats to motorists on Satur 1950 by the Nationalist Govern ing anti-apartheid leaders who day morning, headed “Oh No, Mr. ment.” But Mr. Lee-Warden was re Schoeman!”, says: The statement continues, “We represent the majority of South have noticed with shocking alarm fused permission to absent him “The fact that tens of thousands Africans and enter into negotia of workers are prepared to walk up the whittlinp away of our cherished self from the “treason” hearing tions with them for the imple to 20 miles a day to save a 2d. in rights as citizens of this country. in Johannesburg, and was there crease in bus fares shows how terri Not a single year passes without mentation of a new policy along seme supnressive legislation being fore unable to move a motion to bly close to the hunger-line these the lines of the Freedom Charter people are living. enacted. The status of our people this effect. and consistent with the noble “But hard-hearted and pitiless Mr. has dwindled to that of a third-rate Ben Schoeman, Minister of Trans citizen and facilities in the political, Here is the full text of the ideals of human justice and port', cannot see this simple truth. social, economic and educational motion, as Mr. Lee-Warden had equity.” He asks employers to cut the spheres are so restricted that any advancement is well-nigh impas (Continued on page 3) sible.” WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? EDITORIAL VOU know that New Age is under. Perhaps you don’t realise it, Africa, but all over the world. New undergoing one of the hardest but by not making every effort and Age has a big part to play in the financial struggles it has ever had sacrifice to send us regular dona people’s struggle for freedom, and —we have told you so repeatedly tions—no matter how small, YOU SCHOEMAN’S SHAME it is up to the people to keep it during the past few weeks. Our last ARE UNCONSCIOUSLY JOIN dliv6« two issues have been eight pages, ING THE VERY RANKS OF WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?j which was a very big risk to take, YOUR OWN OPPRESSORS! We know, but you must prove it} but if your response continues to Not a pleasant thought, and one to us! F is hard to find words to describe the callous inhumanity be as poor as last week’s, we shall which should stimulate you to dig Cape Town is again ahead with which the Nationalist Government displays towards thet be forced to cut down again to four your hfands deep into your own donations, which total £102.12.6 African people. Some would have no hesitation in calling iti pages. pockets and collect every possible this week. Basutoland, a country genocide. And after that? Imagine the penny in every possible way. OUTSIDE THE UNION, sets an People's Struggle without New No freedom-lover can deny that example which should be followed, Tens of thousands of Africans on the Reef and in Pretoria Age! more than ever before New Age is by sending regular donations—18s. There is nothing the Nationalists needed to give a true picture to the this week. Johannesburg has sent us have been boycotting the PUTCO buses for nearly three weeks would like better than to see us go people of events not only in South NOTHING AT ALL. Port Eliza now because of a penny increase in fares. Men, women and beth, £4.0.6 and Durban £13.11. children in places like Alexandra Township have been walking This week's total: £121 2s. 18 miles a day to and from work. NEW ACE Why? To make political propaganda? To show off? Because Tribute To they are stirred up by agitators or intimidated? No. Because they are living on the verge of starvation and LETTER BOX the penny increase in fares, which adds up to at least Is. a week Ben Levitus more for most passengers, threatens to drag whole families below the breadline. The Western Cape African leaders who are appearing at the In fact, most Africans already live below the breadline. A “treason’’ hearing in Johannes ' TREASdN TRIAL-HELPi ' burg send the following tribute to survey on “The Cost of Living for Africans” conducted by Olive the late Mr. B. A. Levitas:— Gibson for the Institute of Race Relations, the results of which We are indebted to Mr. Levitas, were published in 1954, showed: FROM N. RHODESIA M.P.C. for services rendered to (he African people in both the # In 1950 family income in the largest wage-earning classes a f t e r I heard of the arrest what Swart has done in the name = of the treason suspects, it of South Africa, he has not done= Cape Town City Council and the on the Rand was estimated at only 72.4 per cent of the cost of occurred to me that some sort in the name of the people.