AL137 J The decision that everyone will have s*oim to make MARK ACAIHST APAKfHEIM Thm, mhmit South Africa DeoDle of all races and all walks of life are belno asked to sign the Million S u ^ ^ O ^ ^ ^ t i o n . It is not a petition: It Is a declaration made by each and every person signing It In support of a non-racial democratic South Africa, as opposed to the Pres®^ and C ita tio n . The declaration Expresses In a^ *> rds ha view, and aspirations of the members of the 600 organisations affiliated to the United Democratic Front. WE, the freedom-loving South Africans, declare for the world to know that: WE reject apartheid W E support the struggle and unity of our people against the evils of apartheid WE stand for the creation of a non-racial democratic South Africa tree of oppression, economic exploitation and racism. VtfEz say* NO to t h e new constitution because it will further entrench apartheid and white domination NO to the Koomhof Laws which will deprive more and more African people of their birthright YES to the United Democratic Front [UDF], and give it our full support in Its efforts to unite our people in their fight against the constitution and the Koomhof Bills. WE demand a single, free and equal education system that benefits all South Africans. WE, the freedom-loving1 South Africans, declare2 for the whole world to know that: ME^ reject apartheid* IE support the struggle5 a n d unity6 of our people against the evils of apartheid 7 8 9 WE stand for the creation of a non-racial democratic South Africa* free of oppression10, economic exploitation11 and racism 12 W E say: NO to the new 13 constitution because it will further entrench1* apartheid and white domination NO to the Koornhof Laws 15 which will deprive more and more African1® people of their birthright ,17 YES to the United Democratic Front (UDF) , and give it our full support in its efforts to unite our people in their fight against the constitution and the Koornhof Bills. WE demand a single18. freeT® M id equal20 education system that benefits 21 all 22 South Africans. The aim of this paaphlet is to outline The UDF is striving for the in detail what is meant by the Million achievement of democracy and equal­ Signatures Campaign declaration, and to 5ity through dynamic, ' non-violent * explain why it is so important that means. The UDF does not believe in everyone should decide whether to sign violence or militarism. it or not. The present political system uses The UDF fupports freedom of and entrenches division amongst movement, freedom of speech, freedom 6people as a means of governing them. of association, and freedom for each Racial separation, regional separation, I person to realise their full potential. discrimination on the basis of sex, Clearly, these freedoms are not enjoyed social status and differing wage by all at present. structures are examples of this. It is necessary to overcome these divisions to This is not a petition. It will not reach agreement and work together for be presented to any Cabinet Minister the common good. 2 or Select Committee. It is an oppor­ tunity Tor each person to express their A non-raclal society is one where views. The UDF is a democratic organi­ one’s race is not regarded as being sation, and this campaign gives everyone 7a criterion for any purpose what­ a chance to make their point known. soever. This is different from multi­ racialism which allows one to have The WE referred to here is the list honourary white status in spite of one's of names of the people who sign the racial classification. 3 declaration. This gives the rest of Only when everyone can participate South Africa the chance to have their in the running of the country on an own views without being dictated to. 8active basis will democracy have The UDF is not an armchair critic. been achieved. This implies one person It is not prepared to oppose apart­ one vote, but not simply every five 4 years in a mad scramble for parliament. heid simply for the sake of Opposit­ The UDF stands for an unfragmented ion. Such parliamentary luxuries are South Africa, and does not recognise best left to others. Apartheid had been 9 the valididy of homelands such as developing and adapting since 19*18, and Clskel, etc. They are founded on the the new dispensation is only a ideas of apartheid, and do not serve the remodelling of previous ideas of wit best Interests of the people of South baasskap. Apartheid in its present form Africa as a whole. is just as much a heresy as it always has been. gm Detention without trial, riot gg The Black Local Authorities Act,- | C 1 squads, security police and the I the Black Coonunlties Bill and I harsh Internal Security laws are I the Orderly Movement and Settle­ a sad reflection of just how “free" we ment of Black Persons Bill. The first really are. When people begin to accept two give black urban areas toothless these aspects of life as “normal", then 'upgraded* community councils. These they have accepted the brainwashing that have been clearly rejected by most urban forms ' part of the ongoing campaign of blacks, with percentage polls for these oppression (being waged against the elections averaging between only 101 and Total Onslaught ??) 151. In at least one case there ware not even enough candidates to form a Although most South Africans council. The third bill, the 'Genocide spend almost their entire lives Bill', has been withdrawn in order to be producing wealth that puts South revised. Its aims are to tighten up n Africa in one of the top 20 nations of Influx control even further, inflicting the world, they never enjoy the fruits more hardship on the majority of the of their labour. 801 of the population population. All three bills ensure that own only 201 of the country's wealth. blacks cease to be citizens of South This is what exploitation means. The Africa, but become citizens of their rich get richer and the poor get poorer. “own" homelands. They are thereafter gm 0^ Racism is an essentially violent regarded as alien migrant workers in T 'J ideology. It promotes superiority South Africa. | of one group over another, which Inevitably leads to conflict. This is gg ^ Africans are being separated from r not conducive to peace and co-operation. | Coloureds and Indians, in an gm The UDF's opposition to the new I effort to create disunity amongst T- *4 constitution does not imply them. They are being forcibly evicted Iwholehearted support for the old from South Africa into the homelands: one. As far back as 1910, South Africans areas or drastic economic under­ of all races have objected to the development, overcrowded and unable to exclusion of such a large proportion of support the crops and cattle needed to people from active participation in feed their population. They are conven­ government. ient labour reserves, a place where the unemployed can starve, without being gm M By definition, the race classi- South Africa's responsibility. I f l f i c a t i o n laws will have to remain I ■ on the statute books Tor the trl- caseral parliamentary system to gmmtmThe UDF is a front, comprising function. Thus the very foundation of m 600 affiliated organisations. The apartheid has been entrenched, and I ■ structure is democratic enough to through the voting ratio of Whites : allow each affiliate to participate in Coloureds Indians : Africans of the decisionmaking process. The 4:2:1:0, white domination is entrenched. organisations include civic, community, trade union, student, religious and political bodies. In Natal these include the United Committee of Concern, the Natal Indian Congress, the Azanian c Students Organisation (AZASO), the Joint Academic Staff Association (JASA), the U D t National Union of South African Students (NUSAS - through the affiliation of Projects Committee) and many other organisations. The UDF is not a political party. g* The Million Signatures Campaign I declaration was designed to allow I one demand to be added by each organisation collecting signatures. Since this is a university, students from NUSAS, AZASO and staff members from JASA all have the education system of South Africa at heart. ■fl Tr>e present system Is inherently 1 unrree: the syllabus for I J Christian National Education is tightly controlled by the Broederbond, The UDF and is used to brainwash schoolchildren • The UDF is a united front Bade up of into accepting their defined role in over 600 affiliated organisations society. Worse still, it is not including civic, community, trade Christian, nor is it an education! union, student, religious and political bodies in South Africa. 0^ ^ ^ T h e present inequalities are y f j alarming. The ratio of spending • The UDF believes in the unity of all on black schoolchildren as South Africans. It operates in a opposed to white schoolchildren is not way that allows its affiliates and because of a shortage of money: the their members to be a part of the government wants blacks to have a lousy decisions that are made. The UDF is education so that they will ony qualify thus democratic. It is a non-raclal for the lowest jobs. The only organisation, working towards the acceptable ' education systea gives elimination of Apartheid for a non- everyone an equal chance of doing well racial society. on the sane syllabus. • The Million Signature Campaign is a 0^ g§ It is absurd to teach subjects national campaign run by the UDF.