One Person One Vote in a Unitary South Africa
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One person one vote in a unitary South Africa http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.cir19870000.026.009.583 Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education. The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law. Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org One person one vote in a unitary South Africa Author/Creator National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) Publisher National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) Date 1987 Resource type Circulars Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) South Africa Coverage (temporal) 1987 Source Digital Imaging South Africa (DISA) Rights With thanks to Gail M. Gerhart. Description Circular issued by NUSAS and SANSCO, urging all students to support the principle of one person, one vote in a unitary South Africa, in an upcoming poll. Format extent 4 pages (length/size) http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.cir19870000.026.009.583 http://www.aluka.org IN A NTR OUHARC IN A NTR OUHARC In the next week you will be asked to decide whether or not you support the principle "One Person, One Vote in a unitary South Africa". Votes will be cast by all students, black and white in a national, non-racial poll., also open to staff. All you need is your student or staff card. Polling stations will be all overcampus. Already, massive support has been received for the joint National Union of South African Students-South African National Students' Congress campaign by personalities such as Dr van Zyl Slabbert, Bruce Fordyce, Nadine Gordimer, leading academics such as Prof M Shear, Deputy Vice-Chancellorat Wits, Prof Crowhurst-Bond, Dean of Arts at Durban, and Loius Grundling, Acting Head of the RAU History Department. Student organisations such as the South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS), Young Christian Students have come out in full support of the campaign. But it is you who must decide where you stand. You have the choice. NUSAS and SANSCO urge you to say "yes", and in so doing to join thousands of others who together will be making a powerful statement in support of one person, one vote in a unitary South Africa. NUSAS and SANSCO are not calling for a boycott of the white election. But, we do believe that an election which excludes black people in this country cannot play a significant role in addressing the problems which primarily concern those excluded from voting. Voting in the election therefore is not the most important Issue. The nonracial poll at the time of the white election provides while students with another way of expressingtheir politicalview. For black students it is the only option. One Per!,or. One Vote in . un.tary South A'rlca is the bas c democrat.c princip;e wh ch we bel.eve the a:Iwhte e:ecton is not addressirg Until there are full political rxghts lot all South Africans regard'ess of race, peace and lust:ce wii! rema:n an ideal. This is why atl the St Cs on N.USAS campuses, and SANSCO have coe Out in ful! supipo!t of c.impa n We bei.e. tiat students mu:,t dec On ' form CI democracy they c,,d Ike to see Yoj have i, choice of vot.ng "Y(S' or -1O4. Resording suppo:t !c! C-,. ca:1 w 1 be a cdear me.srsae to South Aftcans and the vwrd at large that students re;ect apartheid and are prepared to face the challenges of the future. A vole for One Person, Otte Vote will be a signal that we are prepared to take South Africa out of a state of conflict and turmoil oreacha just solution. We believe that it lays the basis fore South Africa where It will be possible to speak of: * economic growth rep;,acing an economy wrecked by apatle.d Sa:: South Africans dec.ding o. the future conr,ti:U.o. and governmeA'. a iparthed a-, a th.qg of the past p eI ice instead of civil wa' a nonracial and denocra.:c Scuth Africa taking i's p'ace a a ong teadir.' na!'oS Cf the wo,,d We are not saying thiat 0:r Person. One Vote will guarantee the ideals of freedom. lustice and improvement and quality of life for all. But. without it there is no chance of achieving them. We can be a pat of shaping this futureNUSAS and SANSCO believe that the following demtind will have to be met beforeallpeoplein thiscountry can determine this future. In calling for one person, one vote in a unitary South Africa we are calling on students to debate, discuss and accept the demands of the majoity. We therefore reaffirm the call for : * the release of poht:cal prisoners * the removal of armed forces from the communities. campuses and schools * the scrapping o! apartheid education I the hlifng of press restrictions * the removal of aprtheid laws. including the state of emergency * the unbanning of banned =aganisations * a livinqwaqeflor a 711-1711PLAINING TIM', NL'SAS-SANSCO CAMPAIGN What NUSAS is saying about voting. on'May 6 NUSAS Is not calling for a real power, Does the Slate boycott of the white Security Council meet beelection. But, we believe fore every cabinet meeting I ? that an rejection which Do the Joint Management excludes bl&(* People Can- Committees in fact make the not play a significant role In real decision at a local leevel? addressing the urgent What role does the military issues facing us. Voting is play in political decision not the most Important makiing? What is the vote issue. By focussing on the worth 10 the average while principlecillone person, one South African? vote, we are focussing on what we believe is the most It is with this in rnind that we Important issue In South echo Dr Stuart Saunders. African politics. Vicechanceffor of UCT, when he says: 'it would The election itself is neither seem to me that the actions free nor fair. Not fair. of those who are able to play because a minority of South a pan in the election by castAfricans will elect a ing their votes, should be parliament which will attempt determined by whether, in to determine the future of their judgement, this will the majority of South speed the emergence of a Africans. Not free because free and democratic Souht the elections take place Africe. under a state of emergency with police and armry corilrol; NUSAS believes that the there is heavy censorship of non-racial poll provides you the press, an almost total with an opporlunity, when information blackout, and no May 7 dawns, to be able to freedom of association. make a powerful statement Extra -parliamentary political about the future. That organisations are suffedng whether or not you vote ip under the worst attack since the white election on May 6. the 1960s. The African wide scale support for one National Congress is person, one vote in a unitary banned. The fricameral South Africa will be a strong parliament was clearly signal that students are rejected in 1984, as were facing the challenges of the community councils and tomorrow the bantustans. We also encourage The elections provide no students to accompany solution Aside from voting in our non-racial poll whether any party offers a with further actions-jointing realistic program for change, organisations. debating the outcome of the election these issues further, finding is clear. The National Party out more and protesting the will retain power, even if it injustices of apartheid In loses some support to the this way, we can Say that we independents, or the have used these elections PFP/NRP alliance. in a poslive way, in a way in which we "speed the We must ask ourselves emergence of a free and whether parliament has any democratic South Afdca-. hh a,"_=l l It/F . ..~ R Parliament: In 1983, NUSAS cam- Nationalit government n!e paigned against the constitutionalproposalsonthe Increasingly. whiles are basis that it was racist and feeling powerless to change undemocratic. 14000 stu- the situation they find dents on campuses themselves in In the words nationally signed a petition of the United DemocratIc rejecting the new con- Front. 'he country is stitution. In 1987, ourworst already being run indirectly fears then are now the by the military Increasingly reality, ordinary whites will tind them selves excluded from effective political power For the past 26 months, The chicken of political South Africa was been domination has cone home wracked by lhe worst to roost outbreak of violence iii the country's hislory The Why we say the implelnentalion of the Iricameral proposals despite parliament is rawidespread protest has led cist and undemto escalating discontent in the townships.