E EPISCOPAL CHURCHPEOPI.E for a FREE SOUTHERN AFRICA c 339 lafayette Street, New York, N.Y. 10012·2725 s (21 2) 4n .0066 r Ax : c212 > 9 7 9 -1 o 13 A #162 2 o. June 19.as
-·· ~UARDIAN Mail & Guardian . · Vol11 No 24, June 9 to 141995 • Published by M&G Media, 139 Smit Street. Braamfontein, Johannesburg, and is the South em African edition of The Guardian WfM!tdy, 75 ~Farringdon Road, London EC1 M 3HQ, UK. Noose gets the gallows
T took three days of court argument, Hani should be beheaded in public, or companied the National Party request to three-and-a-half months of deliberation those perpetuating violence in ·change the Constitution to allow the state and 244 pages of opinion for the Consti KwaZulu/Natal be locked up without tJial, to kill people. But ifyou water down the tutional Court to re-establish the sanctity or that abortionists should be jailed. But a right to life in the Bill of Rights, you will be of life in South Afiica by declaring invalid Bill of Rights is intended to assert that giving up the most basic, the most impor Ithe death penalty. This week's decision is a some rights are so fundamental to democ tant, the most fundamental right of all. maJor break from the past. It brtngs to an racy that they are inviolable. It is intended There could be an argument for this if end South Afiica's long-standing dominance to ensure that individuals and minorities there were substantial evidence that the of the international capital punishment are protected from the vagaries of public death penalty was an effectiVe deterrent to market And it is the first time in this coun opinion. crime; or that one could eliminate the pos tJy that new institutions have given the Hopefully we have a government strong sibilities of errors which sometimes take rights of individuals ascendancy over the enough not to feel the need to pander to the wrong person to the gallows: or remove force of public opinion. public opinion on this. One would expect the likelihood that some defendants - Those who argue that the 11 judges are the National Party to latch on to this pop those without access to proper defence over-riding public opinion, or that a matter ulist cause, as it has, forgetting quickly would be more likely to be hanged than of this sort should be settled bv referen that it found itself unable to hang anyone others. But none of these over-ride the dum. miss the point of a Bill of Rights and in the last few years of its government. most basic argument against capital pun a Constitutional Court. The function of It is worth noting that there was an out ishment: that this countly, more than these new institutions is to give individuals cry when President Nelson Mandela said most, needs to re-establish the sanctity of and minmities protection from the shifting he would ask for changes in the Constitu human life, not continue to degrade it. You winds of public opinion. The public may tion if it was necessary to prevent violence cannot do this by giving the state the right come to believe that the killers of Chris in KwaZulu/Natal. No such outcry has ac- to kill. . THE GUARDIAN THE NOOSE has been lifted for good. The ••••••••••••• Wednesday June 7 1995 .•••••••••••••••••••••••••••• formal ending of South Africa's death penalty, already in abeyance for the past five years, sends an important signal in a A formal farewelfto execut.on world where the forces of abolition are Yesterday's ruling by South Africa's only just holding their own. This is partie· Constitutional Court is especially heart· Last weekend 42 people were murderea ularly encouraging in the light of South ening in contrast to the appalling fre in and around Johannesburg in what Africa's own unhappy past record over quency with which the death sentence police described as a "normal" weekend decades in this field. v:as until recently imposed. Its abolition of crime and the daily aver1uie of murders About half of the world's countries have is indeed a necessary rejection of this across South Africa last year was 50. already abolished the death penalty and a past. During the 19BOs there was an almost Some relentionists yesterday were argu. few more join the rejectionist ranks each ing that abolition sends "tqe wrong sig· UI:broken upward trend in the annual . nal" in a country whose crime rate is year. Not all those where it exists on the 1 statute book still use it. In 1993, the death number of executions, which reached at I among the highest in the world. Yet the. sentence was passed in 61 countries and least 100 a year. The death sentence was figures surely suggest the Qpposi~e. If the carried out in only 32. But some of the imposed disproportionately on the black death penalty has over so manY years world's most powerful states continue to population by an almost entirely white failed to restrain crimes of murder, how employ it. It has been revived in an judiciary. As is still the case in many can it be said to deter1 The Constitutional increasing number of US states and thou· states of the US, black defenpants stood a Court's verdict is clear and in line with a sands are executed every year in China. greater chance of being sentenced to death 1 growing body of international human Japan is one of several countries where it than white defendants, especially when ; rights law: "Everyone, including the most has been restored or extended. Exem· the victim was white. Since executions abominable of human beings, has the plary, often extra-legal, execution is on were suspended by the then President F W right to life and · capital punishment is the rise in several states where it is I de Klerk in 1990, more than 450 prisoners therefore unconstitutional." South Africll employed as a deliberate instrument of have been waiting on death row. While has many bitter problems but Archbishop counter-terror- with Algeria now one of: most of these are black, they also include Tutu is right to be "thrilled for our the worst" examples. In a more visibly ' some more recently convict~ whites in· country" at a decision which adds moral violent world, the danger is that states , eluding the two ultra-rightists who plotted stature when it is·much needed. threatened with violence will resort to i and carried out the murder of Chris Rani. punitive capital punishment instead of: tackling the causes of social unrest. THE NEW YORK TIMES INTERNATIONAL WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1995 South Africa's Supreme Court Abolishes Death Penalty I By HOWARD\\'. FRENCH Reacting to the ruling, Justice point in a statement to the court jority of South Africans supported JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Minister Dullah Omar said the pris during his trial for incitement in the death penalty, F. W. de Klerk, .June 6- In its first major decision, oners would be quickly moved from 1962. "I have grave fears that this vice president in the country's coali South Africa's recently created su death row. According to prison war-. system of justice may enable the tion transition Government, said preme court abolished the death dens, the announcement set off a guilty to drag the innocent before the that his National Party, a predomi .penalty today, ending a decades-old round of wild celebration among con courts," he said. "It enables the un nantly white party that had gov practice of executing criminals con demned inmates at Pretoria's Cen just to prosecute and demand venge erned the country for decades under victed of serious crimes that had tral Prison. ance against the just. It may tend to apartheid, would campaign to re once given the country one of the Elsewhere, however, comments lower the standards of fairness ap Instate capital punishment. world's highest rates of capital pun on the ruling revealed the continuing plied in the country's courts by white Other conservative white groups ishment. depths of political division among judicial officers to black lltigants." reacted even more harshly. "The Announcing the unanimous deci South Africans that typically run Two years later, in another trial, rights of murderers and rapists are sion, Arthur Chaskalson, president along racial lines, one year after the Mr. Mandela was sentenced to life being held In higher regard than of the Constitutional ·Court, said, formal end of apartheid. imprisonment for conspiracy to those of their victims," said one Afri· "Everyone, including the most On radio talk shows today, reac overthrow the government, a judg kaner youth organization. abominable of human beings, has a tions were deeply split between ment that his supporters saw as a For his part, Mr. Mandela, who . right to life, and capital punishment black and white, with the former victory because the death sentence served 27 years of a life sentence is therefore unconstitutional." typically applauding the abolition of was not imposed, even as they de under a succession of apartheid gov · That the Constitutional Court the death penalty, while the latter, plored Mr. Mandela's conviction. ernments, made no public comment chose the death penalty issue for its invoking high crime rates, criticized Conservative white groups con today on the ruling. The President's .first major ruling underscored the what many whites say is a gradual demned the ruling while many pre .office, however, issued a statement importance of the issue in a country slide away from law and order. dominantly black political organiza intended to reassure those who fear where for decades execution was "Under the A.N.C., the message is tions portrayed it as a victory for a growing leniency toward crime. .used not just as a weapon against that people can commit any crime racial justice. "The President also wishes to em -<:ommon crime, but as a means of and get away with it," said on~ caller The predominantly black African phasize that this decision has no 'terror in enforcing the system of to a Johannesburg radio station, re National Congress, the country's bearing on the commitment of the racial separation known as apart ferring to the African National Con largest political party and the lead· Government to tackle the problem of heid. gress, the party of President Nelson ing force in the fight against apart· crime, and particularly violent "Retribution cannot be accorded Man deJa. heid, hailed the ruling as a victory crime, with all the resources and the same weight under our Constitu Crime has become a· highly emo for the country's new demos;ra£y. determination it can muster." tion as the right to life and dignity," tional issue among many whites ·saying, "never, never and flever Mr. Chaskalson said. "It has not here. even though blacks are over again must citizens of our country be been shown that the death sentence whelmingly represented among the subjected to the barbaric practice of would be materially more effective victims of violence. Last weekend in capital punishment." 18· Year Term for Murder to deter or prevent murder than the Johannesburg alone, 42 people were Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the alternative sentence of life imprison killed, 477 businesses and homes Anglican. primate of Southern Af· CAPE TOWN, June 6 (Reuters) - ment would be." were broken into and 34 women were rica, told the South African Press A black youth was sentenced to 18 In a strong show of support for the reported raped. Association: "It's making us a civi years in jail on Tuesday for his part ruling, each of the court's 11 judges While whites complained of a lized society. It shows we actually in the murder of an American ex issued a written opinion backing the spreading sense of impunity, many do mean business when we say we change student from California who decision. The Constitutional Court blacks reacted by noting that they have reverence for life." was stabbed, stoned and battered to was created earlier this vear as an had been disproportionately made Archbishop Tutu,. a leading cam death in a South African township equal to the executive and-legislative victims of the death penalty in the paigner against apartheid, called the nearly two years ago. branches. past through wrongful arrests and death penalty "obscenity," saying it, Judge Braam Lategan told the Su South Africa stopped executing convictions. in effect, said to criminals, "We want preme Court that Ntombeko Peni, prisoners in 1992 on the orders of the Moreover, with the death penalty to show you that we care about life so 19, had taken part in a "barbaric former National Party Government. much more likely to be applied to we kill you too." · attack" on Amy Biehl, a white Ful Wnh VIolent crime rampant, the blacks than to whites under apart Among white political groups the bright scholar, when she drove black number of prisoners awaiting execu heid, capital punishment had be· reaction to the ruling was typically friends home to Guguletu township tion on death rows has since swollen come as powerfully emotional an negative, running from carefully here on Aug. 25, 1993. to 443. Over 1,100 people were exe issue for many blacks as crime has worded statements of displeasure to Mr. Peni admitted he was at the cuted in the 1980's. Death sentences become for many whites. outright hostility. scene of the murder but denied tak· were carried out by hanging. Mr. Mandela himself made this Saying that the overwhelming rna- lng part. ·
l'lii.'e~~o:rk "Everyone, including the most abominable Talk about a new of human beings, has the right to life," wrote ~e'4T~day world order. It is court president Arthur Chaskalson. Anglican now possible to be Archbishop Desmond Tutu -in praising the morally shamed by decision - had this to say: "It is in fact an EDITORIALS the likes of South obscenity to say to somebody who has Africa. As New York killed ... ' We want to show you that we care State prepares to NEW YORK NEWSDAY, THURSDAY, JUNE B. 1995 about life so we kill you, too.' " put its death penal These sentiments actually reflect a slow ty into force on trend around the world. Every year, another Sept. 1, South Afri. country or two is added to the abolitionist ca's supreme court Tutu roster. Yet at home, the fondness for capital has voted to go the punishment only seems to grow stronger. Death Defying opposite way. Its judges unanimously decid The door had barely slammed shut on an ex ed Tuesday to abolish executions there. iting Gov. Mario Cuomo this year when the New York Legislature enacted a new death Jaw. South Africa got it right. We blew it. MAIL & GUARDIAN MPs' gravy train at the junction lley 26 to J..,. 11995 ~ ...... ,......
N a bold move to clamp down on an external source," It says. venality in public office, the African It stipulates that MPs should treat National Congress has decided its their parliamentary posts as fuJJ-time MPs must open their family assets and bans them from taking perma and extra-parliamentary earnings nent employment in other jobs. Lob Ito lUll public scrutiny. bying for organisations and compa The dramatic decision- possibly a nies is strictly prohibited. first for any political party in the The ANC's code is in line with, ifnot world - coincides with efforts by the more advanced than, progressive reg ANC to extend its own internal code ulations for MPs in other western of conduct to all parliamentarians. democracies. But it was flawed The ANC's national executive com because these disclosures remained mittee decided at its last meeting to confidential and secret - until the beef up its ethical code by insisting all recent NEC decision. of the party's elected representatives declare their private interests to the he ANC's executive has set up a voters who put them in office. committee, which inCludes Asmal told the Mail & Guardian The organisation has made this that international publicity sur ichard Calland, director of the TAsmal and secretary general Parliamentary Information and undertaking at U1e risk of revealing rounding the Nolan Committee, set Cyril Ramaphosa, to urgently devise Monitoring Service (Pims) in embarrassing details to the public a system for implementing its new up in the British House of Commons R Cape Town, said the ANC's move while campaigning for local govern "transparency" resolution. to devise ways of curbing corruption ment elections - even though other and sleaze on the part of some of its "was in keeping with trends around !his is exceptional. As far as we the world, including England and parties remain shielded from this know, the ANC is the first political MPs, would provide a major boost to kind of scrutiny under the present the work of his committee. Russia, where MPs are banned from party anywhere in the world to make any outside business interests." system. · this kind of ruling," said Asmal. He said It was important to keep Water Affairs and Foresty Minister the code of conduct and the enforce But Calland warned that it was The national regulations being vital for a national code to be legis Kader Asmal, who chairs a subcom drafted by the House of Assembly's ment machinery simple and effective. "Look at the United States, which has lated - rather than enacted as a set mittee on ethics in the House of ethics subcommittee will be based Assembly. told the Mail & Guardian complex regulations and an expen of voluntary or in-house rules-as a initially on the ANC's code but will be matter of urgency if "transparency" the decision "sets an important prece refined and adapted to take into sive bureaucracy to administer it, but dent and a principle for other parties lots of corruption. We want to avoid was to become more than just a buzz account suggestions from other par that." word. to follow". ties. Parliament will have to decide if He said the ANC's initiative would the national ethics will be legislated or give a boost to plans by his parlia accepted as a set of in-house rules. mentary committee to set in place a "We in the ANC want fuJJ and pub- TheANC code of conduct that will prevent cor The procedure is designed to ruption and money-grabbing by lic disclosure in a parliamentary reg ensure "discipline is applied in accor elected representatives of all political ister that will be open to journalists enforces its dance with a just and fair procedure narties. and we want an effective enforcement which is clear and simple". Members "Our committee is busy working on machinery," said Asmal. of the organisation must be pre a national code that we hope wlll "Lobbying should be banned. And own code sumed innocent until proven guilty apply to all members of the senate, it is important to include assets of and must have the chance to defend assembly and provincial legislatures. family members and spouses in the themselves. We hope to finish our work by July so declaration so that these can't be hid African National Congress It includes clauses designed to that the house is able to debate our den from the public." this week released details about recommendations when it comes Stressing these were his personal 1:ow members can bring charges guard against the "politics of back from recess in August." views, Asmal said special regulations against individuals in the movement envy" - efforts by individu The ANC is the only party in the should be implemented for members accused of breaching the party's als to use the code as a way country to have adopted an internal of parliamentary standing commit code of conduct before its discipli of venting pen10nal grudges set of ethical rules in the absence of tees as they could be in a position to nary committee. and grievances against col national regulations or legislation to influence policies that affect their According to a draft disciplinary leagues in the movement. govern the extra-parliamentary busi vested interests. A code of ethics procedure drawn up by the organisa "Disciplinary proceedings ness activities of MPs. should also be devised for people in tion's national executive committee, shall not be brought as a Its code of conduct includes tough the chairs ofparastatals. charges can be "initiated for viola means of solving private clauses that bar the party's elected He said his ethics subcommittee's tions of the basic principles and problems or as a means of officials from using government office report to the assembly will be influ norms of the ANC as laid down in the interfering in the private or parliamentary posts to distribute enced by developments in other constitution of the ANC and the code lives of members unless the patronage or obtain personal fortune democracies, where there is a trend of conduct for public representa rules of the organisation are -and sets up a high-powered disci towards tightening the controls on tives". directly affected. • plinary committee to implement it. pecuniary benefits that MPs can It stipulates that "any organ Misdemeanours that mem- obtain from being in office. and/or branch of the ANC" can initi Ministers, premiers and provincial bers can be charged with executive councillors are prohibited It can, however, be expected to go ate a charge at branch, provincial or much further than mos1 other West national level. The disciplinary pro include: from playing any active role in profit • Violations of the consti making institutions and have to sur ern systems that were set in place ceedings should take place at the before disclosure became a major regional level where the alleged vio tution, principles, norms render all directorships they held and decisions of the ANC. before taking office. parliamentary issue. lation took place. "Since 1979 there have been a The charge must be prepared by a e Abuse of office, corrup- ! The regulations reqUire ANC mem tion, sexual harassment or i bers to declare their assets and all number of progressive developments presenter on behalf of the organ or misappropriation of funds. 1 other posts from which there is finan and we have gained a lot of experience officials. This person will be cial benefit in other companies. from countries like France, Spain, appointed either by a branch secre • Breaches of the code of 1 boards or organisations. Ireland and Sweden. But at this stage tary, a provincial secretary or a the conduct. j "In particular, they shall disclose all there are still many countrtes that secretary general ofthe organisation. The hearing bas to be held consultancies. shareholdings and don't have the kinds of restrtctions The charge has to be presented in within a reasonable period directorships or any fonn of payment and discloure we are planning." writing and has to state clearly which after the charge and the per received by them or their family from section of the constitution or code of son charged must have a conduct has allegedly been violated. representative and inter The affected party must be given a preter, if one is needed, pre written copy of the charge at least sent. five days before the hearing. MAIL & GUARDIAN ..... 21081895 ~ ......
New evidence on SA's arms trade threatens to eclipse the Cameron Commission's findings. Stefaans Briimmer reports SA's arms-dealing underworld
RESR eYidence of South llandela next week Ia clescribed by ammunition, brokered by A report released this week by the formerYVjJDalavrepabllc vlCrolltJa In African UJU faeWng cld ladders as "hard-hitting". Armscor,and cwtensfbly clestlned for United StateHJuecl Haman Rights contravention of a United Natlona W1IJ'S In the kiDlng fteldll of Bat it is becoming Increasingly Lebanon, was headlug for Yemen, a Watch, and new evidence gleaned (UN) embargo; mel to a SonthA&Jcan Rwanda, funner Yugoelavla clear that eYldence evaluated to country then In the 8nal throes of &om Independent Investigations, role in arma consignments to mel Angola Ia threatenlDg to date by the coiDIDlulon will expose clvD war. ahows that Cameron'• upcoming Angola" a Unita ftlbellll09ellleDt, also FecHpee the long-awaited 8ndiDgll the only a fraction of the underworld The commlulon focused almost task will be DO Ullllll feat. In coabaftntlcJa ofa UN embargo mel Cameron CommiM!on Ia about to pre Inhabited by South African arms exclusively on the Yemen deal - Evidence points to 80Dth Afrlca'a SouthAfrlcan gcmnment policy. .ent to Prafdent Neiaoa Mandela. manafactarers and dealers. which was aborted about the time lt involvement ln rearming the Mandela 'a Cabinet this week The report Judge Edwin The Cameron Commlsalon .... set became publlc-during the first leg defellted Hutafon:esheldresposudble asked Modise to investigate the Cameron, appointed last year to up by Defence Mlnlster Joe Modiae of its Inquiry. A "second leg" later for a mUHon deatha In Rwanda last Rwanda chargea, which may investigate Irregular arms deals afterrevelatlonslutSeptembertbat · this year is to look at other post year; to two shipment• of South threaten South Africa's relations since 1990, Ia upected to deliver to • large consignment of rlfies and 1990 deals. A&Jcan arms In 1992 ending up In the with the new Rwandan government.
US fears South Mrica will sell nuclear technology to· Tehrari SUSPICION . js . growing in de\·cloped at least six nucleif' eration, American officials 100 issue v.iU be 1i!i1Cussed the pre~dential elections 8 Wa!IUngtOil IJUl.hM 111ay be WC8pon5. Although these have in belie\'C, "'Tberr ha'"·e been ru~o in Wa&hinglon this week in a year ago. twning to SOuth Africa for help now been destroyed. South Af CIIssions betwcc:n South Africa ·.in de\'Clopill& JIIIC~ ~·eajlou meetillg between A111crican and liven whco 5111C1ions. were in rica retains an extensive nuc and Jr• lhll have oonremed us South African officials. But the ~ ~ ·d(~- be-. lear programme aad has acoesr,; force against South Africa, 8 lot," slid one administrarion American~. are unlikely 10 be tween the &wo· countries on the to lhe ieCJ'et, extc:llsive ne1work ArltiCOr st\U. IWIRaged to be official. "We have warned our successful in persuading Solllh come oae of tbe world's biggesl sa&e ol nuclear tcc:hnoklo. used by aspiring nuclear pow ames and we arc doiag what we Jam~s llda»u. Atric11 to sever linb witll ln.n. arms exporters. wmes ecs to acquire their equipmeat. can to stop it." Acoordi•& 10 iAtellige.ce America has alreadv warned ~·that tbc oompany is i• 1rM ha' bee• trying to buy The United States is coa· Pre~>ident Nelso• Mandcla lh• SOUICei, South Afrit:a has yee to equipment and technology the open tnarket, it i5 pursui11s ~~a& what it sees as grow· links with lr.m could endaager 110ns expuns eve• more aape~;, cOAUi.bule any MCieM" bcM· fro111 Russia •d Chin .00 lhe mg links between SOI.IIh Africa how to lhe hardlinc lsl.mic re- Wawington's aid progcanuncs. sivelv and will coRlributc Central lntelligenoe Agency alld Iran, a COUIII.ry President The South Africans clearl)" g;me in Tehnm. S... it h• (CIA) beliew:s thll U11kss its ssooa. (£312m) in foreign Bill Clintoll a.as brilll
Zulu chief plans UDI from South Africa SOUTH AFRICA is facing its South Africa and covers hun by Christina Lamb bas read bus c~tuscd him to loRe worst crisis sine¢ the end of dreds of murder~ carried out in patience with Buthele:t.i and to apartheid as investigators Durban KwaZulu Natal over 10 year~. ae~;u:;e him of being behind the amass evidence that could link by A~sistc:d British police violence in N~~t~~l. Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Mandela's surprise admission advisers, the 33-nwn unit hil.li As things heat up. the unit the Zulu leader, to death squad in parliament that he gave carried out exll;nsive interviews will in~tcad report dirr:~;tly to violence. . ''shoot-to-kill" orders in ··lhe with key state witnes.~;es, inclu· George Fivaz. !he new police massaL'Tt; Buthelc::d, President Nelson Shell House last year, ding Daluxolo Lulhuli, head of comrnissionc:r, 1o uvoid accu:~a· Manqela's chief political en in which eight IFP members the IFP military council, who tions of political interference. c:my. has dr<~wn up a plan for wete killed by ANC guards. claims to have headed 11 300- The biggest challc:nge now for the virtual independence of his . At 1m: same time, however, &tt()ng network of killers and troubled province of KwaZulu evidence has been piling up ba:; apparently been promised Varney's team it; persuading Natal in what investigators see against Buthc:lezi and his k.r:y asylum in Canada. Tim McNally. the J
This week marks the 1Oth The police were iletalnlng evel)'body. • Goniwe's success In starling the first anniversary of the unsolved campaign to make the townships assassination of Matthew ungovernable put him In the firing llne. He was detained for six months and Goniwe and his three then released. By this tlnlc the educa Cradock comrades. Uon authortlles had caved In and were Jonathan Ancer visited promising to reinstate Gonlwe. but he was never to return to the classroom. Goniwe's home town "We knew he was gotng to be butchered," says brother Alex. "June MONG the simple graves 27 came ... you know the rest." and the old. weathert>d The Inquest heard how the SADF's headstones one polished Eastern Province Command sent a tombstone looms large In signal to the State Securtty Council the Ungcllhle Cemelel)'. recommending that Matthew Gonlwe AIt stands watch over the remains and others be "permanently removed and memortes of Matthew Goniwe, from society". Fort Calata. Sparrow Mkhonto and A day before his death, June 26. Sict'lo Mhlaull. Gonlwe addres.sed a rally In Cradock ll1e world was shocked when the commemorating the Freedom Char charred and mutilated body of ter. The next day he met Eastern Cape Gonlwe. the Cradock school prtnctpal UDF organtser Denick Swarts In Port who churned out mallie pupils with Elizabeth. He left Port Elizabeth at As and Bs In science and mathemat 9.00pm with his three colleagues. ics. and who led one of the most potent resistance campaigns agatnst at night Skweytya was at the apartheid. was discovered with those Gontwe home listening to of his comrades In dense bush near 11Nyameka relate the speech Port El17.abeth. Matthew had deltw.red at the rally. Last year an Inquest judge found "I was sitting at the table where that Gontwe and his comrades were Matthew used to work. Nyameka murdered by unnamed members of seemed distracted and kept glancing the securlly forces. To mark the lOth Alex and Sam Gonlwe visit their younger brother's grave. To mark the tenth anniversary of Gonlwe'a at the clock." anniversary of the assassination, assassination, President Mandela will lay a wreath at the grave on Sunday PHOTOGRAPH: JONAlHAN ANCER Evidence from the first Inquest Indi President Nelson Mandela and East cated that the four men were tortured em Cape Premier Raymond Mhlaba friend of ours since he was this high." Rhodesia and were ambushed and schools. The schools used to have dis and shot The bodies were placed on will visit Cradock this weekend to lay Skweytya descrtbes Matthew as a shot dead." The brothers believe that cotheques where anything would go. their backs. petrol was poured on wreaths at the graves. "born teacher" who took an active It was Jaques' death that gave btrth to The students were experts In dice thetr faces and then set alight. At 55 Qhinl Street In Llngelihle Interest In the work of his students. Matthew's pollllcal acllvlty. throwing. dagga smoking anr.l drunk The funeral, held on July 20. was township. three of Gontwe's brothers, According to Alex Gonlwe, Matthew In 1974 Matthew Gonlwe left for a enness. Matthew replaced the discos addressed by prominent UDF patrons Alex, Sam and Allie, spoke about the was Influenced by two figures In teachtngpost lnTranskel and manied with proper concerts. All the parents Allan Boesak, Beyers Naude and life and death of thetr extraordinary Cradock- Reverend Nyameka, a social respected him." Steve Tshwele. A mt"ssage from ANC younger brother. James Calata and his worker. Matthew's In 1983 Gontwe called amass meet president Oliver Tambo was read to They spoke of his parents. David uncle Jaques Gonlwe. 'How can we forgive polltlcallnvolvement Ing to discuss how the community the tens of thousands of people who and Elizabeth, who worked as farm Calata was a one who has not In Tcansket led to his should respond to high rents. had gathered. The countl)' seethed. labourers a few kilometres from wbere founder member of come forward and arrest In 1977, when Skweylya recalls: "We all came PW Botha responded with the first Olive Schrelner wrote The Stay ofan theANC at the tum of said "I am sorry for he was convicted because we were all slruggltng. People State of Emergency. Ajiican Fwm. the century. Jaques under the Suppres decided to take action against the Says Alex Gonlwe: "Matthew was Eldest brother Alex Gonlwe says Gontwe was Secre what I have done"? sion of Communism authortlles."They formed the Cradock murdered because he had mobilised that Matthew, born In Cradock In tary-General of We must know who Act and sentenced to Residents Association and elected people In Cradock. and the surrowldlng 1947, attended StJames' Primary Cradock's ANC Youth we are forgiving' four years In Umtata Gontwe Its first chairperson. art'aS on a seale never seen before. He school and moved on to Sam Xhallle League. "Jaques was Prison. In 1983, In an effort to destroy tlestroyed the community counctl sys Secondary school, where he obtained the first person In After his spell In Gontwe's lnlluence, the Department of tem; they never forgave him for that· his junior certlllcate. He wrote his Onal Cradock to bum his pass book In defi jail, Gonlwe returned to teaching In Educallon and Ttalnlng (DE11 trted to Despite severaltnvestlgatlons arid matrtc exams In Healdton. ance of the National Party." Alex Graaff-Relnet and completed a BA transfer him to Graaif-Relnet two formal inquests, the murders of After school he obtained a teachers' Gontwe says. degree through Unlsa. He was then This caused teachers and pupils the Cradock Four remain unsolved. diploma from Fort Hare University In 1960, when the pollee started transferred to Cradock and appointed from Cradock's seven schools to Says Alex Gonlwe: "There Is talk and returned to Sam Xhallle school to clamping down on pollllcal acllvlty In the headmaster of Sam Xhallle High. embark on a 15-month class boyrott that we must forgive. How can we for teach maths and science. Cradock, Jaques Gontwe left South Skweylya says that Matthew -the longest In the countl)''s histol)'. give one who has not come forward Gilt Skweylya, 60. enters the Aliica to join the ANC In Maseru. Instilled a sense of responsibility Alex Gontwe recalls: "Cradock could and said 'I am SOTI)' for what I have Gonlwe home. Matthew's soft-spoken Alex Gonlwe continues, "Jaques among the youth. "Some of the youth not be controlled. People started done to your brother, husband, wife. older brother Sam Gonlwe points to and three other Cradock boys were used resistance as an excuse for lll resisting and community councUiors daughter. son? We must know who his knff ~nd f'Xl)l~lns. "Gill h~fl hef>n a comlnl! bark to South Africa from dtsclpline and this flltered Into the were belnl( harassed like anythinl(. we are forgiving." - Ecna 'MAll. i.''GuAAOIAN ...... •...•...... •.••...... •...... •...... lune 2 to 8 Ul95 SOUTH AFRICA , ...... •.. 7
strict conditions under which fanners are allowed to move families off their land. This is only allowed where ten ants have breached their contracts, Hanekom's Bill to bury are guilty of serious misconduct or the owner has specific needs for the land. The land reform programme takes a leap forward as a labour tenant Thus it is clear that the were evicted from wWte farms in the It lays down detailed procedures Bill does not apply to all farming land biggest single bout of forced removals and says a period of notice has to be controversial law seeks to destroy the semi-feudal labour nor does it cover fannworkers in gen during the apartheid era. given to the affected families. tenant system. Eddie Koch and Gaye Davis report eral. • Hanekom told the Mail & However the method survives in Landowners will have to pay compen Guanlian. modified form-where fanners began sation to families who leave behind AND Affairs Minister Derek inet meeting on Wednesday. Support "It is designed to address the partie paying a nominal wage ofRIO or R20 a houses and unreaped crops and the Hanekom this week pub from the National Party, which repre- uJar problems and abuses inherent in month in the 1970s to disguise the feu Land CJaims Court can review cases. lished a tough law to put an sents white farming interests, was the system of labour tenancy and also dal relationship - in parts of The other main feature of the Bill is end to a semi-feudal system of secured when Hanekom agreed to pub- to address the tact that because of the KwaZulu/Natal and the southeastern that it gtves tenants the right to acquire arming that forces thou lish the Bill for public oommentinstead underlying land claims the solution Transvaal. ownership of the land which they have Lsands ofblack labour tenants to live in oftabHng it immediately in Parliament has to include elements of land reform There have been explosive conflicts historically used and occupied. "This conditions described by human lights Describing the Bill as -~-...... ,~ ... The South Afdcan dw1ngrerent months between tenants right ofacquisition is subject to the pay lawyers as the "closest we have to slav one of the "most exciting Agricultural Union desperate to maintain their hold on the ment of compensation to the ery in South Afi1ca•. aspects of land reform in (SAAU) has always land and farmers who want to evict landowner ... The Bill provides for state The land Reform (Labour Tenants) the country", Hanekom been against the sys- black families before the land reform subsidies to assist labour tenants to Bill will provide more than 250 000 said he anticipated a tern and we expect programme gets into gear. Areas most raise the money necessary to pay for labour tenants in parts of KwaZulu strong backlash from some they will support this affected are the Weencn and Colenso the land.· the memorandum states. Natal and the Eastern Transvaal with white fanners and a possl- initiative to bring districts of KwaZulu/Natal and the rights to Uve on white-owned farms ble rash of "pre-emptive South Africa in line region around Piet Retlefin the Eastern anekom says the pillars ofthe Bill without fear ofeviction, or to appropri evictionS" as farmers tJy to with other democra- Transvaal. - protective tenancy and the ate land from fanners who are intent clear their land of tenant des.· Disputes are currently endemic in Hright of long-term occupants to on sticking to the archaic system. families before the Bill labour tenancy is a labour tenant districts. Features of acquire land-are prtnciples that have Hanekom says the draft law, passes. semi-feudal relation- these disputes include strikes, bitter been accepted in most of Europe and gazetted on Fi1day morning as part of To guard against these ship between a legal battles. marches and boycotts. NorihAmertca. Hanelrom'slawismod a wider land reform programme potential evictions the Bill Derek Hanekom landowner and rest- "Farmers often use brutal force to elled on the Crofters Act wWch was designed to share out 30 percent of stipulates that the right of dent families who are evict tenants. Tenants and their fami enacted in Ireland in 1993. the countly's arable land to the rural tenants to live in security on the land obliged to provide free. or virtually free, lies resisting eviction have been intim "In those countries where anom poor within five years, has two main is guaranteed retroactively to the date labour in exchange for the light to eke idated, and furmers have complained alous semi-feudal relations continue to aims for labour tenants: "protection the Bill was published. Hanekom out an existence by farming. for ofretaliatory acts offence-cutting. cat exist in modem societies, similar mea and redistribution". believes the limited territorial scope of domestic use, a small parcel ofland on tie theft and starting of fires." says a sures have been introduced to uphold "The Bill contains a land-to-the his new Jaw-along with the tact that the farm. memorandum attached to the Bill. the rights of the long-term occupants." tiller programme that provides ten it makes a strict distinction between The system was outlawed in the ille disputes have led to such sert Human rights organisations have ancy rights and an opportuniiy for "second generation tenants" and ordi- 1960s mainly because the Nationalist ous instability that (Mathews Phosa). welcomed the law although some have land redistribution. It is aimed at pro nary farmworkers - will contain government feared tenancy would the premier of the Eastern Transvaal. expressed concern with the fact that viding immediate protection for an much of the anticipated fallout from lead to a besr.varling van die platte/and and the Minister of Land Aflatrs have tenants will have to pay for land that extremely vuhlerable group of people affected white farmers. - a blackening of the countJyside - repeatedly been called in to avert con they have always occupied. whose living conditions have been "TI!.e Bill applies only to those dis- and many farmers began to use a sys flict between labour tenants and white described to me as being the closest tricts where labour tenancy is still tern of straight wage labour. As a farmers degenerating into local wars.· The new Bill will be discussed on we have to slavery. • endemic.Alabourtenantisdefinedas result oflaws prohibiting tenancy The law protects against arbitrary Talk at Will with the Mail & Guardian ThedraftJawwasapprovedina Cab- a person who is a second generation arrangements. about a million people evictions of tenants by stipulating on SAfm, on Friday 2 at 8.30am The Transvaal Rural Action Committee says the Barolong da Modiboa flrst occupie(\ land at Machaviestad in the flrst half of the 19th century. In 1872 the Transvaal Republic gave the Potchefstroom muni cipality title to the land, reducing the Barolong to illegal squatters on their O'I'."Il land. . Some people were forcibly evicted in MAY 51995 1874 and between 1907 and 1971 repeated .l31acK spot' removal He followed up by sending trucks to attempts were made to force others to move Rooigrond to transport the Barolong and by levying taxes on animals and houses, victims return home their possessions back home. fencing off sections and deregistering the local school in 1966. THE FffiST MAJOR REVERSAL of an Barolong Chief Simon Makodi, 70, resisted removal by the Nationalist govern The Barolong never stopped flghting to apartheid era "black spot" forced removal return, eventually winning the right to has been carried out by 20 families of the ment for 10 years before submitting at gun point to the apartheid government plan in return briefly each year to tend their Barolong di Madiboa tribe who have trium ancestors' graves. Small groups of the phantly re-settled on their ancestral land at 1971. Barolong tried to re-occupy the land in 1990 Machaviestad, 20km (12 miles) south of "It was our land but due to apartheid the and again in 1991 but were arrested and Potchefstroom law was against us," he said. "People were charged with trespassing on both occasions. They were evicted by the National Party dismissed from their jobs, our livestock was government 24 years ago with a pittance as impounded and our schools were closed to Comment compensation for the loss of their homes force us out." It is estimated that some 4-million and 18,000 head of cattle and settled on a Makodi said R18.20 ($5) was paid to each people were uprooted from "black tiny, barren patch of ground at Rooigrond in family as compensation. spots" and other areas and moved to the former Bophuthatswana "homeland". The Barolong were in high spirits as they the "homelands" as part of the Nation Twenty families spent the April 28-30 moved back: "We're ready to get our place al Party's mad social engineering weekend breaking down their mud and iron back and change our lives," said Gabriel schemes designed to place people in Rooigrond homes and re-erecting them on Rapulan.a, who at 26 is too young to remem segregated boxes according to their the nearly 3,500 hectares of land bought for ber the day his family was moved. colour. them by the Land Affairs Ministry from the "I feel so happy to go home," said Emily The term, 'moved', is a euphemism. Potchefstroom municipality which acquired Lerefolo who was born in Machaviestad in Almost all were persecuted and the land in 1971. 1911 and after removal to Rooigrond saw the harassed when they resisted and were The Conservative Party-controlled death frm.n illness of all three of her finally forced off their land by armed Potchefstroom Tov."Il Council resisted Land children. police. Their houses were bulldozed Affairs Minister Derek Hanekom's earlier "I am going back to my birthplace," said and they were unceremoniously attempts to restore the Barolong to their Sam Gabashane, 32, who remembers dumped in frequently barren and un land, but as the flrst anniversary of the Machaviestad as a rich fertile area where his productive areas where they were for government of national unity approached people once kept thousands of livestock. gotten. These moves caused massive (April 27 -- Freedom Day) Hanekom put overcrowding in the ~'homelands" pressure on the council. "I am expecting to become a well developed somebody and maybe own some which led to widespread unemploy He sent a letter the day before to Town ment, poverty and disease. Clerk Johannes Botha which confirmed the thing beautiful one day like a farm of my own" , he said. It is recognised that many of the vic purchase of the land-at R600 (US $170) per tims will not be able to eet their proper hectare, v.'ith the proceeds to be used in ty back because of the developments assisting other landless people and in that have taken place and they will be upgrading Potchefstroom's lkageng com-pensated. townshi . Fr1<1a)', June 2, 1!)!lo the banks that the rule of law Will By Sarah Crowe be enforced and that they Will be Spocloi ID "tno Cnnillan Sooonce Monitor reimbursed for losses." · . "f·•·· · IOHANNESIUIIG Business has generalJr ap ;:·[1;·:··'HE soutil Am.can:aovern S. Africa's Poor Will Get plauded the policy as a way· of . ::: :.: ~~ isp~tling itself to the opening untapped markers. '1'he of new . ·. :i: .. : tes;· u it.~ to im· .spinoff effect lt!ttlements · 'p~eml!flt a muph-tl'!lmpeted elec Money for New Homes is llemendo116," says economist fio~ promlse ·tO build 1 million Mike Brown. "Ho116es are fur. homes before 1999. rUshed and kitchenware is :z'he new illit:ia.tin joins leading ANC, banks join to provide loans for shelter boueht. Neiahborhood.s are cre ~ with the African National "Housins is absolutely para ated with shopping centers, and CongreSII in trying to turn tens of mount in nonnali$g South Afri "This is going to be the real other indirect b\15ines5 and job thousands .o{ poor blacl
Parliamentary protest: As many submissions were heard by the parliamentary committe hearing public submissions on the abortion issue this week, this group of Christians marched to Parliament to protest the proposed secularisation of the State by the Constitutional Asssembly PHOTOGRAPH: RODGER BOSCH Abortion debate rages on Both the pro-life and pro der. Not even rape was a justification sented: from pro-life that abortion is for an abortion. murder and from pro-choice that it is choice viewpoints were 'Tile birth of the baby will bethera justified in terms of womens' control forcefully expressed as the peutic for the mother," she said. over their bodies. abortion issue was "Some good can come out of what There has been no shortage of sub was done to her.· missions on this hot issue. On Tues discussed in parliament, When the students were ques day alone, the committee heard sub writes Rehana Rossouw tioned by committee members, they missions from the Aflican Christian turned to the Bible to back their case. Democratic Party (ACDP) Womens' TS BEEN a brutal time for the par ANC MP Sister Bernard Ncube League, the Young Womens' Net liamentary committee listening to was unimpressed. "How many young work, Students For Ufe, the National public submissions on the abor girls aged 13 are already pregnant in Progressive Primaiy Health Care Net tion issue. Over the past two South Afrtca?" Sister Bernard asked work. CathiAlbertyn of the Centre for weeks pro-lifers have assaulted the students. Applied Legal Studies at Wits, Doc Ithem with bottled foetuses and gory "They are not even able to give tors Who Support Human Life, the slide shows of abortions and their birth. We have street children in Options Crisis Pregnancy Centre and aftermath. South Africa who are not being the International Society for Krtshna This week UCT Students For Ufe adopted by anybody. We need a holis Consciousness. representative Shirley Barnes tic approach to this problem." Nomfundo Mbuli of the pro-choice showed the ad hoc committee on : The response was a quote from the Young Wo~ens' Network, quoting abortion and sterilisation what an Bible, illustrating that even in his statistics that up to 80 percent of abortion really looked like. Slide 1 mother's womb, John the Baptist women treated after a botched Illegal was an aborted foetus thrown into a was aware of the existence of Christ. abortion were younger than 20, said black rubbish bag. Slide 2, a foetus While the pro-lifers rely on the the current law condemned young burnt badly after an abortion using a Bible to back up their arguments. the women and their children to lives of saline solution. Slide 3, a dismem pro-choice lobby has been relying on poverty. bered foetus after an abortion using research from countries where abor 'Tile law has not stOpped abortions suction. tion is legal. from happening in South Africa, it Barnes argued that abortion, There are only slight variations on has simply made them dangerous," under any circumstances, was mur- two main arguments being pre- Mbulisaid. South Africa's new constitution prompts mass Christian protest eullatin-es-0210
By Noel Bruyns Cape Town, 1 June (ENI)-The city centre of cape Town was brought to a standstill on Tuesday 30 May when 10 000 Christians marched on Parliament to protest against moves to have South Africa declared a secular state in South Africa's new demoerati~: t:Onstrtution.
Most of the Christians taking part in the Inter-denominational march were fram pentecostal and fundamentalist churches. The Anglican, Roman Catholic and Methodist el'lurches had no official part in the protest.
Under the former apartheid govemment and the South African Comstitution, Christianity enjoyed pride of place. Tne new government believes the new constitution being drafted should not gi've a special role to one religion in a democratic state.
During the protest, one of the largest Christian demonstrations ever staged In cape Town, tl'le marel'lers called for a "Bible--baied" constiWtion. One of the organisers, Willie ViUcen, a pastor from the Apostolic Faith Mission, said the proteE~ten; strongly opposed plans to declare South Africa a seeular state, "where the activities of ehuroh and state were kept totally separate".
Cyril Fi.amaphosa, an ANC politician and chair(:lerson of the Constitutional Assembly drafting the new constitution, told protesters outside the Parliament building: "To say South Afrl~ Is going to be declared a secular state does not mean God or Jesus is going to be banned. The present interim constitution places religion in a very speela! way."
Speaking with a Sible in his hand, he continued: "An impression is being created that, as we draft the new Constitution, we would like to tum South Africa Into an atheist country. I want to assure you that thi$ is nat trl.le. Like l'liany of you, I also have a Bible in my home and many otl'ler people in this Parliament also have the words of the Bible Written in their heal'tS."
A spokesperson for Desmond Tutu, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, said that the Anglican Church respected the religious freedom cf the demonstratcrs to express their views, but his church favoured a secular state.
Quoting from a document of guidelines about a new constitution, the spokesperson said: ''The ststa should be secular and should affirm those of different religions end these who have none. each perBon should have the freedom to propagate his or her faith, as long as it is not oppressive to another, "l'he state should guarantee religious expression.·
Sean O'Leary, secretary of the Justice and Peace Department of the Scuthem African catholic ;3ishops' Conference (SACS C), said his church believed the time had come to acc:ept that South Africa was a mufti-religious state. "The Constitution should not be the domain cf ctte religion. It should be equitable in dealing with all religions," he said.
Under the strongly Calvinist apartheid government, Christians enjoyed a privileged position - from . influencing draft legislation and tl'le running of the state to having Chri::;tian feast days declared national public holic:tays, while Muslims and Hin,t;Sus had tCI Ulke l.lnpaid leave fer their holy days.
The South African Broadcasting corporation has already moved to a more evenl'landed religious policy. Previously only Christians were seen :and heard in religious progr:ammas on tslavision. Now ait time has been re-distributed to accommodate other major faltns and Afrt~n traditional religions.
Proposals to liberalise the country's abortion and pornography laws. and to ~se restriotions en homosexuality and freedom of sexual orientation in the new democratic Constitution are also causing concem for some Christians. [576 words] fiUfl 14 • EN/ BuJJsriJJ • Number 1I • 7 Jlllll TSS6 ~ THE SUN WEDNESDAY, MAY 24,1995 Fenced-out Villagers await S. Mrican park retorins
the potential Jiches there. Neighbors want That the wildlife parks of South to share lands Afrtca will change appears inevita ble. But the nature of that change lost to apartheid is still the subject of controversy and debate. Reform at Kruger National Park By Michael Hill could be as limited as the park of Johannesburg Bureau of The Sun fertng its neighbors mo.re and bet ter jobs, or as extensive as handing KRUGER NATIONAL PARK. over to the several million villagers South Africa - _To the tens of l1ving within 20 miles of that fence thousands of people who enter It full authortty over everything hap each year, Kruger National Park of pening inside it. fers the chance to mingle with Kruger, covering more than lions, elephants and the other wild 7,000 square miles, has as its beasts of Africa. But for the impov neighbors some of South Africa's erished millions of black people poorc:st people, many of them who live on the park's border, it forced into artlftcial ·homelands• represents an anachronistic bas on land that was one step up from MICHAEL Hill/SUN STAFF PHOTO tion of white prtvilege. the bush and grasslands reserved Solly Mohaule, who grew up near Kruger National Park, says the For generations, the people on for animals. And Kruger has long fence around it cut villagers off from a part of their lifestyle. the outside of the park's electrified been known for its insularity, its fence have been like street urchins lack of regard for the people l1ving with their noses pressed up against nearby. · cattle might one day graze in the •No statement I have made has the window of a showplace. In .The debate about the park's fu park, a statement akin to propos ever been so debated, so misinter South Africa's new democracy, ture was kicked off when Derek ing that the sides of the Washing preted, misused, misquoted and those people are now demanding to Han~om, an official of the African ton Monument be Used for adver be ~lowed inside, to benefit from NatiQnal Con,gress, suggested that tisements. See SOUTH AFRICA. 14A -•- ~------~------~~~-' ~ -, From Page lA Mr. Parrts has no apologies for the "It is like the impala. When some- Another proposal calls for creat- parks' traditional orientation. one approaches them, they run ing a buffer zone outside the park, misunderstood," says Mr. Hanekom, "The fundamentals of a protected away. Probably that person doesn't from a half mile to five miles wide, now minister of land affairs. "But I area haven't changed, • he says. "It is want to kill them, but they run any- where game would be managed by am glad l said it because it made still an area protected against non way. It is the safest thing to do." Kruger but land would belong to the people start to think. natural forces. That is still our job. • In the meetings between P~k villagers. They would be allowed to •I just wanted people to start look For Mr. Parrts, the challenge is to managers of village leaders, the dis- use that zone for hunting or tourist ing at options in ways of using land." change the park managers' attitude cussions often focus on problem ani- lodges. "It was good that he Said it," said that their responslbillties end at the mals - elephants that break Eddie Koch, an environmental ac Dick Parrts, head of operations for fence. through fences to eat fields of com, tivist and writer in South Africa, sees the National Parks Board. "He rattled "In the past, in places, we have lions that kill cattle. It was also the buffer proposal as just another some cages.· been bad neighbors with no commu through these meetings that villag- attempt by Kruger officials to keep Until now, the country's game nication other than telling people not ers who were forcibly moved out ot the community at bay. parks have been run according to a to cross our borders, • he acknowl Kruger to make way for the animals 'What they have done so far is military model: plants and animals edges. "But that Is changing." once again gained access to ances- minimal, top-down stuff that is not were to be protected from LlJ.e sur- Apartheid regulations did not ban tral burial grounds. really benefiting many people; he rounding people. The park manage blacks from Kruger, but the park's David Varty, head of the company says. "The buffer zone would really ment was the protective army, the entrance fees did. And there were that runs a prtvate game reserve on just extend Kruger's boundaries park's neighbors the presumed ene other restrictiVe rules. Kruger's borders, suggests the without letting the conununtty int~ my. Hunting was to be outlawed en "You could come in and stay, but parks' future depends not on allow- the park. • tirely; so was grazing by the villag you couldn't use restaurants, tonets, ing villagers to graze their herds In The only reason there are ani ers' herds of goats, sheep and cattle. other facilities: says Caesar Ngony- parkland but on tourists sowing dol- mals to save is that villagers lived In But if the parks are to survive, ama, a black employee who has Iars, yen and marks. harmony with them for generations. they must be managed by the villag worked at the park since 1959. 'We He envisions the Kruger area be- long before Europeans came to hunt ers, according to some conservation were not made to feel welcomed: coming the top wildlife destination in and then to develop parks. · experts. Mr. Ngonyama, whose jobs in the the world: An unused milltary air- ·1 remember sitting around the The villagers must have the same park include 12 years of pumping field would become an International fire listening to the elders tell sto rights as the settlers of the American gas, is now an environmental officer alrport. Kruger itself, where people ries," says Mr. Mohaule, who now West, those experts say- Including trying to improve relations with now stay in modest bungalows and works at Mr. Varty's private game the right to kill wildlife and to use the nearby villages: He lectures local drive themselves on roads in search reserve. "They were all about ani land for agriculture. school children about the wildlife, of game, would reserve some areas mals. African ideas, our splrttuallife, ~I see the South African parks at a meets with community leaders about . for low-cost, high-volume tours. Ho- are based on animals. Many of our access to medicinal plants growing tels could bid· to lease exclusive surnames are an1ma1 names. crossroads; says Jon Hutton of the in the park, helps with a program rights to other areas. The well-heeled "But then the fence cut us off Afrtcan Resources Institute in Hara that trains black taxi drivers to be would be chauffeured in Land Ro- from that lifestyle and we had to re, Zimbabwe. "They could either go come guides. vers. Jobs and presumably profits watch our enemies enjoy them." with the European model - pre Solly Mohaule grew up next to would go to the villagers. Not long ago, one community serving the wildlife from the commu Kruger. 'When the white tourists "The National Parks people are near Kruger was troubled by lions nities - or a true conservation mod would get lost and stop to ask direc dedicated peof!le and good people for killing cattle. When park officials of el, involving the conununlties in the tions, we would run,· he ~ys. the most part, Mr. Varty says. "The fered to kill all the lions in that area. oark ~ement." problem is that they are scientists. the villagers protested that only the "They know how to tak~ care of lions that came through the fence the animals, but they don t know should be destroyed- for the villag how to plan for utilizing what ers liked to hear the lions roartng at they've got. This could become the night. · biggest property development in the world." ------A .plan for free trade between Andrew Marshall, in the first of involvement- it is South Africa's IEurope and South Africa could leading trade partner. The EU is be delayed by disputes between a series, reports on the ED's role also offering 125m ec'-'S (£100m; I EU member states, diplomats of aid a year for five years to and officials in Brussels say. in helping Africa by strengthening South Africa's reconstruction Joao de Deus Pinheiro, Eu and development programme; ropean Commissioner for De economic links with Pretoria But the Commission also velopment, who recently re hopes the deal with Pretoria can turned from South Africa, The idea initially caused con agreement ofEU governments serve as the nucleus of a strat underlined the priority he puts troversy because South Africa to the mandate under which Eu- egy for southern Africa, and this . on the agreement. thought it should be allowed ac ropean officials would negotiate was one of the major themes of "South Africa is, I think, the cess to the EU's preferential with South Africa may be held · discussion between Mr Pinheiro I. great hope of Africa," he said. trade scheme reserved for de hostage to a deal to increase the and Thabo Mbeki, First Deputy Reconstructing its economy is vi- veloping countries. The Lome aid available under the Euro- President. tal to underpinning democracy, Convention covers trade and pean Development Fund "Because we think South , but also to assisting the whole aid relations with 70 developing (EDF), a scheme for assisting Africa will be decisive in there region, where peace has re countries in Africa, the Carib the 70 ACP states. gion, we intend to be generous," turned to Mozambique and the bean and the Pacific (ACP). Britain and Germany are op-: said Mr Pinheiro. The Com . outlook in Angola is better. Because parts of the South posing plans for a substantial in- mission is offering new support "For the first time, there is a real African economy are far more crease in the EDF, but they are for regional integration through I prospect of improvement in developed than the rest of the two principal supporters of the Southern African Develop Southern Africa," he added. Africa's, the Commission re free trade with South Africa. ment Community. Relations with the new gov jected that, though a "two-track" France, president of the EU, has Analysts hope the changes in ernment in Pretoria are shaping policy gives the country some pot more cash for the EDF at South Africa will refocus Euro up as a key test of EU relations links to Lome. the top of its priorities. It could pean attention on the continent. with Africa and strategy to On his visit Mr Pinheiro re use the South African deal as With Eastern Europe, Latin wards developing countries in solved most South African leverage. It had been hoped the America and the Mediterranean general. doubts. But he has still to win the negotiating mandate could be all absorbing much time and The European Commission agreement of the 15 EU mem agreed today, but it may take money in Brussels, Africa has has proposed a deal that would ber states. Some continue to dis several more weeks, officials started to slide off the agenda. eventually allow free trade be agree aboutthe free trade idea, say. And the former colonial powers tween South Africa and the fearing it may undermine their The trade agreement is pivotal now look to Asia for economic EU. Europe would drop itS own producers-particularly in for both the Commission and opportunities. Foreign invest trade barriers first, allowing sens1tive agricultural sectors South Africa. Mr Pinheiro, a for- ment has collapsed. A study by South African industry to adjust. such as frUit. mer Portuguese foreign minister, the institute of development After four or five years, South But Commission sources and thinks the EU can and should studies at Sussex University Africa would follow, creating diplomats say that a larger prob play an important role in South shows rapid disinvestment by free trade in 10 or 12 years' time. lem may be emerging. The Africa because of its economic British firms in the early 1990s.
THE INDEPENDENT • FRIDAY 26 MAY 1995 INTERNATIONAL 15 Crime the new·enemy in SA
The subject, as it invariably is on up a group called "Citizens South African radio talk shows A gangster's boasts on radio have stunned a Countering Crime" with the these days, was car-jacking, the slogan "Don't emigrate, demon violent crime du jour of Juhan- nation, writes Robert Block in Johannesburg strate!". With their own money, , nesburg's gangsters and the they have built a police precinct, scourge of the city's leafy white underbelly of South Africa to- outside this is not common. My Hardly a day goes by without a sponsored a mounted police suburbs. day. Sofiso was a tsotsi, a gang- gang, 'The 26', does not do this. notice in the newspapers of unit and are pressing the gov Wds it true, the talk show host 'ster who called to explain; not But sometimes it docs happen, such and such having been shot ernment . to increase the ess asked, that when a township justify, his lifestyle and cus- people are killed. and killed in a carjacking. · nationat police budget. crime boss was killed, his fol toms. His matter offact, pitiless "My favourite weapon is a Political violence may have all The growing crime rate pre lowers hijacked cars in his ho testimony was terrifying. 9mm 12-shooter. I don't know but disappeared in South Africa sents perhaps the greatest threat . nour and then killed some "If there is a funeral, we hi- if you know that gun. Well, with the exception of KwaZulu to the aim of Mr Mandela and innocent bystander to accom jack before the funeral," Sofiso when I pull that trigger and the Natal (where fighting between the ANC to build a stable, rel pany their fallen companion to said "We target certain suburbs bullets are flying, well anything supporters of the African Na atively violence-free country. the underworld? Was it true that [read white) where we know we can happen," Sofiso said. tional Congress and the Zulu Part of the reason for the crime after a lucrative robbing spree, can fmd these cars easily, and we The hostess was audibly Inkatha Freedom Party never wave is the lack of job oppor gangsters bought gallons of ex bring them back before i.he stunned. Certainly, she sug really ended), but criminal tunities for the black majority. pensive brandy, poured it into funeral. Let's say a funeral is on .gested, carjackers who stalked violence in the year since The official unemployment rate buckets and washed their cars in Saturday, we take the cars on Johannesburg's privileged Nelson Mandela became last year was 33 pc:r cent, but the pricey booze? Friday and hide them. On Sat- northern suburbs had limits. President has exploded. proportipn of South Africans Urban legends proliferate in urday, we take them to the Surely they would not, for in It was estimated that in the without a formal job is closer to South Africa faster than the cemetery. There the cars will be stance, threaten a mother and second half of 1994 a serious half the population. local rock rabbits, and none seen, guns will be shot and two her baby, an elderly person, or crime was being committed But crime in South Africa is more so than those involving of the cars will be burnt in a pregnant woman? Sofiso every 17 seconds; a murder not just about the need to sur ~ criminals and the wave of crime honour (of the dead)." laughed: "I never heard of a sit- every half hour, a housebreak vive, but, as Sofiso boasts, is a sweeping the country. The host These kinds of sen d-offs are uation where we had to get a car, ing every two minutes. And lifestyle of choice, and that is ess insisted she was merely known in the township gangster . we found it and then we left it." 'things have got worse this year, what frightens many people. trying to separate fact from lingo as "kitchen parties". Some- Excerpts of that talk show according to Johannesburg "Carjacking is a profession for fiction. Nevertheless, she times in the fray, people are were played for days after it was police. More than 200 major many of these people," said seemed unprepared for the killed by stray bullets, he said. first broadcast. It was the topic crime syndicates are operating Brigadier Jac de Vries, the answers she would receive from But what about killing inno- of dinner conversations and, in South Africa, many with deputy police commissioner fur one caller in particular. cents to accompany the dead? just days before the start of the international links. Johannesburg and the oflicer in "Go ahead Sofiso," she said "lllis happens in prison. 'The 28' Rugby World Cup, it was an un The whites are increasingly charge of Operation Safety, just before the airwaves began [an infamous gang) would do comfortable reminder that terrified and are beginning to which covers five of the worst af to freeze with the chilling details this. Sometimes, if a general died South Africa suffers from the fight back, In a neighbourhood fected neighbourhoods with he of the senseless crime and then his wife would be killed to highest violent crime rate in the in Sandton, Johannesburg's rich licopter overflights and in violence that is tearing at the soft accompany him. But on the world outside a war zone. est suburb, enraged residents set creased police patrols.