official organ of the African national congress south africa FIGHT PRODUCE LEARN UNITY IN ACTION African National Congress SECHABA MARCH ISSUE, 1983 DDDDDDGDaDaaDDDDDnDDnDDDnaDaDDaDaDDDDnDDnD P. O. BOX 38, 28 PENTON STREET LONDON N1 9PR UNITED KINGDOM TELEGRAMS: MAYIBUYE TELEX: 299555ANCSAG * TELEPHONE: 01-837-2012 SEND YOUR ORDERS NOW TO SECHABA PUBLICATIONS CONTENTS P.O. Box 38. 28 Penton Street, London N1 9PR ALL ORDERS OF TEN OR MORE COPIES - a EDITORIAL 50% DISCOUNT a Coloured Labour Party Sells Out 1 KINDLY INCLUDE A DONATION WITH YOUR ORDER IF POSSIBLE SAMPLE COPIES OF SECHABA AVAILABLE ON O. R. TAMBO REQUEST IF ACCOMPANIED BY A POSTAL ORDER A conquering force (OR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WITH STAMPS) TO DEFRAY POSTAL COSTS • • RECOLLECTIONS OF MANDELA ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS • An ANC Veteran Remembers 1 USA and CANADA (airmail only) $12.00 ELSEWHERE £ 6,00 TORTURE AND THE HEALTH WORKER SINGLE COPIES by Dr Menryn Bennun 5 USA and CANADA (airmail only) % 3.00 ELSEWHERE t 0,50 a APARTHEID TERROR a LISTEN TO a by Azii Pahad 1 RADIO FREEDOM a VOICE OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CRICKETING MERCENARIES CONGRESS AND UMKHONTO WE • by Sam Ramsamy SIZWE( THE PEOPLE'S ARMY D RADIO LUANDA shortwave, 40 h 30 m bands; medium wave 27,6 m band-7,30 pm daily RADIO LUSAKA a shortwave 31 m band, 9580 KHz. 7.15-8 pm. Monday - Friday • 10,05-10,35 pm Wednesday. 10,30-11 pm Friday 7-8 pm Saturday + Sunday, 8-8,45 pm. 19 mb, 17895 KHz £j RADIO MADAGASCAR D shortwave 49 m band, 6135 KHz-8-9 pm daily RADIO ETHOPIA • shortwave 31 m band. 9545 KHz • 9.30-10.00 pm dairy a RADIO TANZANIA a shortwave 19 m band, 15.435 KHz a 8.15 pm - Sunday, Mondoy, Wednesdoy, Friday 31 m band-6,15 am Tuesday. Thursday and a Saturday c DDDDDGaaDDDDaaDDDDaDnnnDaDnaDDaaDDnnnDDnDnnDDDDa Coloured Labour Partu Sells Out A 'iiear-riot - that was how a February the constitutional arrangements proposed by meeting of the Coloured Labour Party was the so-called President's Council and approv­ described in the papers. Chairs were thrown, ed by the ruling National Party. bottles were flying, windows smashed, and Despite the assurances that this partici­ bricks and stones came crashing on to the pation merely pursues tactical objectives, we platform, during a free-for-all. There were are convinced that such involvement would about 600 people. The stampede that result­ be wrong and ill-advised. ed can only be left to the imagination. The Eshowe declaration of the Labour What actually happened? David Curry, Party means that a certain group within this chairman of the Labour Party, said the deci­ party has elected to join hands with the sion of his party was not a sell-out. Different Botha regime. No sweet-sounding words like battlefield situations need different strategies, 'the politics of consultation* can hide this he said. He is of the opinion that, as some ugly reality. must fight outside, some must do battle In this case, to elect to join hands with inside. the Botha regime means to choose to become Dr Allan Boesak, President of the World part of the schemes of this regime to entice Alliance of Reformed Churches, disagrees. It the so-called Coloured and Indian people is debatable, in fact doubtable, whether the out of the camp of democracy and libera­ Coloured Labour Party can do any fighting tion. It signifies a decision to become a junior within the President's Council. The very fact partner, but a partner nonetheless, among that the unions have clashed over this issue, the forces that are committing murder and and scuffles have been reported, proves that genocide to perpetuate the system of white the matter has become a national issue. minority domination in South Africa. It was with this in mind that the ANC We are happy to note that even as this issued the following statement: shameful act of betrayal of the very interests of the so-called Coloured people were being It was with deep regret that we heard the hatched there were patriots such as Norman news that the South African Labour Party Middleton, Sam Solomon, Louise Boesak Congress, meeting at Eshowe in Natal, had and others who stood against the tide of mandated the Labour Party to participate in compromise with oppression. \ It is these patriots who represent the authentic voice of the people to emerge vic­ bulk of 'Coloured* opinion, and not those torious. who pretend that the cause of the Black We cannot advance through Botha's people is best served by their occupying soft President's Council schemes. The only way cushioned seats in Botha's three-tier, separate forward, painful as it is, is through united development parliament. struggle to a genuinely democratic and non- racial South Africa, governed by all the The challenge facing all genuine patriots people. of our country, both black and white, is to Whatever illusions were created at ensure that those who preach collaboration Eshowe, we are convinced that the 'Coloured' with racist tyranny do not succeed in their people belong among the forces that are intentions. Together we must work for the committed to tight for such a South Africa. A wflife «WE mUST ORGANIC OUIMCIVES IftTOA conoucninG PORCC > Below we publish the speech given by Comrade President O.R. Tambo on behaij oj the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, on the occasion of January 8. 1983. the 71st anniversary of the African National Congress. Today. January 8th. we mark the 71st shift. We are on the offensive to put an end anniversary of our organisation, the African to the cruel system of national oppression National Congress. We are beginning a new and economic exploitation. It is a process political year. We must therefore set our­ that the Pretoria rulers can neither defuse selves new tasks which we should strive to nor halt. Within the confines of the achieve in the coming year. apartheid system there is no way out of this We are marking this important occasion crisis situation. The real solution lies in the in the history of our protracted struggle victory of the revolutionary forces, the dis­ at a time when the revolutionary ferment mantling of the apartheid machinery and the amongst all sections of the black oppressed transfer of political and economic power to majority has reached unprecedented heights the democratic majority. Each year, as our and has plunged the ruling racist clique forces advance on the enemy this, our into deeper and deeper levels of political cherished goal, becomes clearer and nearer. and economic crisis. A distinctive feature This time, last year, we proclaimed the of this all-round crisis facing the oppressor year of the 70th anniversary of the ANC class is that the initiative is shifting into the as the "Year of Unity in Action." Drawing hands of the people and continues so to on the historic lessons contained in seven decades of struggle under the leadership of actions, has been the succession of stunning the ANC, we have sought to ensure, during blows by the people's army, Umkhonto this past year, that all those at home and we Sizwe (the Spear of the Nation) against abroad, who are opposed to the apartheid the enemy throughout the country, in such system and stand for a democratic South far-flung places as Cape Town, East London, Africa, should unite in action and act in Paulpietersburg, Mkhuze, Komatipoort, unity, thereby to expedite the process of Pretoria, Johannesburg and Koeberg, to cite our liberation. but a few. We take this opportunity once In the coming period, we shall need more to salute the commanders and to defend and consolidate all the gains combatants of Umkhonto we Sizwe and that we have made in the struggle, to ensure to express our confidence that they, the the widest possible united action of the army of the people of South Africa, will forces of progressive change in our country. discharge their mission with the same We have to struggle continuously to over­ dedication and discipline that they have come all obstacles and differences amongst so far displayed. As our struggle unfolds ourselves that are blocking the realisation and reaches higher levels of intensity, our of unity and united action. We shall futher- armed offensive will occupy a correspond­ more need to build on these gains, ingly more important role in our overall continuously to strive for the situation in strategy to seize power from the racist which the millions of our people can move tyrants. as one, behind a united leadership and in Last year, we stated that our Movement pursuit of commonly-agreed goals. is not only an opponent of the apartheid Last year, operating under difficult regime, but has actually emerged as an conditions of illegality and police alternative power which has won over the surveillance and risking arrest and conscious and active support of the majority persecution by the security forces, the ANC of our people. Tne validity of this assess­ and its allies in struggle, together with other ment has been fully vindicated by events. patriotic and revolutionary forces drawn Bent on entrenching racial domination from all social classes and strata, drawn from and reaping super-profits from sweated black all population groups of our people, labour, the racist rulers continue misreading organised and carried out successful political the lessons of the historical development confrontations and economic strikes of mankind. For that reason they are throughout the country. Important battles determined to plunge our society into the took place around such questions as wages, worst of human catastrophes.