Evening star., 1949-08-03
Deep Tension Grips
Durham; Government
Fears New Rioting

fDURBAN, South Africa. Aug. 3
(CDN) The two big wheels of
South Africa's tough Nationalist
government are here to watch for
signs of repetition of the bloody
Durham riots of early this year.
An air of extreme tension pre-
walls in this port city of 100000 on
the southeast tip of Africa.
You can sense it in the empty
streets at night and in stores
where clerks and customers walk
on eggs to prevent any misunder-
standing. The possibilities of an
other f1are-up are chief topic
for guarded conversations.
Malan Government Target.
The Dutch, or Afrikaner, Ma
tionalist government of Prime
Minister Daniel F. Malan is a
target for deep resentment be-
cause of it's attitude in dealing
with other political, races and So
cial groups. The conflicts among
the governed are even more ex-
plosive.
DR.. Malan is here on "vaca-
ton" His right-hand man, Min
lister of Interior T. Ebenezer
Donges, left a sick bed in Cape
Town to come to Durham.
A hot spot. Durban's mixed
population is divided like this:
India Asiatics ---- 10000
African Negroes 10000
British ---- $4,000
Dutch Afrikaners $4,000
MulattoeS - 1000
Negroes VS.. Asiatics.
Each group is aroused against
the government because in the
last three months the Malanists
have legislated against each seq
ment of the population. The gov
erning IA per cent is worried but
determined.
The most dangerous antagon-
ism exists between the African
Negroes, mostly Zulus, and the
Asiatics from India The Durham
riots, leaving 100 dead and 1896
injured, were a series of running
battles between these two groups,
with the British and Dutch on
the sidelines.
Thee were sporadic outbursts
of violence July 10. Native Afri-
cans stoned four buses driven by
Indians. When a truckload of
police came. the van was stoned.
IN another section of Durham.
natives blocked the road with
pushcarts and automobiles to
prevent an Indian bus from pass
ing. One driver and conductor
fled from another bus when ma
tives tried to pick fight with the
driver.
A Negro boy annoyed an Indian
shopkeeper. The Indian struck
the Negro and the riots developed.
The Africans have deep
hatred for the Indians because
they are good business men. They
keep shops, own hotels and live on
"a higher economic scale than the
aborigines of Zululand.
The immediate cause of con-
Germ is the Durham City Councils
adoption of an ordinance July
8 prohibiting unemployed and
''won't-work" Africans from en-
tering the city limits The issue is
confused because British as well
as Afrikaner Nationalists passed
the regulation over protests that
1t will lead Ito grave trouble"
Indian Protest Lodged.
From New Delhi. India, came a
report on July IL that the govern
ment had lodged a vigorous pro-
test with the South African gov-
eminent against the Asiatic land
tenure amendment act adopted
June 80 as Parliament was ad-
journing in Cape Town. The act
frightened restrictions against In
dians owning and controlling
properties in South Africa.
The ordinance was adopted
when trouble seemed near. Now
it is debated whether the new
situation might not prove even
more dangerous.
Africans had been boycotting
buses owned and driven by In
dians. Routes were rejuggled to
prevent the possibility of violence.
Both Zulus and Indians are pro-
hibited from riding on European"
conveyances. The Dutch and the
British agree to that. The con-