St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-11-09
Focus On
Africa
BY EDDIE l. MADISON, JR.

Africa, the Nationalist Party
Government of DR.. Hendrix
VerwOerd becomes increasingly
fearful of sabotage attempts
and what it calls violence"
Aside from the fact that they
have no political voice, non-whites
in the country suffer mass starva-
ton, prevalent in the Transkei:
mass removal from the urban
areas; deliberate smashing of fam
lilies and homes, and the ruthless
augmentation of apartheid (seg-
regaton) in all aspects of life.
This leaves non-whites, black Afri-
cans in particular, with no alterna-
tive but to protest by any avail
able means left to them. All nom
white political organizations like
the Colored Peoples National I'm
ion, headed by George Golding.
The Sabotage Bill, named fol-
Justice Minister B. J. Vorster, pro-
vides the death penalty for any
person convicted of sabotage. II
carries a compulsory minimum
sentence of five years imprison-
ment with hard labor. This applies
to juveniles as we'll as adults con-
victed of sabotage. The bill de-
fines sabotage in the broadest
terms and can include the unlaw-
full possession of firearms or ex-
plosives and the unlawful entry of
any building or land.
This broad Interpretation of sab
otage can include mere trespass-
ing on property. The harsh meas
ure provides that persons can be
jailed or silenced or have their
movements restricted for staging
political demonstrations if the gov
eminent considers this necessary
to suppress alleged communistic
or other subversive actions.
The bill spells out clearly that
the African has no right that
could be respected and deprives
him of the elementary prerOga-
tive or protest or appeal.
In recent weeks there have been
numerous sabotage attempts, fol-
lowed by nationwide investiga-
tons. Late reports from Port
Elizabeth said police have arrested
A persons and at least % have al
ready appeared in court. One ex-
plosion wrecked the office of DR.
D. c. H. Uys, minister of agricul-
ture, economics and marketing, at
the government buildings in Pref
oria. Police suspect that the Office
was sabotaged.
In Johannesburg, the Board of
Governors Of the South African
Broadcasting corporation said in
special announcement that the
sabotage attempts recorded in a
number of South African towns
over the past five weeks were
aimed at the destruction Of South
Africas Christian and democratic
way Of life. All indications were
that the sabotage was being con-
Quoted on an organized and sys-
tematic basis"
The white-controlled government
fears violence - meaning its own
retaliation - more than anything
else. Minister of Defense James
Fouche made this clear when he
said: Our most important mill
tary principle in combating inter-
nal uprisings can be summed up
in a few words; the minimum of
violence. We know as well as any
one else that the sound of one rifle
shot will echo round the world. We
know that the purpose (of the nom
whites) is to force us to use force
and violence"
However, observers on the
South African front believe that
the uprisings will continue and
the government will be "cOm-
PEELED" to use violence against
nOn-whites, knowing in advance
that world reaction will oppose
any massive campaign against
Africans.
A trend in this direction was
noticed in a statement from Ben
Shoeman, transport minister, who
repeated at harrisburg, near Jo-
hannesburg, that the Government
would use its full weight against
saboteurs whose acts, he believed
were directed from outside South
Africa because Of their coincidence
with apartheid debates at the
United Nations. He pointed out thai
despite concessions and a policy Of
partnership. sabotage still occur,
red on a large scale in Rhodesia
He recalled that the minimum pen.
atty for such acts was five years
Imprisonment and the maximum
penalty was death.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Vor.
ster has banned until April 80
1868, all protest meetings the
Republic and in Southwest Africa
in connection with arrest, trial OIL
conviction Of persons involved In
subversive activity. Nevertheless
a number of demonstrations have
taken place in recent days in pro-
test against the arrest and trial Of
Nelson Mandela, former secretary.
general of the banned African Ma.