THE NEWSPAPER of the ANTI-APARTHEID Movement SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1994 40P
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THE NEWSPAPER OF THE ANTI-APARTHEID MOVEMENt SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1994 40p THE NEWSPAPER OF THE ANTI-APARTHEID MOVEMENt SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1994 40p SOUTH AFRICA'S ARMS TRADE Frank Chikane calls for a change of direction Page 2 MOZAMBIQUE NOW! October's elections must be free and fair Page 5 WHAT NOW FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA'S Georgoula reports Page 6 TRADE UNION SOLIDARITY A year of action against apartheid Page 7 TACKLING THE HOUSING CRISIS Cabinet Minister Joe Slovo tells AA News about a central plank of the RDP Pages 8/9 Making hope a reality Promoting peace and democracy and working for reconstruction and development - these are the priorities as the Anti-Apartheid Movement prepares to transform itself to face the challenges ahead. A SUCCESSOR Organisation to thatwillprovecriticaltothenew the Anti-Apartheid Movement organisation'sabilitytopromote willbelaunchedon29October, peace, democracy, recot following the unanimous dec- tion and development in siorn of the AAM Extraordinary Southern Af-ra General Meetginjune. Thedraftfoundingsttetnen The new organisation will oftheneworganisationmakesit take the Movement's work clear that there wdl be an forward by- campaigning for explicitly anti-raciS and anti- Reconstruction and Development Programme on course PRESIDENT Nelson Mandela magicwandthattheyseeinthe 0 freemedicalcareforchildren 0 rebuilding town hips, Pressureoftimehad used the address to a Special newgovernent. Miliom have undersixandpregnanmothes focosing primarily on those that existing programne, joint Session of Parliament in suffereddepcivationfordecades funds foranexpanded AIDS townshipsaffeetedbyvaolence verymuchcentrallydetert Cape Town on 18 August, to and they have the right toseek awareness campaign 0 rehabiliation and extension PresidentMandeiaadmit giveadetailedreportofprogress redress. They fought and voted 0 primary school feeding of municipal services and central gov -ucool made by his government in its for change and h.g, the scheme infrastrctueinuthanand rural provide the framework, I first100days. peopleofSouthAfricamost 0electricationprogranne areas, mentation has tobe carri In his wide-rangingaddress have.' Thetoneofthespeechwas bylocal structures and nr hefocusedontheneedfor Muchofhisreportwason bothoptimrsticandfrank. nismswerebeingputnt fundamental change, stating the implementation of the Millions have suffered President Mandela ad that to ensure this. The urgent that, 'At the end of the day, the Reconstruction and Develop- deprva ti fr decade significant progress towards a to involve communities yardstick that we shall all be ment Programme, which has sustainedakeL-off hastheefore proactive manner stood judged byis one and one only: beenadoptedastheeornerstone and they have the right been made. However, this bold relief, President Mr and rat is, are we, dOtugh our of the policies of the ANC-Ied to seek redress. They government does not dale to said. endeavoucs here, creating the Govenmentof Nationaltlni. havealltheanswes Preparation The govenment had basis to better the lives of all President Mandela, review- fought and voted for of these projects has been a elected because the p South Africans! This is not ing progress already made, Change; and Change the valuablelamingexperiencefor trsed it to meet their a because the people have some pointedtoseveralprojectswludi people of South Africa us. This is even more crucial, noes, President Mandel subjective expectations fanned are either already in operation, becauseoursiacomprehensive cluded. The progress i, duringanelectioncampaign orinthepipeline.These must have. programme,not anetercisein these 100 days bears test, Neither is it becausethereisa included throwingmoneyatproblems.' tothegreatpotentialthate meant were ined, dbut d only Impleed-ot aneed out in mdela been 'eople aspinaaconade in imony exists.' ANIAATEDNW SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1994 40p THE NEWSPAPER OF THE ANTI-APARTHEID MOVEMENT 2 ANTI-APARTHEID NEWS 0 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1994 A voice for freedom Until recently, the only person in South Aftica allowed to read AntiApartheid News was the official censor. As recently as 1990. plans to send copies to the ANC's first post-unbanning conference were thwarted when couriers DHL decided the attitude of the regime was too high a mountain for them to climb. It is testimony to how far the struggle has come that only four years later Antipartheid News is proud to print an article by the new South Africa's housing minister - Joe Siovo: the first article by a South African minister in these pages, though not of course, the first we have heard from Joe Slovo. After neary 30 years, this is wear. the final edition of AntiApartheid News. Reed across the world, the newspaper has consistently offeredanem eative perspective ________~~is Jurayi 6:1tsr constant. The initial appearance evoked strongopinions, with one " critic describing it as a blank Mandela outlines his vislon of new society verse poem by Fenner Brockway, whilst another wrote ;A News just arrived. Terrible. Send another dozen.' New technology, in particular the acquisition of an Apple Mac by long-time volunteer turned profes-ar er.-- - sional typesetter NancyWhite, has siplified the production of the jpapr. The expansion oftheAM's membership in the 1980s saw a mailing house replace the wall of Ail 1994: Serth Addei pigeonholesinMandelaSt,Intoelection whichcopieshadtobesortedby postal code, much to the relief of the staff. The editorial content of the paper, however, has remained, as in the early days, largely in the hands of volunteers. Editors have included Gus Macdonald, John Sprack, Chnstael Gurney, Margaret Ling and Alan Brooks. Many professionaljourmalists and writers have contributed overthe years, including Bdan Bunting, Michael Parkinson, George Mellyand Harold Pinter, although the Editorial Board meetings long ago shifted from the ancient Wig and Pen Club In Fleet Street into the AAM offices. Voluntary efforts have always been backed up by staff support and for a bref period In the 1980s and early 1990s, with the Movement at its financial peak, the paper was lucky enough to have the services offull-time staff. Elizabeth George wasthe firstfulltime assistant editor, followed by Karen Livingstone. So farewell, then Anti-Apartheid News, your work is done. When South Africa seemed a distant problem to many, AA News brought the real issues home with a perspective missing from the mainstream media. And as the campaign expanded, the paper ensured that the Movement's membership were always well informed, adding to the force of campaigning. By reaching out to a wider audience, Anti-Apartheid News was able to influence key opinion formers and help the Movement build and retain a wide coalition of support. This is the last issue, but plans are already afoot for the successor organisation. Watch this space. Turning away from the path of conflict The South African Council of Churches has followed with concern the attitude of the newly non-racial democratic government on arms production and sales. While aware that the new government has inherited an arms industry problem and related moral dilemmas, we are concerned thatthis government's acceptance of a military culture will negate the very ideals of a just peace which we struggled for and some died for, writes Frank Chikane. .A armuindnsnryoeedu foreign m.arte dtheeprmlkelykIbe inutrstableegionsof theWorld, indingAfnno- nionnsshaRardandSu ,andthe Middle Eat. This countrys toperpetuatethatievil,orivewith suchahorificlegacyofiapartheid. In justifying the need to furtherdevelopthemanufacture and export of aons, the country is told that arms development is vital for the defence of the country. We are told that it is essential for economic growth and jobs, and that we need the armstrade todevelop and main tain technological know-how. ThelSouthAfrican Counciof Churchesisconvincedthatthere areotherwaysof acidevingthese aims, without maintaining an indistryandtradewhichergages in activities which are incompaiblewiththevisionofthenew SouthAfrica.Ipursuanceof this, and to address this matter in a more scientific analytical and pragaratcwaythe SACCisuetting up a Commission to conduct a study of the implications of the manufacture and trade in arms and to make urgent representa- tions to the government. Th Commissionshouldreportbythe end of September. There are, however, immediate concerns we have which cannot wait until this process is concluded. These are outstanding undercover and secret operations involving arras production and sales; long standing contracts which were meant forthe survival of the o: order with no relevance to the new commitment to the reconstructionand developmentofthis country; and sales of arms to countnesinvolvedinbrutalwars as in Rwanda, Sudan and some countries in the Middle East. We have therefore called upon the defence minister to undertake a number of imnediate steps. These include: 9 adopting a restrictive export policywhichexcludesdeliveries of arms to countries violatin humanrightsorcountriesatwar; * embarkingontheinitativefor a UN registrar for conventional armssoastomakeSouthAfrica's trade in such arms more trunsparent * joining the European Union arms embargo against such countries as Sudan etc.; 0 encouragingtherefocusingof the South Afrcan arno industry so that it develops technology to serve the Restructuring and DJevelopmentProgrnrne(DP); * placing our peaceful technology at the service of our Afocan neightours rather than 'developige Lin 6 L wo heeti se urgethe government to commission a public reviewand assessientof thewholearmindustryandtade