MEMORANDUM ON SENATOR ROBERT KENNEDY'S VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. MEMORANDUM ON SENATOR ROBERT KENNEDY'S VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. This memorandum is compiled by nenbers of the NUSAS Committee in Europe, and is intended to elaborate on various aspects of Senator Kennedy's visit. It must be emphasized that this memorandum contains only suggestions. Final details will have to be worked out between Cape Town and Senator Kennedy. The NSAS Committee in Europeq although it has the confidence of the NUSAS President, has not been asked to negotiate any of the details of the visit, by him. The memorandum deals with the following: a) What NUSAS hopes Senator Kennedy's visit will achieve. b) The organisation of the visit. c) The itinerary. d) Some of the people whom Senator Kennedy would, hopefully be able to meet. e) (a) What NUSAS hopes Senator Kennedy's visit will achieve. Although it is obvious that Senator Kennedy's visit will have both international repercussions and repercussions in the U.S.A., NUSAS is primarily concerned with the effect in South Africa. Within this limitation, NUSAS sees the visit providing the following: i) an opportunity for Senator Kennedy to make a first-hand assessment of the South African situation, particularly of individuals and organisations like NUSAS, which are concerned to establish democratic structures in South Africa; ii) an opportunity for students and the general public in South Africa to move, through the agency of Senator Kennedy, some way out of the isolation which is a deliberate part of the Nationalist Party Government's policy; iii) an opportunity for the democratic opposition in South Africa to show that it has the support of a prominent member and policy-maker of a major Western democracy. In particular, we are interested ix that the appeal of the Kennedy family to youth should be felt in South Africa. ..... /2 NUSAS believes that to achieve these objectives, the Senator should see as wide a cross-section of South African people as possible. There is no intention whatsoever to exclude from the benefits of the visit those who support Nationalist Government Party policies. I'e assume that this purpose will be part of the Senator's own thinking and if this memorandum stresses objectives (i) and (iii) above rather than objective (ii) it is simply that NUSAS has more access to the democratic opposition in South Africa than to the establishment. (b) The organisation of the visit. It is not clear to us exactly who is going to be in charge of the organisation. Since Senator Kennedy is not coming on the invitation of the South African Government, we assume that it will not be the S.A. Information Ser**ce. However, the S.A. Information Service may decide not to follow the advice given by the Afrikaans-medium press (which is to treat the Senator's visit with contumely), and may try to direct his activities. This we would be most strongly opposed to, although we would think that, if the Senator so wishes, some use should be made of the facilities of the Government's information sevices. Ror instance, if Senator Kennedy has a yen to see wild game, we suggest that the S.A. Government Information Service should be asked to provide, for example, a visit to the Kruger National Park. It is our feeling that because NUSAS is not an official or government-sponsored or governmeat-approved organisation, it would be unwise for NUSAS to handle all the arrangements for the Senator's visit, unless he intends to come only for long enough to make the address at the NTUSAS Day of Affirmation ceremony. If he intends to spend a longer time in South Africa we would suggest that the U.S. Embassy be asked to handle a good deal of the arrangements other than those involving the actual Day of Affirmation ceremony. At the same time, we have recommended to the NUSAS President that he should fly up from Cape Town to meet Senator Kennedy on his arrival in South Africa, and that he should be available to accompany the Senator throughout his visit. The Senator may also feel that le would like NUSAS to provide an additional aide to ensure continuity and information throughout the visit. In this event, we would suggest that Dr R. Hoffenberg, Senior Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Cape Town, Staff Representative on the U.C.T: Senate, and Chairman of the NUSAS Advisory Board, a senior man with wide experience of both national and ihternational politics and dducation, be asked to act as aide. We would point out as a KtKtxx corollary to this that Dr Hoffenberg is persona non grata with the South African Goverhment, although he has never been assused openly, and has, in fact, represented the South African Authorities at International Medical conferences; he would find his ..... /3 future in South Africa safeguarded by as close a connection as possible with the Senator. Much the same ap lies to the NUSAS President, and through him, to NUSAS as an organisqtion. (c) The itinerary. Without knowing exactly how long the Senator plans to be in South Africa, we cannot plan any formal itinerary. 'Alhat we have sug;ested below is the kind of itinerary that would suit a four-day visit. We have not allowed in this any time for the V Senator and his family - if he is to be accompanied by members of his family tba have any kind of relaxation. We have also not includ.-d in this itinerary any of the kind of functions that Embassies are likely to favour, like watching African miners dance, going down mines and up mountains, and kissing little children, both white and black. Overall, we would like to suggest that the visit take place before the Day of Affirmation, ahd that the Day of Affirmation be seen as the culmination of the visit. The South African press, it should be explained, is apt to criticise anybody who seems to hold pre-judged assumptions on the South African situation, and the Senator will be assured of a more favourable reception by the press if he can show that he has taken the trouble to look around before saying anything. This applies to the whole of the visit, particularly to the first press conference. Also, it is customary to hold the Day of Affirmation ceremony during the mid-week period (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday), as this seems to attract tkf more attention than in the very beginning or end of the week. We have centred the itinerary around the main urban centres, and the Transkei. If the Senator wishes to see some of the rural districts, we suggest that this be done in forays from the urban centres rather than by travelling between the centres by any other means rather than plane. If the Senator has a large entourage, besides the two South African aides whom we have suggested, we would suggest the possibility of his hiring a private plane to take him round the country rather than relying on scheduled airlined. DAY ONE: This should be spent in Johannesburg. The Senator should be met on arrival by the NUSAS President, U.S. Ambassador, possible other diplomatic representatives, the press, improbably by the South African Government. ..... /4 DAY TWO: -4 Press Conference should follow immediately. Then, visits to the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria magor industrial plantq and African townships. Luncheon with civic, business and academic dignitaries. Afternoon spent in discussions with representatives of various population groups, including Indian and African as well as with representatives of various bodies and organisations (see under 'd') - also comjleting morning programme of visits. Evening reception followed by private dinner, for detailed discussions of the remainder of the visit. (Suggested participants: Senator Kennedy -and his own aides, Dr. Hoffenberg NUSAS President, U.S. Embassy representative, Dr. R. Birley, Mr Laurence Gandar, Mr & Mrs Rex Welsh, Father Colin B. Collins.) (For details of these people, see also under section 'd'.) This should be spent in Durban and environs. Commence by flying from Johannesburg to Durban. Then, if the Senator feels that he wishes to see ex-Chief Albert Luthuli, he will have to travel to Stanger in Natal, where the ex-Chief is restricted. This will take one hour each way from Durban by motorcar, and the Senator will also need an official permit to enter the area. While in this part, we suggest a short detour to the University College of Zululanl, one of the new Government-established institutions for African students only. In the afternoon we suggest a visit to the University College for Indians, situated on Salisbury Island, in the middle of Durban Bay, and then meetings with various people as outlined in section 'd'. Regarding ex-Chief Luthuli, it should be pointed out that not only was he President of the now-banned African National Congress, but he is also Honorary President of NUSAS. Also, it is to be hoped that Senator Kennedy will find some way of acknowledging the ex-Chief as the only Nobel Peace Prize Winner in Africa. DAY THREE: This should be spent in the Transkei, and the Eastern Cape region. Commence by flying from Durban to East London or, if in a private plane, directly to Yutata i :aLl ame nt As the Transkeian xrmz Vill be in session, it might be worthwhile for the Embassy to try to arnange for the Senator to address the Parliament. In particular, we would hope that the Senator will spend some time with Mr.