southern africa # 1 '78 PERSPECTIVES A Fine Face for Apartheid by Shelly Pitterman been sent on subsidized trips to South In 1974, DeKeiffer circulated to The first anniversary of the Soweto Africa, though only if the Department Members of Congress a pamphlet on uprising had just been commemorated of Information is certain that upon re the security of the Cape Sea route. by renewed violence in South Africa turning to America the guest will pro More recently he wrote and presented when some 350 American business of vide positive publicity for the South to Representative Philip Crane (R-Ill) ficials gathered in Rye, New York on African government. In 1976, at least and John Dent (D-Pa) a "fact sheet" June 20 and 21 for an exclusive and 12 American journalists visited South opposing a House resolution against secluded conference hosted by the Africa at government expense. The US recognition of Transkei, the South South African government. The pur ISSA also publishes magazines such as African homeland which became 'in pose of the meeting, which featured an the South African Digest, which in dependent' in October 1976. The "fact address by former US Treasury Secre 1975 had a total circulation, Within sheet" was inserted into the Congres tary William Simon, was to spur Amer South Africa and abroad, of 108,000. sional Record without being labelled ican investment in South Africa. [See In 1974, the Department of Infor as having originated from a foreign Southern Africa, August, 1977] mation hired the Washington law firm agent as required by FARA. The resol Collier, Shannon, Rill and Edwards. ution, which needed a two-thirds vote The Rye conference is a recent ex This firm has intimate connections for approval, only failed by 23 votes. ample of how South Africa, through its with the Republican Party and has rep Plans for the Rye Conference were increasingly sophisticated lobbying resented the Tool and Stainless Steel initiated by the South African Foreign and public relations campaigns, hopes Industry, a most active supporter of Trade Organization and the Central to foster more support in the US. The the Byrd Amendment, the law which Reserve Bank of South Africa. The propaganda effort concentrates upon made the US an ongoing violator of UN Conference itself was organized by South Africa's perspectives on Com imposed sanctions against the illegal Sydney D. Baron, Inc., a New York munism in Africa, US investment op Rhodesian regime. The firm received public relations firm with close ties to ortunities, discrimination and apart $57,246.34 from South Africa in 1974. the Democratic Party. The South Afri eid, the homelands policy, Tran By 1976, this figure had increased to can Department of Information hired skeian 'independence', and interna approximately $70,000 judging by the Baron, Inc. in February 1976 for tional sports competition. $35,077 paid for the six months ending $365,000 annually. The revised, 1977 Although active for many years September 12, 1976. contract provides for $650,000 annu South African connections were sub ally, an almost 100% increase which jects for investigation during the 1963 Buying Friends, Influencing People reflects South Africa's expanding con Congressional hearings on the Foreign Donald DeKeiffer, an associate at cern for winning the support, or at Agents Registration Act-the South Collier, et. al., also attended the Rye least the ambivalence, of American African campaigns have rapidly ex Conference to act as mediator for Sec public opinion. panded since 1974. retary de Villier's seminar on invest Seeking Black Support That year marked the beginning of ment. DeKeiffer is paid $50 an hour to South Africa's detente policy with se improve South Africa's stature in In 1976, ten employees of Sydney S. lect Black African states and the end of Washington and to sway Congres Baron, Inc. were registered as working Portugal's colonial presence in Angola sional votes on issues of key interest to on the accounts of the Republic of and Mozambique. South Africa's South Africa. Behind the scenes, De South Africa, the Ministry of Econo growing isolation forced a rise in the mic Affairs of the Republic of China, 1974 Department of Information bud Keiffer organized Congressional sup port for the reversal of limitations on and the Electronics Industries of get to almost that of the Department of Export-Import Bank operations in Japan. Of these, Andrew Hatcher, an Foreign Affairs. This, as well as a 33% South Africa and worked successfully advisor to President Kennedy and cur increase in the number of foreign In for the sugar industry towards a Con rently Vice President International of formation representatives, are indica gressional ban on cyclamates. Baron, Inc., has assumed the promi tive of the mounting concern with for During the six months ending Sep nent role in South Africa's public rela eikn opinion and the determination to tions operations in the US. inwlluence it. tember 12, 1976, DeKeiffer spent at least $8,877.00 on "entertainment" for Andrew Hatcher is Black. He has "Washington representatives of vari thus been of particular importance to Information Service Grows ous American corporations and Con South Africa in its efforts to influence At the Rye Conference, L.E.S. de gressional staff members," according Black American perspectives on south Villiers, Deputy Secretary of the De to his report to the Justice Depart ern Africa. Hatcher has visited with partment of Information, hosted a ment. Public relations personnel and the influential 100 Black Men business seminar on "Strategies for Enduring lobbyists for foreign governments are organization and told the Daily World Investment." The Department of In required under the Foreign Agents (6/23/77) that the Rye Conference em formation, under the direction of Dr. Registration Act of 1938 (FARA) to bi phasized attracting investment from Eschel Rhoodie since 1974, has coor annually report their activities and ex Black American businessmen. Baron, dinated the overseas public relations penses to the Justice Department, al Inc. also distributes public relations and lobbying operations. Its American though recent US Justice Department materials to libraries, newspapers and branch, the Information Service of action against another un-official arm interested individuals. South African South Africa (ISSA), has an annual of the SA image apparatus-the SA Scope, a two page glossy tabloid with budget of about $700,000. Under its Foundation, makes it clear that such articles sympathetic to South Africa, is auspices influential Americans have reports frequently mask the truth. THE AFRICA FUNDa 305 E. 46th St.a NewYork, N.Y. 10017n(212)838-5030- distributed to approximately 4,500 Congressional travel at a foreign gov trustees are the nation's top 301 busi weekly publications located primarily ernment's expense. Each US visitor nessmen, the SAF is thought to have in suburban and rural areas. costs an estimated $3,000 for a two funds ten times that amount at its dis In August 1976, Baron also agreed to week trip. While in South Africa, the posal if necessary. Since 1960, when encourage "the presentation in the Department of Information provides the SAF was first founded, it has invi American media of a balanced and fair for the American guests, although ted over 100 politicians and 75 journal treatment of the Republic of Tran Representative Robert Bauman (R ists and businessmen to visit South Af skei." The contract with the Transkei Md) was escorted by the FAA itself rica. In 1976, guests included Rep. Les government stipulated that Baron, while he was in South Africa last No Aspin (D-Wisc.); Rep. David Bowan Inc. would receive $50,000 annually as vember. (D-Miss.); Professor Arthur Smithies, payment for operating the Transkei Foreign Affairs Association an economist and defense consultant Development and Information Bu to several US government agencies; reau. In addition, Transkei hired an The Foreign Affairs Association ob and Ed Fuelner, of the House Repub other Black American, J. A. Parker of tains its estimated $500,000 annual lican Study Committee. rhe Founda the Washington-based J. A. Parker As budget from eight major individual tion's president, Dr. Jan Marais, chair sociates, to act as "exclusive agent in contributors and the General Mining man Group, of the South Africa Trust Bank, the US for the planning and conduct of an organization of South Afri has also met with high ranking govern all (Transkei's) public relations activi ca s major mining companies. How ment officials, journalists and busi ties." In return, Parker, as director of ever the Baltimore Sun (11/17/76) re ported that a US State Department nessmen in Washington. In 1975, Friends of Transkei, monthly receives Marais met with 10 senators, 6 repre fees of $10,000 and expense allowances spokesperson asserted that Acker mann and the FAA "have close ties to sentatives, the editors of the Washing of $5,000. ton Post, the New York Times, Time ad (South African) government agencies, Newsweek. South Africa's public relations and the Information Department and the Officials from the Defense lobbying activities in the US have also Foreign Affairs Department." and State Departments were also pre Fur sent and been carried out by second-generation thermore, Business Week (4/21/75) re attended the reception given employees such as Lester Kinsolving by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller ported that Ackermann's trips are "ac for Marais. and Bernard Beame. Kinsolving, an tually paid for by the South African Episcopal priest and syndicated col Department of Information." The SAF inserted a 10 page adver umnist, received over $2,500 in stock tisement in the New York Times Maga Only days after President Carter's zine and expense money from DeKeiffer in energy speech of April 18, another de of February 22, 1976 extolling the 1975 and 1976. He appeared at stock fender of the apartheid regime, the virtues of American investment in holders' meeting of 13 companies Club of Ten, inserted an advertise South Africa. This theme, which where church groups were pushing served as the basis for the Rye Confer ment in the New York Times asking, ence, resolutions to sever business ties with "Is the US going to allow her oil life has gained acceptance in the South Africa. When asked about his line, and that of Western Europe, to Carter Administration. The Founda activities, Kinsolving said, "I asked remain in ton publishes and distributes the peril until Russia decides the South stockholders to repudiate any propos moment is right to strike?" The Club of Africa FoundationNews, South als whatsoever offered by the National Africa International (circulation of Ten, which has a London mailing ad 9,000) and Council of Churches because of its dress, is composed of about 20 busi the Information Digest, of massive hypocrisy in social concern for which more than 20,000 have been dis nessmen who, according to the Times tributed. Africa." (3/17/77), "move about the world all While in Vienna for meetings with the time, not in personal mini-jets, but Vice Mayor's Son in big personal jets." Millionaire Wer President Mondale last May, Prime Minister Vorster discussed Bernard Beame, son of Mayor Abra ner Ackermann is a member of both with the Foreign Affairs South Africa's Ambassador to the US ham Beame of New York, was hired by Association and the the need for improving the South African Club of Ten. This reflects the general their country's Freedom Founda image in America. Expressing con tion (SAFF) and the Foreign Affairs interlocking of membership which is cern, Association Vorster said that, "I don't say of South Africa (FAA) in characteristic of South Africa's busi that Americans are September 1976 ness organizations ill-informed, but I to write, produce and functioning abroad. often wondered whether the interpre direct two films on Transkei and the The Club spent about $35,650 on tation of their information Soweto uprising. The contract with the is correct." advertisements in 1973. In February According to the Times (5/22/77), SAFF, a business organization foun 1977, it inserted a shrilly anti-Com South African Foreign ded in June 1976, stipulated munist advertisement Minister F. F. that in the New York Botha "made it plain that US opinion Beame would get $60,000 for a 30 min Times, the Washington Post, the Lon regarding ute film on his country was one of the Transkei. The FAA, don Times and the Guardian which his main worries. Thus DeKeiffer, another active group of South African alone is estimated to have cost more Hatcher and the numerous millionaires, hired Beame than $100,000. business for $60,000 Readers were warned organizations operating in the US $90,000 to make a 30 minute or 60 about the dangers of a Soviet take-over are playing a critical role minute film in countries in expand on "the recent distur like Angola-and South ing South Africa's efforts to reverse bances within South Africa." 'reliable'Africa, in contrast, was presented as a its growing international member of the so-called free isolation Organizations such as the SAFF and and preserve its vicious system of the FAA have assumed a prominent world. A Guardian investigation in apartheid. El role in South Africa's influence-gather 1974 conducted by Adam Raphael-as ing campaigns. Werner Ackermann, a well as the revelations made by Gerald South African millionaire and member Sparrow, who resigned from the Club of the FAA, had by 1975 subsidized the in late 1976-confirm that the Club Reprinted with permission of Southern A/rica has financial connections with the De magazine. 156 Fifth Ave., Rm. 707, New York, travels of 39 foreign legislators and NY 10010 businessmen to South Africa. Last No partment of Information. vember, an entorage The South African Foundation of eight Congres (SAF), sional aides visited South Africa at the with offices in Washington, has engaged in both lobbying and public FAA's expense, thus using a conve relations activities. Its US budget in nient alternative SEPTEMBER 1977/SOUTHERN AFRICA to laws forbidding 1975 was $113,000, and because its serious of all, Soviet control of the stra tegic seaways around the Cape of Good American Publisher Hope would give the Kremlin, in times of international stress, an opportunity to attempt cutting off vital Middle East oil supplies to the United States and Peddles South Africa Western Europe." Such familiar arguments as these are by Steve Weissman the standard introductions to a view In a recent Public Television inter chairman of the London-based UPI that essentially supports close eco view, news commentator Robert Mac Television News and is that organiza nomic and military cooperation with Neil asked Prime Minister Vorster: tion's majority stockholder. In addi southern Africa's remaining minority "If you don't particularly care tion, he was an unsuccessful bidder for regimes. They occurred regularly in what-as you call it-uninformed the failing Washington Star in 1975. the early 1970s, when then-National opinionfeels about you, why does your At the time of his bid for the large Security Adviser Henry A. Kissinger overnment finance such a large pub Washington daily, McGoff told report produced NSSM 39 or the 'Nixon c relations campaign in this country, ers that one reason he wanted the Administration. Similar reasoning is spending last year, I've seen the figure paper was to help sell the South Afri still popular among conservatives of two million dollars?" can cause. His two chains, which oper today through 'such writers as Robert Responded Vorster: "Because we ate in Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Cali Moss of The Economist-and through owe it to our country to give the true fornia and in the Washington, D.C. McGofl's stable of writers. facts to the world outside-for thoe who area, as well as his TV news business, "In Pretoria's view," McGoff staffers care to want the truefacts and to listen are already performing that function. Ochiltree and Cordray explained in to the truefacts. Same as you owe it to their series, "the Carter Administra your country andeach and every other Telling South Africa's Story tion has nullified the cautious Ford man owes it to his own country. "South Africa needs to tell its story, Kissinger policy toward South Africa Was he planning, as reportsstate, to and through something like UPITN we and Rhodesia and replaced it with a step up that campaign and spend more can do it,' McGoff told the South Afri sort of revivalist, 'born again' call for money in the US? can newsweekly To The Point last year, rapid and sweeping black control of the "If it's necessary to do so," Vorster when South Africa opened its first tele two countries. replied, "we will do so. " vision network. "We at UPITN can Och'ltree and Cordray cast a favor "Do you feel it is necessary?" provide you with instant news from all able light on South Africa's black "From time to time it will be neces parts of the world. And you, in turn, "homelands," such as Transkei, and sary, andperhapsnow is such a time." can provide us with news of your coun warned against the campaign by "self ApartJrom Pretoria'seffort to make described 'liberal elements' among try, which we can send to our cus American clergymen, in the universi friends among the upper reaches of US tomers in 66 countries." government and business, though, the ties and at the leftward end of the current propaganda assault is also Indeed, through his news media, Democratic Party . . . to shut off any aimed at the US public. And in this it McGoff seems to function as a kind of further American private investment seems designed to benefit more than informal ambassador and advocate for in South Africa and get existing Ameri just the South African tourist trade; it the beleaguered Afrikaner regime. can firms removed. is aimed at Washington as well. Accep One of his regular newspaper con tance of South Africa among Ameri tributors, the Rev. Lester Kinsolving, Defending Newspaper Shutdown cans would serve to broaden the ad wrote several articles defending con When the South Africans cracked ministration'spolicy options by reduc tinued corporate investment in South down on the press and opposition ing the liklihood of widespread out Africa. Under attack, Kinsolving ad groups in October, McGoffs papers rage in the event open support for mitted that registered agents for the responded with a guest editorial by J. apartheid must replace the currently South African government-the law van Zyl Alberts, editor of To The Point. firm of Colier, Shannon, Rill and The editorial quoted heavily from anti favored covert variety. Edwards-paid him $2,500 in stock The sympathetic picture of South government comments that had ap and expenses while he was doing his peared in South African papers, which Africa presented by conservative US reporting. Kinsolving took the money p ublisherJohn McGoff, in his stringof Alberts-and Panax-took "to show from the South Africans to attend 13 that a free press local newspapers, fits neatly into this corporation meetings in 1975 and still exists in that strategy. His dailies and weeklies are 1976, where he opposed church nation." probably "As for the banning of 18 organiza not read by many executives backed resolutions calling for with tions," Alberts added "itis not a ques or congressmen; but they do reach drawal from South Africa. He has since tion of free speech, but whether the hundreds of thousands of American lost his press accreditation at both the government considers that they readers, concentrated in the Midwest State Department and Congress. threaten law and order by their activi and the South. Another of McGoffs writers, Panax ties." Washington bureau chief Tom Ochil McGoff's emphasis on Africa seems John McGoff owns more than 50 tree, made several trips to South Africa especially excessive for some of the newspapers in the US, all of which are and returned to write glowing articles smaller, rather provincial papers that part of his Panax and Global news about the country. He also filed several Panax and Global have taken over. pa startinger chains. with some small broadcast pro-South Africa stories from Wash Robert N. Skuggen, the former editor ington, and in August he teamed up of McGoffs Marquette MiningJournal ing stations in central Michigan, with Ron Cordray to do a four-part in Michigan put it this way: "Iwas a McGoff began buying up community series for local papers entitled "South little bit upset because we were con newspapers in the early 1960s and has ern Africa In Crisis." stantly getting things on South Africa, turned his Panax Corporation into one and none of my readers were really of the nation's largest newspaper "The private enterprise system in interested." According to Skuggen, chains. southern Africa could be replaced by McGoff insisted that "it was important In addition to his position as a pow chaotic Marxism, as alreadv has hap to get out the truth, and the truth was erful publisher of domestic dailies and pened in much of black Africa," the that the white minority government weeklies, the outspoken McGoff is co- two Panax writers warned. "And most was right." Friend and Visitor The Pretoria government first in vited McGoff as an official guest in the Dealing With Propaganda- early 1960s, and he has been a friend and regular visitor ever since. He is Soweto Style reportedly on a first-name basis with Prime Minister John Vorster, and is a Mighty Man is dead, zapped in Alberts, who also runs the pro ersonal friend of the man who heeds Soweto by the very people he government newsweekly To The South Africa's official propaganda claimed to defend. Point. Manville ran the creative effort, Minister of Information Connie The masked hero had been sent end from New York. Alberts pub Mulder. McGoff also is a partner with to the black township (by a group lished the strips through a South Mulder in a holiday game ranch in the of Americans including McGoff), African firm, Afri-Comics (Pty) Transvaal. to wage a relentless war on the Ltd. And John McGoff, head of In 1974, McGoff arranged for Mul vicious perpetrators of evil-the the American Panax newspaper der to meet the then-Vice President muggers, purse-snatchers, dagga chain, printed the comics through Gerald Ford, an old frie'id from Michi merchants, communists, and his South African subsidiary gan. He also claims 1_ohave helped other enemy agents. But even as XANAP, with a printing press in convince then-Secretary of State Kis the law enforcing dynamo was the Tswana bantustan near Pre singer to permit the controversial visit engaging in his mind-bending toria. of South African Defense Chief, Ad adventures, the outside agitators The comics got off to a flying miral Hugo Biermann, shortly after stirred up the simple folk of start, with full-color covers and the Lisbon coup of 1974. Soweto to riot-WHAM! CRASH! press runs of 75,000. Predicted As a publisher, McGoff joined with THUD! one of the Afri-Comics execs in an the Afrikaner fertilizer magnate Louis "They burned down the news inter-view with a South African Luyt and right-wing German pub stands, complains the strip's US paper: "The blacks are going to lap lisher Axel Springer late in 1975 in an this up." unsuccessful effort to take over the Not everybody did. Some peo English-language South African As ple looked past the brightly col sociated Newspaper chain, which in ored figures and found an ugly cludes the usually anti-nationalist message. The new black comic Rand Daily Mail. McGoff said at the strips preached something less time that he was making the takeover than black power. bid for "both business and political "There were certain guide reasons. lines," explains lead cartoonist Joe Mr. Luyt has since put his money Orlando. "Like not screwing into a pro-government English-lan around with the government." guage daily, The Citizen, and is a Better known for his drawings of reported member of the mysterious the real Superman, Orlando Club of Ten, which has published full wanted to create one- page heros page pro-South African ads in British for the blacks to identify with. He and American newspapers, among its suggested the slain leader of the other activities. Various British news anti-Portuguese liberation strug papers have also associated McGoff gle in Guinea-Bissau, Amilcar and UPITN President Clarence Cabral. The South Africans said "Dusty" Rhodes with the Club of Ten. no. They also vetoed a mention of Both men deny any connection what slavery, even in a historical vein. soever. "Basically we were on the side McGoffs Panax has a small invest creator, Richard Manville. "The ment in South Africa-a printing firm threw the things on the ground, of law and order, and kids should stay in called Xanap--which has printed the and we had to stop publishing school, and they should pro-government newsweeklv To The them." obey the law, and all the rest of Point and the controversial Afri A New York marketing consul that stuff, which is exactly the Comics, which were owned by To The tant with clients in South Africa, format Superman follows,' said Point publisher J.Van Zyl Alberts (see Manville thought of the comic Manville. 'I'd rather be for law side bar). strip back in 1975. "It was a delib and order than for anarchy and An arch-conservative himself, erate copy of a highly successful communism. McGoff obviously feels at home with format-namely Superman "Wasn't that pro-government?" the South African world view. He which had been working for some we asked. exercises autocratic control over his 25 years." Only Mighty Man "Hell, no!" he replied. "Law own newspaper chain-editors must with blue tights and scarlet cape and order is one thing, and being publish what he tells them to or work was a South African black, and for the government something somewhere else. Manville and his team of free else." When there was a minor rebellion in lance cartoonists and balloon writ A fine distinction, no doubt. But the ranks, Panax issued an official ers set the stories in a black town not one that the Soweto rebels policv statement published in the June ship very like the now-famous recognized when they burned 9 Escanaba Daily Press: Soweto. down the newstands and forced the Manville sold the idea to lead Mighty Man to his grave. E] "John P. McGoff not only has ing SA privilege, but is accorded the right as media man J. van Zyl -S.W. principal stockholder, president, and chief executive officer of Panax Cor poration to distribute whatever news copy he deems appropriate and to Reprinted with permission of Southern A/rica demand, if necessary, that such copy magazine. 156 Fifth Ave., Rm. 707, New York, be printed." E1 NY 10010

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1978/SOUTHERN AFRICA