Anti-Apartheid News Anti-Apartheid News the Newspaper Of
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Anti-Apartheid News Anti-Apartheid News The newspaper of the Anti-Apartheid Movement 1 Plan to buy into UK publishing firm n takeover bid Jritish press I .arcay.NationalaBac Ls-4.-P. 1 r, it, JOH.ANNIESBURG X / .. .. : I LOUIS L nit Lfyl e0*0,?? ' O5&9$ s: 4,1?3&tohe 0 .n Bacaaseen Lt wBrd -sNaslonale Bank Spt. z5-19-(15-0 I fri~ft JOIIAktESBUtStoI ~ "' "" -~ Left Two -7 71_ 1 dcleqeto13million, -'.--'. c~a~a,. lRI.s ~ ook Louoyl LOUIS ~ numsbier of &3k?380 01.Abramsod DOI G 1:,I S 0051;bomerc F SA i fori T THE UK publishing adventes o two South African businesmen are becoming central to the Department of Information scandal currently rocking South Africa, Bit, for ome meon, the British pre orkinoredthwIue. Sc= sAffica newsapers hae focused attentfon on the UK busi ,ses activities of a Johannesburg* based financial tycoon, David Abramnon. :11 his paresr, Stuart Pow The Johannedsburg Rand Daily Mail and Sunday Times hase reported extensively on the numerous attempts by Abramson and Pe to buy Into the Britih publishing worid. Reports have also shown how Abramson is linked to a key fitoa in the Department of Information activities, Louis Luyt, founder of the pro-Government Citizen newapepr. Abaas usd Page attempe a teka-over bid for the lnvestors Chronicle in Use UK, as wall a. the Investors Review; they have also attempted to take over Drum magazine, based in East and South Africs. All thes bids failed - but Abrameon'$ comections with the Departnt of Information have raised the question whether they wer part of S South African Government attempt to take over media sMd publishing cocems on a worldwide scale. In 1976 Abramson and Pae bought a 20 par cis share in Morgarn-Grmpian, the UK firm which publishes over 40 magazines in the UK, mainly catersing for the over £10,000 pa income bracket among them are The Engineer, Over 21 end the medical journal, The Practitioner. However, at the end of 1976 they sold this sharm. Abramson now has his own UK publishing company. The evidence for Abramson's Information Department connec tiara was published by the Rand Daily Mail on November 9. It published photographs of post-dated dked chequas worth nearly R14 nillion drawn from the personal agont of Louis Luyt, made out in f r of a bank accoint belonging to Homerus Finance Corporation, a than 130 seoret projects to present 'a more favourable linage'of South Africa abroad. This not only entailed gaining control of newspapers and publishisg companies in Britain and the US, but also the creation of organisations supposedly independent of the South African Govemmant, to arrange for important visitors to come to South Africa. Two of these organisations have recently been unmasked: the South African Freedom Foundation and the Foreign Affairs Association. The Foreign Affairs Association was disbanded in late November in the face of imminent disclosures by the press of its real nature. Founded in 1975 and ostensibly financed by five leading Afrikaans businessmen, its declared purpose was to promote 'dialogue both on internal end external levels It had links with the Club of Ten, and four of the five named sponsors of the Club of Ten are past or present members of the board of trustees of the FAA. A few days after this expose, a second front body, the South African Freedom Fousndtion, announced that it had received about £90,000 a yew in seat funds from the nowdefunct Department of Information. The Foundation invited prominent people to South Africa, including the British and NATO General, Sir Waiter Walker, Reer-Admiral Morgan.Gilis, and a US Governor, Mldrim Thomson of New Hempshire. The Department of Information was run by the now-disgraced Dr Eshel Rhondia, whose flamboyant and often bizarre schemes are being revealed in the unfolding scandal. It also gave US publisher John McGoff RIO million from secret Information Department funds to help finance his abortive bid to acquire control of the Washington Star newspaper. AAM Chairman Bob Hughes MP has written to the Prime Minister James Callaghan asking the Government to make a full enquiry ;nto the South A frican Government's propaganda activties in Britain. company controld by the Joharasebug busineasmen Abramson and John Heinrich (who, like Luyt, is a member of the Club of Ten). Abramson vehemently denied .any links with Louis Luyt. Howaver, he gave . the bank account number of Homerts Finance the same number that Louis Luyt made the cheques payable to, The evidence suggests a dear link with BOSS and the Informstion Dartment in their attempts to mount a worldwide pro-South African propagand campaign. For example, General van den Bebgh, head of BOSS, was involved in the attempt to take over the South African Associated Newspapers (SAAN), which publish the English-language morning group newspapers in South Africa, including the Rand Daily Mail and the Sunday Timep Only pieces of the South African plan have emerged so far, but they show how the Department created Iront' bedies through which funds could he channelled to take over newspapers, publishing companies and other media groups. It is estimated that the Deportmert of Information founded more In this issue: Why Britain bust sanctions 1WHY did successive British Governments fail to enforce oil sanctions against Rhodesia? What is the Government's real attitude to Ian Smith? In a special interview with AA NEWS, ARTHUR CHADZINGWA, Westem European representative of the Patriotic FrontZAPU, accuses Britain of aiding the Smith regime. Page 5, Report from the refugee camps THOUSANDS of Zimbabweans - many of them children - have fled to neighbouring countries to escape the Smith regime's security forces. An International Defence and Aid Fund representative, who recently visited refugees in Zambia and Mozambique, describes life in the camps. Page 4. How African leaders see UK policy BOB HUGHES MP recently visited the front-line States as a member of a delegation from the Continuation Committee of the Conference against Apertheid, held in Lisbon last year. He reports on his visit and on how African leaders see Britain's current role in Southern Africa, page B. Namibia's rigged election- report IN December South Africa will stage fraudulent elections in Namibia. AA NEWS reports on how people are being intimidated into registering to vote, page 9. SA's new threat to Angola SOUTH Africa is planning a major invasion of Angola. AA NEWS reports o the latest threat to Angolan independence and on how the country is preparing to defend itself, page 8. Page 2 - Ant-Apaatheid News ANTI-APARTHEID ACTION- NATIONWIDE Barnet BARNET Anti-Apartheid Group's campaign in local churches is now well under way. Links have been established wish individual clergy as a step towards reaching a wider ,section of the church-going community. The Group supported a demonstration at Brent Cross Shopping Centre organised by Barnet Trades Council, during the TUC South East Region Week of Action against Apartheid. Leaflets were distributed calling for a boycott of South African goods. The protest was reported in she local press. Group members have spoken to several local organisations recently, including two branches of the Labour Party. Barnet AA will hold a Musical Evening to raise funds on December 9 (see ad for details). Contact: Liz Backhurst, 449 1818, or Frank Edwards, 446 4065 Scotland THE Scottish Committee of the Anti-Apartheid Movement have produced a special 4-page tabloid broadsheet to mark International Anti-Apartheid Year. It contains statements from Scottish MPs, trade unionists and churches and information about firms which collaborate with the apartheid regime, Scottish AA has also set up a special Trade Union Liaison Committee, The broadsheet is available from: Scottish AA Committee, 3 Rose. vale Crescent, Hamilton, Lanarkshire. Tel Hamilton 426781. Islington iStff4NGT~eAni'Aprthid Group Is planning to hold a publicimeetasg at lsliegtaCossrl Library on January 24. The Group collected signatures to the 'Free Solomon Mahlengu' patitin and sold AA NEWS to Sturday morning shoppers on November 2 Thirty-three Islington Councillors have signed the petition. Contact: Simon Kaplinsky, 45 Fairmead Road, London N19. Glasgow MEMBERS of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce trade delegation to South Africa in November were left in no doubt as to the arguments against their collaboration with apartheid. The Church of Scotland's Church and National Committee, the Iona Community, Glasgow District Trades Council and the Glasgow District Council Labour Group were among the organisations which wrote to the Chamber urging cancellation of the trip Although the time of departure was kept a close secret a demonstration was arranged by the AAM outside the Chamber's offices at the nearest convenient lunchtime. A letter was also sent to John Smith MP on his appointment as Secretary for Trade, urging an end to the- Govermment subsidies still given to trade missions to South Africa, Contact: John Nelson, Secretary Glasgow AA Group, 3 Romvale Crescent, Hamilton. Tel Hamilton 426781. which sell South African goods. On November 11 it distributed over 1000 leaflets asking shoppers to boycott South African exports outside the Brixton branch of Teso. The Group is also collecting waterproof boots in response to the Namibia Support Committee's appeal for footwear for Namibian refugee Contact: Bacry Luckock, Tel 670 4039. Southampton BRITISH trade unionists were urged to take action to end economic links with South Africa ata public meeting organised jointly by the Southampton Trades Council and Southampton Anti-Apartheid Group in October. Speaking in support of the South East Region of the TUC's Week of Action Against Apartheid were Edward Ramsdale of SACTU, Bob Wright, Assistant General Secretary of AUEW (Engineering Section) and Bob Hughes MP, Chairman of AAM.