AMERICAN COMMITIEE ON AFRICA ACTION NEWS: FALL 1990 Number 30 ACTION

198 Broadway • New York, NY 10038 • (212) 962-1210

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Nelson Mandela's tour of the United States created a groundswell of support for the democratic movement in South Africa. Everywhere he went, record breaking crowds and high-ranking officials welcomed him and his message to Keep the Pressure On Apartheid. Here we have captured some ofthe events in New York City, first stop on his tour. Above left, ANC Deputy President Nelson Mandela addresses National Activists Briefing. Left to right: Aubrey McCutcheon, Executive Director, Washington Office on Africa; Lindiwe Mabuza, ANC Chief Representative to the U.s.; Nelson Mandela; jennifer Davis; Tebogo Mafole, ANC Chief Representative to the U.N.; jerry Herman, Director Southern Africa Program, American Friends'Service Committee. Middle left, Mayor Dinkins presents Mr. Mandela with the keys to the city on the steps of New York City Hall. Bottom left, a ticker tape parade passes ACOA office in lower Manhattan welcoming the Mandelas to the u.s. on june 20, 1990. The large truck in the foreground housed the Mandelas, Mayor Dinkins and Gov. Cuomo during the parade. ACONs jennifer Davis served on the New York Nelson Mandela Welcome Commit­ tee. Pictured above she introduces Nelson Mandela to a meeting of grassroots activists (see story). ACOA also helped to organize the Yankee Stadium Rally and the event for women leadership with Winnie Mandela. COSATU Leader Votes

Cyril Ramaphosa, General Secre­ tary of South Africa's National Union on Mine Workers (NUM) visited the u.s. in late September. His trip in­ cluded stops in Pittsburgh, Miami for the Mine Workers Convention, and Washington D.C. where he met with the Congressional Black Cau­ cus. The New York leg of h is trip was organized by The Africa Fund. Ramaphosa is pictured at a New York Labor Committee Against Apartheid luncheon with labor leaders where he joined them in casting their ballots for sanctions and democracy. Ramaphosa (left) and Cleveland Robinson, Treasurer of the UAW, sign an enlarged Vote Campaign ballot.

Mandela Speal(s to the People

Nelson Mandela's historic visit to the Congress including Thomas Nkobi, makes our task much more easy United States in June saw an outpouring Treasurer of the ANC; Chris Dhlamini, and it leads to the further isolation of excitement usually reserved for return­ Vice-President, Congress of South Afri­ of white South Africa. We are ing national heroes. The visit soon be­ can Trade Unions and Barbara Masekela, happy about that, but if we ever came the largest media event in the ANC Head of Cultural Affairs. forgot that our source of power is country, and anti-apartheid activists found Activists were urged by each speaker the masses of the people both in themselves pushed aside as the whole to keep up their work and expand their the country and outside, then we country reached out for the "Freedom base of support. As Sister Bernard Ncube, would commit suicide. Man." While recognizing this as a great President of the Federation of Transvaal The governments would never victory, activists were still eager to have Women put it, "We say to you, com­ have assisted us were it not for the their own time with Mandela and the rades, it is only the beginning." fact that the people in thei r re­ political leadership traveling with him. At the end of a long day, conference spective countries demand ac­ To satisfy this need ACOA Executive participants greeted Nelson Mandela with tion against South Africa and Director Jennifer Davis worked with the a thunderous roar of approval. He con­ therefore we must keep in touch ANC's Chief Representative Lindiwe firmed the importance of their grass roots with the masses of the people Mabuza and a committee: Aubrey organizing: both in our country and outside." McCutcheon of the Washington Office "We never forget in all these on Africa; Jerry Herman, AFSC Director countries where we have been o til of Southern Africa activists and Prexy invited by the government that < 0.: Nesbitt, to bring anti-apartheid activists our power lies in the people, both < from across the country to a one day inside the country and outside. ~. meeti ng with the visiti ng ANC delegation We are of course happy when the and Nelson Mandela. ANC is acknowledged because The National Activists Briefing on June the invitation that we have got to 22 1990 was attended by nearly 100 visit these countries, invitations activists, from 49 cities and 29 states. It by the government, are a testi­ was a rare opportunity for people who mony of the impact which the or­ work locally to meet each other and ganization has made and the high share strategic and regional problems esteem in which it is held by and successes. The bulk of the day was governments, non-governmental spent in briefings and workshops with a organizations and individuals. We Conference participants wait as Nelson Mandela delegation from the African National are happy about that because it enters the stage to greet them. Human Rights Vote Campaign The Cruel Summer 50,000 Ballots I

The terms "unrest areas" and "unfortu­ United States to publicize the growing W h i Ie nate lapses on the part of security forces " tnreat to peace that the Natal conflict United States have become the new masks of apartheid presented. When the situation spread President as the South African government prac­ into other parts of the country we alerted George Bush tices a two faced strategy of negotiations thousands of people to the truth behind and apartheid on one hand while continuing to violate the term "black on black violence. " PresidentF.W. human rights on the other. Since Spring In May we assisted in coordinating the de Klerk were The Africa Fund has sent thousands of tour of Willis Mchunu and Nicholas meeting with mailings and made hundreds of tele­ Haysom, representatives ofCOSATU and reporters on the phone calls warning Americans not to the United Democratic Front, who live White House turn their attention away from South Af­ and work in the Natal area. They briefed grounds on rica thinking the government committed human rights activists and government September 24, to peaceful change. officials about police collaboration with ACOA's asso­ As the summer of 1990 passed, the Inkatha, the need for an impartial judicial ciate, The Af­ South African security forces underscored inquiry into the failure of the Kwazulu rica Fund, was Voter casts his ballot at the shallowness of the reforms under­ court system to deal with any cases con­ breaki ng some Tower Video in Manhattan. taken by the apartheid regime. By June cerning the killings, and the urgency of ground of its 301990, they had killed 180 people and ending the State of Emergency. own del iveri ng injured over 1,500. This before the bloody The Fund's Human Rights department 50,000 ballots to Congress for stronger months of August and September. The continued to highlightthe plightof politi­ U.S. sanctions against South Africa. State of Emergency was lifted, with the cal prisoners, who remain in jail despite The ballots, collected in 46 states by exception of Natal, where fighting has agreements for their release the govern­ the End Apartheid : Vote for the People claimed over 3,000 lives in the last five ment made in talks with the African Campaign, were presented to House Ma­ years. The same violence which has dev­ National Congress. The department also jority Whip William Gray at the Capitol astated Natal, and remains un-investi­ publ icized the growing number of deten­ by a delegation lead by Executive Direc­ gated, shook the whole country this sum­ tions and cases of pol ice harassment and tor Jennifer Davis. The delegation includ- mer with its brutality and number of killings: the first deaths in detention in fatal ities. 1990 and the mysterious deaths of a The Africa Fund worked closely with number of leading members of opposi­ churches and human rights organiza­ tion groups. tions both inside South Africa and in the .Join the ACOA Bulletins _ Campaign ACOA GROUNDS for APARTHEID AIRWAYS ADS stronger sanctions State-owned South African Airways Inside Media magazine, a widely-read may have lost its U.s. landing rights, but advertising trade journal, on a damaging against apartheid. not its desire to break the tourism boy­ expose of the campaign in the September Contact TlIe Africa Fund, cott. In August the apartheid air carrier issue. When asked aboutACOA' s charge 198 Broadway, New York, NY 10038 kicked off a $1.75 million American ad­ that the ads were flagrantly racist, SAA ,2121962-1210 vertising campaign with a glossy, 20- executive Gavin Vander Merve assured page supplement in Avenue Magazine. Motavalli that "some of my best friends Other publications, including Time are Black," and added that the New York companies regarding the status of their Magazine, Travel Holidayand Newsweek office "employs a lotof minorities. We're busi ness ties with South Africa. They also have also accepted the scandalous ads. way above the quota." did a study of u.s. bank loans to South In an August 28 memorandum ACOA Africa. alerted key anti-apartheid and civil rights ACOA'S INTERNS ON THE The highlight of the summer came organizations tothe SAA advertising bl itz, MOVE early with Nelson Mandela's trip to the and called for pressure on the publica­ ACOA's 1990 summer interns were u.s .. ACOA was one of the key groups tions to drop the ads. involved in numerous office projects. In organizing his visit. In addition to helping Two weeks later, activists in Los Ange­ addition to helping maintain the office's staff the Activists Briefing with Mandela, les forced the cancellation of a SAA 8,000 plus file research center, interns they provided invaluable assistance dur­ promotional event for travel agents and updated the list of state and local divest­ ing an incredibly active June which was prospective customers. ACOA also ment legislations across the country. They full of press calls, inquiries and height­ worked with journal ist John Motavall i at produced a list of u.s. athletic footwear ened interest in South Africa. ,------, Publications =-or Sanctions Until Democracy The following publications are available from ACOA. Prices are listed. Please indi­ ed Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn; the The Tower Video store chain got in­ cate the number of copies desired. Please ANC'schiefU.s. representative, Lindiwe volved, setting up Vote Campaign dis­ add 15% postage to all orders. Mabuza; rei igious and labor leaders, and plays and ballot boxes in all 53 of their UNIFIED LIST OF UNITED STATES Vote Campaign activists from Baltimore, stores nationally. Other highlights in­ COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN Atlanta, Detroit and San Francisco. clude: SOUTH AFRICA, Third Edition by Rich­ The September event capped a sum­ San Leandro, California, where sixth ard Knight. (Africa Fund, 1990) This new mer of Vote organizing that was high­ grade students at Monroe Elementary lighted by Nelson Mandela's electrifying edition identifies companies with licens­ School voted in their first election for tour. On the day of Mandela's ar­ ing, franchising and distribution agree­ u.s. sanctions and democracy in South Africa. rival, June 20, the United States Confer­ ments as well as those with ownership in ence of Mayors, representing 900 of the Massachusetts, which has collected South Africa. An indispensable resource country's largestcities, formallyendorsed over 12,000 Vote ballots since March, for anyone concerned about the U.5. cor-I the campaign and its call for stronger more than any other state. porate role in South Africa. 90 pages. sanctions until the South African people's Individuals $10.00. Institutions $30.00. Baltimore, where Mayor Ku rt Schmoke demand for one-person, one-vote de­ and other municipal officials sent a let­ mocracy is met. Sanctions ballots were _ SOUTH AFRICA FACT SHEET, com­ ter to President Bush as part of the d istributed during mass rallies for piled by Adotei Akwei. (Africa Fund, 1990) Baltimore Vote Campaign, calling for Mandela in New York's Yankee Stadium, This updated version provides informa­ continued sanctions until democracy the Esplanade in Boston and at Oakland tion on apartheid, the government, comes to South Africa. Coliseum. economy and on South Africa-U.s. eco­ Labor support for the campaign has Seattle, which declared September nomic links. A vital resource for anti­ also been strong, with votes conducted at 1990 "Vote for the People Campaign apartheid activists. 4 pages. 30¢ each . the AFSCME convention in Miami, where Month," and whose Mayor and City Over twenty, 15¢ each. Mandela also spoke, and among public Council publicly cast their ballots for sector and hospital workers rallying in sanctions and democracy. END APARTHEID: VOTE FOR THE the New York State capital, Albany. PEOPLE CAMPAIGN brochurelballot. (Africa Fund, 1990) Circulate this bro­ chure in your community and collect ballots as part of the campaign. Sets of 10, $1.00 each up to 9 sets. Sets of 100, $8.00 each.

END APARTHEID: VOTE FOR THE PEOPLE - SANCTIONS UNTIL DEMOC­ RACY (T-shirt). (Africa Fund, 1990) Choose size (large, extra large) __$10.00 .

NELSON MANDELA: FREE AT LAST (Video, VHS only) (South Africa Now, 1990) Includes the complete speech Mandela gave in Cape Town after his release on February 11 tho 1 hour, 19 minutes. $14 .95 .

SOUTHERN AFRICA LITERATURE LIST. (Africa Fund, 1990) A complete list of available titles. Free on request.

I enclose $ ______

Name ______

Organization ______

Address ______

Jennifer Davis, Mayor Raymond Flynn and Lindiwe Mabuza join Representative Gray to support continued Congressional sanctions against apartheid South Africa. Here City State _ Zip --I theY' hold a giant ballot, symbolizing the votes of 50,000 Americans who have Fill out and return with payment to: , participated in the campaign so far. American Committee on Africa, L ______198 Broadway, New York, NY 10038_ -.JI ACOA .Journal The Political War

The only place where change is evi­ dent is in downtown Johannesburg where I met ANC officials Barbara Masekela, Alfred Nzo and Tom Nkobi who had not been back in the country for decades. They and their colleagues in the ANC are under tremendous pressure to organize and build the organization while re­ sponding to everything from the next · round of negotiations with de Klerk to the recent violence in the townships. In initial discussions with the govern­ mentthe ANC has called for the creation of a climate of free political activity. First steps include the release of all political prisoners and detainees, the repeal of all repressive laws, the ending of theState of Emergency. There is still a long way to go before these conditions are met. ANC leaders told me that they bel ieve de Klerk's government has accepted the need to change, but is working hard to control the process of change. Jim Cason talks with Willis Mchunu, ANC Convener for Northern Natal in front of his "One key factor that has brought de bomb-proofed house. Klerk to the negotiation table is sanc­ tions," one high rankingANC leadertold ACOA's Jim Cason spent three weeks in strategy. While its senior officials have me. "But if you remove sanctions now, South Africa this August. Action News begun talks with the top ANC leadership, right when we enter the critical phase of asked him to record some of his impres­ it is also doing its bestto destabilize local negotiations about the new political or­ sions for our readers. communities and undermine their der, the pressure will be lifted and the attempts to build strong, local ANC will lose critical leverage in the ESIKHAWINI TOWNSHIP - Willis organ izations. talks." Mchunu has been forced to make several improvements on his small home here in NELSON MANDELA IS FREE, the last three years. Standing outside his four-room house in northern Natal this BUT WHAT ABOUT HIS COUNTRY? August, he described how he installed a steel grate on the window after a molotov When ACOA was founded Nelson Mandela was leading the "Campaign to Defy cocktail thrown through the window two Unjust Laws." years ago barely missed his young After twenty seven years imprisonment, Mandela is free again, but the unjust laws daughter. After his car was raked by gun remain. No Black person can vote. Political prisoners are still in prison cells. The , shots and destroyed by fire and two more government can sti II lock up anyone, at anytime, without even the formal ity of a charge attempts were made to burn down the or trial. house he built a twelve-foot-high chain Now the Bush Administration wants to end the sanctions that helped force Mandela' s link fence to protect his family. release. Your generous contribution to ACOA will enable us to resist this pressure and One of Mchunu's colleagues in north­ campaign to stop all U.s. investment in apartheid. ern Natal, Bongani Msomi, had his house burned to the ground by police-backed I Yes, I will stand by the people of South Africa until their struggle for freedom is I gangs of Inkatha residents this July shortly I finally won. Here is my contribution of 0 $500 0 $100 0 $50 0 $25 0 $10 I after he became an organizerforthe ANC. Talking with Mchunu, who heads the I Name ______ANC's Northern Natal region, I got a vivid I sense of the repressive state strategy that I I combines police violence with promo­ I Address ______I tion of vigilante actions. I I In three weeks of intensive meetings I City ______State ____ Zip ______I with local church, trade union and ANC I I organizers in Natal, Cape Town and the I (Contributions to ACOA are not tax-deductible.) I townships outside Johannesburg, I learned L _ American~ommittee on Afric':! 98 Broad~a~ Ne~ork~N~ 10038 _ --.J more about the government's twin-track Divestment Campaign City Action I(eeps Pressure On

The grass roots campaign to get cities months of extensive consultations with ments. Xerox subsequently announced to put pressure on companies that con­ Mayor Dinkins and members of the City the term i nation of its d istri bution in South tinue to do business in South Africa re­ Council and Executive Director Jennifer Africa. ceived a tremendous boost from the June Davis testified before the City Council in visit of Nelson Mandela. Increasingly, support of the legislation. Currently cities are adopting selective purchasing ACOA staff is assisting city officials in the policies favoring those companies that implementation process. do not do business in South Africa. In June Los Angeles, which already has Unified List The City of Chicago in Ju.iy passed one of the strongest selective purchasing of strong selective purchasing legislation ordinances, passed a bill setting up a UNITED STATES COMPANrES which targets companies with non-eq­ referendum which, if passed, would in­ Doing Business in uity ties. ACOA worked closely with crease the scope of its law even further. SOUTH AFRICA local activists and members of the City Detroit, Michigan passed a selective Council. Alderman Helen Shiller wrote purchasing bill on September 26th. ACOA provided information to the City Council by to ACOA to "thank you for all the help Richard Knight you gave me figuring out the answers to in support of this measure. The Africa Fund all my questions, understanding what In September ACOA's associate The was being done elsewhere, and justgen­ Africa Fund published the 1990 edition Third Edition erally lending encouragement and sup­ of the Unified List of United States Com­ 1990 port to our efforts here." panies Doing Business in South Africa. On July 10th Mayor David Dinkins This publication is widely used by local signed legislation which expands New activists, city officials and investment York City's selective pu rchasi ng pol icy to advisors in implementingdivestmentand target companies with non-equity ties to selective purchasing policies. Recently, , ,

~ilssociated with the American Commiuee on Allieal South Africa including licensing, fran­ a representative of Xerox met with 198 Broadway. New York, New York 10038 chising and distribution agreements. It ACOA's Richard Knight to ask how the et,t also targets banks with financial ties to company could get off the list which, he South Africa. ACOA was involved in said, is "the bible" for many city govern-

Executive Board: M. William Howard, President Elizabeth Landis, Vice President Gail Hovey, Treasurer Dorothy Hibbert, Secretary Elombe Brath, Rob,ert S. Browne, josephine Buck-jones, Ralston Deffenbaugh, jerry Herman, Stanley Hill, Leonard jeffries, William johnston, Tilden j. LeMelle, Gay McDougall, Aubrey McCutcheon, Timothy Smith, Stephanie Urdang, Wyatt T, Walker, Peter Weiss, Frederick B. Williams, National Committee: Bella Abzug, Burgess Carr, David Dinkins, james Forman, Carlton Goodlett, Donald S. Harrington, john L.5. Holloman, Sophia Yarnell jacobs, David Lampel, john Marcum, Howard Metzenbaum, Frank Montero, Paul Moore, jr., Pau l O'Dwyer, Sidney Poitier, Charles Rangel, Cleveland Robinson, Frederick A.O. Schwartz, jr., Patricia Schroeder, George Sheperd, jennifer Davis, Executive Director George M. Houser, Director Emeritus.

American Committee on Africa 198 Broadway B.UlK RATE New York, NY 10038 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Address Correction Requested NEW YORK, NY Permit No. 4198

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