No.2. March 1975(1)
For the liberation of South Africa and all her peoples.
NO DIALOGUE WITH APARTHEID!
LIBERATION THROUGH INTENSIFIED STRUGGLE!
The leaders of right-wing African states, such as Liberia Central African Republic, Senegal, Ivory Coast and of course Malawi, have again raised the nauseating slogan of "dialogue" with the racist South African regime. Their new opportunity is the recent, much lauded (in imperialist circles) "statesmanship" of Vorster. Their dim concern with reality is reflected in press reports claiming that South Africa would be admitted to the Organisation of African Unity. Equally bizarre, certain journalists named Vorster "Statesman of the year". All of this is surrounded by the mystique of "détente" in Southern Africa. While we are concerned and find it desirable to achieve peace and independence under majority rule in Zimbabwe, our reservations here, are restricted to wider implications which the imperialists and their press-hacks are trying to draw from these meetings.
Sudden Fascist Respect for Human Rights?
Let us be clear about South Africa's involvement in Zimbabwean negotiations: It has nothing to do with concern for human rights nor African advancement. Her terroristic enforcement of racism shows continued contempt for Black aspirations for more than three hundred years.
RELEASE OF ZIMBABWEAN PATRIOTS MAY HAVE BEEN URGED, BUT MANDELA, SISULU, MBEKI, KATHRADA GOLDBERG AND COUNTLESS OTHER SOUTH AFRICANS REMAIN PRISONERS. WHAT OF PASS LAWS, SLUMS, "RESETTLEMENT SCHEMES", LAND HUNGER?
That is our side of "détente".
Vorster negotiates over Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, he shoves Smith towards settlement because he hopes that this might postpone his day of reckoning in South Africa; He nurses the slim hope that the nascent Zimbabwean and Mozambican states will feel indebted to South Africa for its role at this time for its proclaimed peaceful intentionsand thus refuse support to our freedom fighters.
One other matter must be clear: South Africa is not pushing Smith out of a situation where he has a "sporting chance". He does not operate from strength: it is conceded, even in
our press, which is not noted for sympathy towards what it calls "terrorism" that the Rhodesian regime has no chance of defeating the freedom-fighters. It is not the negotiators with varying motives, that will cause the birth of Zimbabwe THE PATRIOTS OF ZIMBABWE WILL THEMSELVES BE ABLE TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR FREEDOM!
Cocktails in LiberiaFascism At Home?
All major political parties, businessmen, local and overseas support "dialogue" between South Africa and independent Africa as well as international capital investment and greater contact on cultural, sporting and other levels. In regard to both of these means of ending South Africa's isolation, all Bantustan leaders are very vocal supporters.
Continental "dialogue" is urged as peaceful persuasion. The businessmen, not usually distinguished for their humanitarian considerations, noted for cold calculation, claim in this matter, to prefer contact and persuasion to conflict to practically weep at the thought of blood being shed here. These are the same men who make profits out of the arms trade! They earn dividends while our men bend gathering gold out of the bowels of the earth! it is these men who supply the chemicals that have poisoned crops and caused the birth of abnormal babies in South-East Asia! That is the way of capitalism and imperialism! It is death, death, deathin Vietnam, the Middle East, Algeria, Kenya, Philippines, Chile now or in the past. There is no part of the world that has not felt or had to evade the loathsome grip of imperialism! That is why the voices of these men ring hollow. What value is there in a visit from a Black leader or even ultimately some tourism for the few "rich" Blacks to and from South Africa when apartheid remains? What value, such visits, when local Blacks have never had any real discussions with any white South African government? The African National Congress (A. N. C.) repeatedly called for a national convention during the 1950s and early 1960sthese calls were met by gunfire. It was only after these attempts at meeting had failed that preparations for armed struggle were started. The only meaningful interaction that there has been on a mass national scale has been in the Congress movement most notably in the great Congress of the People, held at Kliptown on 26 June 1955. It was here that the historical revolutionary programme of the liberation movement the Freedom Charter, was adopted.
It is hardly a matter of chance that the "dialogue" advocates in independent Africa are themselves distinguished in their own countries, for indifference to popular aspirations (sometimes coupled with considerable brutality), general encouragement of cults around their leaders and (these being lackeys in reality) their subservience to imperialism. Who wants to repeat a boot-licking visit of "our friend Banda".
South African Capitalism Needs "Dialogue" and we Don't Need South African or International Capitalism.
South Africa needs "dialogue" to export her manufactures. She needs African markets since she cannot compete with European countries in Europe. Economic contact between a relatively powerful, industrialised, capitalist country, like South Africa, and independent Africa, at its present stage of economic development, is typically neo-colonial, that is it creates a relationship of dependence on the more powerful "partner". South Africa invests, "aids" and generally tries to become indispensable to these regimes. This sometimes leads, as in Malawi, to granting special military facilities. The dangers are clear:
Any South African foothold in independent Africa is a threat to all freedom loving states!
If the South African fascists cannot speak to their own people, if South Africa can't be governed with internal dialogue, then let there be no debasing contact between independent Africa and the racist south!
Reproduced in Sechaba Vol.9, Nos.6/7, June/July 1975. The following text appeared at the top:
"We reproduce in full hereunder, the latest issue of VUKANI/AWAKE! an Organisational bulletin publisher somewhere inside fascist South Africa in which the views of the resistance movement inside the country are expressed. Our Underground cadres face the full brunt of the day-to-day police terror, intimidation, repression and brutal persecution. Their voice deserves to be heard and respected by all."