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.