A 1135 L E u n s I ° [ O v . i u n SCRAP BOOK FOR SCRAPS. PHOTOS, NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS. ETC. Ref. S 209 30231 9/027 VERVAARDIG IN R.S.A. P.A. MANUFACTURED IN R.S.A. i Brother Paul . cramp made him give up. His guide dog was not in the walk — a student showed him the way. I BLIND MONK’S WALK ! I COST MAYOR R90 SUNDAY TIMES REPORTER A PROMISE made just be- walked 18 miles! 2 fore the start of a 20-mile Brother Paul told me that i charity marathon walk at he felt before the event | St. David’s (Marist Broth- that he would be doing well I crs’) College at Inanda last if he managed to last five * weekend left the Mayor of miles. I Johannesburg, Mr. Patrick “That was all I had in E Lewis, with a big hole in mind. Then I heard the I his pocket. Mayor deliver his message. I felt quite a responsibility He had gone along to and said to myself, ‘I must E start the “Walkathon”, as it walk and walk and walk’. § was called and was aston- “I was going so well I 1 ished to find a 63-year-old thought 1 would finish the _ = blind man, Brother Paul course,” Brother Paul re- E 2 Nolan, among the 440 com- called. “But at 17} miles S § petitors. I started getting cramp in 2 The Mayor looked at the right calf. When it came = | Brother Paul, who is a to 18 miles I couldn’t move 2 2 small, lightly-framed man another step. I just had to = E and asked an official, “How give up. | far do you think he will b “They took me back in a = | able to go?” car. I couldn’t walk any = “About three or four more. But next day I was 2 i miles at the most,” he w'as fine. I played bow'ls and was | 1 told. right as rain.” “All right,” Mr. Lewis Twelve years ago Brother 2 § said, “I’ll pay R5 into Paul underwent an opera- 2 | charity for every mile that tion in London and went § = Brother Paul manages to blind. s make.” “When I was told 1 2 Not waiting for the would never see again, I | E finish, the Mayor got into accepted it as the will of E E his car and was driven back God,” he aid yesterday. | to the City Hall. • Two other blind men, § Next day he was astoun­ Mr. Henry Hefe- of Brixton, § ds ded io receive a letter and Mr. Willie Kruger of | 1 thanking him for starting Hamburg, near Randburg, | i the event and informing him also participated in the § E that he owed R90 to Walkathon but retired after S E charity. Brother Paul had a few miles. = ............................................................................................. mini.... APPROACHABLE MAYOR® OHANNESBURG has had many outstand­ as recognition for his services in this regard J ing mayors during its short, but hectic, the University of the Witwatersrand decided existence as one of the world’s fastest to confer on him an honorary Doctorate of growing cities. But it is'doubtful whether it Laws. has had a mayor as friendly as Mr. Patrick As first citizen he was always ready to Robin Brian Lewis, who yesterday handed appear at short notice in a good cause and, over to a new holder of the office. never lacking in good humour, was able His realisation of the need to communi­ always to generate warmth and goodwill cate with the public made him approachable from everybody. by all sections, both as Mayor and as man. Johannesbui'g owes a debt of gratitude Unassuming and deeply aware of the need to. Mr. Lewis and his wife who supported for Johannesbui'g to prosper for the welfare him so steadfastly and exercised her own of both White and Non-White, Mr. Lewis full share of charm throughout the “busy took a profound interest in all affairs aimed and tiring year” — as Mr. Lewis himself at the uplifting of all sections. But his described his year in office. We wish them special memorial will be his striving for a a happy time on the “long holiday” they are better deal for our Non-White citizens. And taking. TOO GOOD TO DROP rpHE people of Johannesburg are entitled questions arise which need a deal of answer­ to feel indignant and bewildered. A ing. brilliant idea of great potential value to the The first is that the Prime Minister, Mr. city has been sabotaged by the Nationalist Vorster, apparently gave his approval to the scheme — providing it had the unanimous Opposition group in the City Council—and backing of the City Council. So one may well for no discernible reason whatsoever. ask why, if the scheme was acceptable to the The idea, the brain-child of the Mayor, Leader of the National Party it should be Mr. Patrick Lewis, was to bring more than opposed at a much lower level by a group 200 Cabinet Ministers, M.P.s, Senators and of members of the party. Did Mr. Vorster’s heads of Government departments to Johan­ qualified approval not signal to Mr. Cuyler nesburg for comprehensive familiarisation and his colleagues that they should fall in tours with the broad aim of improving rela­ with the idea and if not why not? tions and understanding between the The second point of doubt arises from Government and its Administration, on the the “explanation” of his attitude given by one hand, and South Africa’s largest and Mr. Cuyler. He said that he was greatly most important city, on the other. worried by the establishment of direct con­ tacts between the city and the Government. These relations and this understanding From the time of Union, supervisory func­ have not been all that good in recent years, tions over local authorities had been given as is perfectly well known. Clearly such a to the provinces but now the latter were state of affairs is undesirable and the Mayor being increasingly short-circuited, notably in is to be commended for his imaginative move matters relating to planning, community to try to improve the position. After all, with development, Bantu administration, health Johannesburg the industrial, commercial and and transport. financial hub of the country, it is of national This is perfectly true but who is Mr. and not merely civic importance that co­ Cuyler suddenly to emerge as the champion operation between city and Government of the provincial system? Have not the Na­ should be as close as possible. For, as the tionalists been systematically breaking it stock market setback has shown, when Jo­ down as if they had no regard for it at all? hannesburg sneezes, South Africa catches cold. And have not the Nationalists constantly been pressing for powers that override those Naturally enough, almost everyone was of local authorities at both provincial and enthusiastic about the Mayor’s scheme, in­ municipal level? cluding such bodies as the Chamber of Com­ Whatever the answers to these puzzles merce, Chamber of Mines, Chamber of In­ may be, it would be a great pity if the dustries, the Sakekamer, the Witwatersrand Mayor’s scheme were allowed to die. Either Agricultural Society and the Johannesburg the matter should be taken up again with Publicity Association. They had no difficulty the Government in a way that would ensure in perceiving the advantages that could flow the support of Mr. Cuyler’s group or else from this top-level public relations exercise. it should be taken over and run indepen­ Now, however, the project has almost dently by a consortium of other well- foundered because the Nationalist minority disposed bodies such as those referred to group, led by the unpredictable Mr. Cuyler, above. This is too good an idea to drop if has insisted on obstructing it. And here two it can possibly be saved. Cuyler rapped for vetoing M.P.s’ visit By JACK SACKSE BY BRINGING petty politics to the forefront, the leader of the Nationalist minority in the Johannesburg City Council, Mr. Eben Cuyler, M.P.C., had “ so bedevilled the atmos­ phere” that there was no chance of reviving a scheme put forward by the Mayor, Mr. Patrick Lewis, to bring about better understanding between the Government and Johan­ nesburg: This is the conclusion of Mr. J. F. Oberholzer, M.P.C., chairman of the City Council’s Management Committee. He told me: “I thought at one led a meeting of representatives “That wrecked it.” stage there was still a chance of of industry, commerce and min­ “In many ways I consider it a saving the project. On recon­ ing — both English-speaking and calamity for the city that Mr. sideration I don’t think this is -Afrikaans-speaking organisations Cuyler exercised what amounted possible now. The harm has been —and there his proposal re­ to a veto, otherwise a great step done. ceived a most enthusiastic res­ forward would have been taken The Mayor’s plan grew out of ponse. in forging a real understanding a talk he had with the Speaker Mr. Oberholzer said the mayor of our difficulties and problems of the House of Assembly, Mr. J. then went to Cape Town, where and hopes in the minds of the H. Klopper towards the end of he spoke to the Speaker and to Government.” last year. the Prime Minister, Mr. Vorster who told him he liked the idea. Condition But Mr. Vorster made it a con­ Boundaries dition of acceptance that the in­ vitation to Johannesburg and the Mr.