•

BLACK ORGANISATIONS

Political Pressure Groups

The South African Students Organisation

THE 1973 ISSUE of Black RttJiew dealt with the large scale' banninga
that nearly crippled the South Mrican Students' Organisation. How-
ever, as events in the years 1974 and 1975 have indicated, SASO con-
tinued to be in the news and progressively rebuilt its strength.
In January 1974, SASO called its 5th General Students' Council in
the wake of large scale banniogs and the disappearance of its leaders
across the borden.

The 5th General Students' Council

This conference was held in Hammanskraal during January 1974, the
main purpose being to reorganise SASO and to fill up leadership
positions left vacant after the bannings. The conference got off to a
good start with a letter read from the President of the Southern African
Students' Movement, O. R. Tiro. SASO was itself an affiliate of SASM
and had contributed a number of the leaders in SASM including Mr.
Tiro.
In his letter, Mr. Tiro, who was shortly to die of a parcel bomb blast,
made very prophetic exhortations encouraging the students to carry on
with the struggle in spite of difficulties. "From this meeting some of you
will be called a number of names, the most prominent of which will be
'communist', some of you will be forced to sleep with hungry stomachs;
some will be faced with eternal separation from their parents and
friends; some will languish in prison. This is not new. Our forerunnen
have suffered all this. No struggle can come to an end without casualties.
It is only through detennination, absolute commitment and positive self
assertion that we shall overcome".1
 • •
The conference was a resounding success in terms of rebuilding the
morale amongst the SASO membership. True to ita character, SASO
took care to comment on a wide range of topics to give direction to the
Black Community. This includes the following comments:-
• a condemnation of any purported representation of the black struggle
in the country by the socalled leaders of Bantustans who are nothing but
an extension and perpetuation of the oppression of black people in this
country. This followed in the wake of extensive travel abroad by the
country's Bantustan leaders including men like Chief Gatsha Buthelezi,
Mr. L. L. Sebe, Chief Kaizer Matanzima and Chief Lucas Mangope. I
• an attack on the white-owned South Mrican press which tended to
suppress all legitimate expression of black opinion and giving very
great and deceitful coverage to the Bantustans and other Government
created platforms.

Labour Party Attach SASO

Delivering his Presidential address at the Labour Party Conference
held in Umtata in January 1975 Mr. Sonny Leon, the national leader of
the Labour Party in South Africa criticized SASO and the Black
People's Convention for frustrating the attempts of the black people in
the fight for freedom in South Africa. Mr. Leon alleged that organis-
ations like SASO and B.P.C. were devisive in a way they could have
learned from white politics. In this way they were-causing dissention in
black rank, by their dividing tactics.
Mr. Leon was reacting to the constant" attac"ks that SASO had been
making on homeland leaden and other participants in government
created platforms. SASO had been mounting press~re on the Labour
Party to pull out 9£ the Coloured Representative Council.

The Death of O. R. A. Tiro

On February 1, 1974 Mr. Onkgopotse Ramothibi Abraham Tiro, was
killed by a parcel bomb blast in the house where he was living in
Botswana.
Mr. Tiro had been one of five memben of the Black Consciousnesa
movement who had left the country towards the end of 1973. He was at
that time president of SASM whose headquarten were in Gaberone.
The parcel addressed to Tiro bore Swiss postmarks and according to
labels on it, had allegedly been sent by Mr. Lars-Gunnar Ericksen who
is the director of the International Univenity Exchange Fund. Mr.
Ericksen denied having sent any parcel to Mr. Tiro, and claimed that he
believed the bomb had been sent to Mr. Tiro in Gaberone from South
Mriea. He said "basically all our mail to people in Botswana, Lesotho
and Swaziland, goes via the Republic ...we corresponded frequently;

109
the last letter I wrote to him as the president of SASM was on January
24".1
In a statement issued in the week of the explosion, the Botswana
Government claimed that the bomb was a result of Tiro's "speaking out
against the denial to Black South Africans of their human rights. The
statement went on to note that "Onkgopotse Tiro had incurred the
displeasure of certain powerful circles in South Africa. Mr. Tiro's
sudden and cruel death will in no way detract from the validity of his
criticism of education in South Africa. The Botswana Government
wishes to state unequivocally that this kind of terrorism will not make
it change its attitude towards those who seek refuge in Botswana from
oppression in their own countries".·
In reply to the Botswana statement Mr. Jimmy Kruger, Deputy
Minister of the South African Police, declined to comment saying that
he thought the reference to "certain powerful circles in South Africa"
was too general to be taken as meaning the South African authorities or
the South African police. "The allegation is altogether too vague to
wartant any comment"6. On the other hand, an official South African
Government statement was issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Dr. Hilgard Muller. Dr. Muller released the text of the communication
he had sent Sir Seretse Khama of Botswana expressing the strongest
exception to the imputation and insinuations contained in a com-
munication to the United Nations from the Botswana's pennanent
representative.
In his communication Dr. Muller claimed "the South African Govern-
ment had frequently expressed its strongest opposition to and con-
demnation of acts of terrorism of any kind. The South African govern-
ment also condemned this particular outrage by whomsoever it may
have been committed".
Closely following on the killing was another bomb blast in Zambia
which claimed the life of Mr. John Dube, an exile of the African
National Congress. An editorial in a British newspaper, The ObstNJt1,
claimed that the murder of the two black exiles, Mr. Tiro and Mr.
Dube, "can only have been carried out by rabid supporters of [Mr.
Vorster's] regime". The editorial went on to note: "It is not enough for
Mr. Vonder to deny that the South African Government "..as behind the
two killings... it is up to Mr. Vorster to apprehend diose guilty of these
murders which can only have been carried out by rabid supporters of
his regime, whether misguided security regimes (who teem throughout
Southern Africa) or members of white extremist groups in the Re·
public."
In reply, Dr. Muller claimed that it was complete nonsense to
ascribe this to the South African government "How could we know

110
who it was? It might very well have been enemies of South Africa who
were trying to place us under suspicion...•
The General Post Office in South Africa disclaimed responsibility for
not detecting the parcel bomb from Geneva which killed Mr. Tiro. A
spokesman for the post office said that detection devices were only used
on mail destined for addresses in South Africa.
The whole country was shocked by the brutal killing of Mr. Tiro,
whose death was described as "a grave loss to the Black Community
and mankind".' Statements of condolence were made by several
individuals and bodies including SASM, SASO, B.P.C., African
Teachers' Association of South Africa, African Lecturers' Organisation
and by the Rector of the University of the North, Professor Boshoff,
who had been responsible for Tiro's expulsion in 1972.
Mr. Tiro was eventually buried in Botswana, following a legal tussle
concerning the transference of his body from Botswana to South Africa.
The funeral was attended by about a thousand mourners, mainly
students in Botswana, as well as representatives of SASO, the Botswana
Government, other nearby African states, and diplomatic missions in
Botswana.

Publication of Newsletter Resumed

]n May 1974, SASO resumed publication of its newsletter whi.ch had
been discontinued following large sale bannings and subsequent
disruption of the organisation. SASO officials revealed that there had
been problems with printers who were refusing to undertake work on
the newsletter. The organisation had hunted for willing printers in
Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town and allof them had refused on
the grounds of intimidation.
Van Wyk Commission
Following the walkout by students of the University of the Western
Cape in the course of 1973, a one-man commission consisting of Justice
Van Wyk, Judge President of the Cape, was appointed by the Govern-
ment on August to, 1973, to investigate disturbances in the Western
Cape. Altogether 77 people and organisations submitted sworn state-
ments and memoranda to the Van Wyk commission. In adctition 22
people gave oral evidence. However, 20 students who had been asked
to give evidence refused. At the beginning of March the commission
published its report which amongst other things blamed the ctistur-
bances on the activities of SASO which included steps "to bring about
confrontation and to force the authorities to close the university". The
commission also claimed that the majority of students were not aware
of the "concealed aims of SASO" and that SASO members had gained
complete control of the S.R.C. The commission had no doubts that the

111
aims of SASO especially as shown by the Alice Declaration had played
an important role in disrupting the nonna! activities of the university
through unrest and confrontation with the authorities.'
In a statement accompanying the commission's report, Dr. S. W. van
der Merwe, Minister of Coloured AffaiI1l, blamed SASO: "I want to
refer pertinently to the unsavoury role of certain members of an
organisation such as SASO who were largely instrumental in misleading
certain students and therefore bear a large share in these regrettable
events. The existence of this organisation on the campus of the uni-
versity is undesirable. Further I ask students not to allow themselves
to be misled by those who want to destroy their university. It is their
gateway and springboard to better things".

6th SASO General Student Council

In his report to the 6th G.S.C. of SASO, the President of SASO, Mr.
Muntu Myeza, exhorted SASO members to maintain a high standard
of discipline in their everyday interaction with the members of the
public whom they met in the course of their work. Outlining the
organisation's achievements, Mr. Myeza mentioned the following
community projects:
• At Mpeko, near Umtata, a school had been built by the movement,
and construction of a clinic was now underway.
• Medical students at Wentworth, Natal, were rulUling a clinic at
Inanda. The students visited the area on Saturdays only. The charges
were low to enable more people to get attention and advice.
• A school was being built at Upper Gqumabashe in Alice and plans
for the building of another school at Winterveldts near Pretoria were
held up because permission from the Bophutatswana Government had
not been forthcoming.'
At the end of the conference the SASO executive was re-organised.
Muntu Myeza was appointed to the position of Secretary-General
which is a full time position. Mr. Pandelani Nefolovhodwe was elected
as President, Mr. Mosioua Lekota as Permanent Organiser, Mr. Rubin
Hare as vice-President and Norman Dubazana as Publications Director.
These were the men who were destined to lead SASO through what
proved to be the most difficult time of its short history. By this time 29
men holding top positions in the organisation had been banned and
several other peripheral supporters of SASO were also banned. Holding
an executive position in SASO has become an almost automatic in-
vitation to reprisals from the security police and other government
forces.

112
The Frelimo Rally and the Aftermath :'.,c ...:.:
The details of the Frelimo Rally are mounted in the chapter on
detentions. It is now common knowledge that following the call of
SASO for a rally to be held at Curries Fountain during September, a
large number of people were collected near the stadium and the police
after breaking up the meeting arrested several SASO, BPC and BAWU
officials. The entire SASO executive with the exception of Mr. Duba-
zana was arrested and to all intents and purposes it appeared that SASO
had been neutralized because many of the lower echelons in the 1cadu-
ship went under cover and escaped into neighbouring Botswana.
However on the October 26, 1974, some of the remaining branches
of SASO called a meeting in Durban to consider action in the light of
the new harassments. An interim executive was elected with Mr.
Gwebelentlanzi Mposelwa of the Federal Theological Seminary as the
new President, Mr. Diliza Mji of the University of Natal Black Section
as the vice-President, Mr. Thami Zani a private student with UNISA
as General Secretary and Mr. Norman Dubazana retained his original
position as Publications Director. To all intents and purposes with the
election of this executive the activities of the organisation were once more
resumed and offices which had been dosed for a while were reopened.
Towards the end of 1974 and the beginning of 1975, a growth of the
pattern set earlier on was witnessed. More SASO leaders, both banned
and unbanned, left the country. Mr Henry Isaacs followed Mr. Geoff
Baqwa and left the country whilst Geoff Baqwa escaped into Botswana.
Henry I$8.8.cs left via Swaziland to New Zealand. On ~e campuses one
rector after another announced unwillingness to accept SASO on the
campuses. At Fort Hare while SASO was not banned on the campus
many students who had been suspected of being SASO members in
1974 were not allowed to return to the campus. The University of the
North suspended SASO activities on the campus until further notice.
The position remained pretty fluid on many other campuses. In a
lengthy statement during an interview with Bkuk Review, the SASO
General Secretary Mr. Thami Zani put the position as follows:
"The government instruments have been trying since September to
see to the destruction of the organisation but this has not dampened the
spirits of the many millions of Blacks in this country. After the deten-
tion of the Executive and Staff and many other members of the or-
ganisation we did not sit down and say "what next" but we stood up
and saw to the smooth running of the organisation. An emergency
meeting was called by the University of Natal Black Section in.October
and an interim Executive was elected. We appointed people into the
regional offices in Transvaal, Eastern and Western Cape and one must
praise them for the work they have done 80 far. On the University

113
campuses the position remains somewhat confused as the forces of
Bantu Education, coupled with the State's administrative machinery,
continue to thwart the development of the Black personality. Black
students who are only after the truth have been heavily victimized in
these Universities. In some Universities many issues are still sub
judice but with the removal of certain misunderstandings progress
shaJl be made".
SASO Policy Outlook
In spite of the heavy blows that SASO has sustained, there has been
no change in its policy outlook. SASO stiB continues to commemorate
Heroes' Day although the Durban service was banned under the new
Riotous Assemblies Act, on March 29.
In his statement Mr. Zani emphasised that SASO still remains
vehemently and totally opposed to racial organisations like racial
sporting bodies, Bantustans, the Coloured Persons' Representative
Council and the South African Indian Council. SASO continues to
work with relevant black organizations in the country and maintains a
healthy relation with international groups like SASM.

bu:re••ing International Recognition for SASO

One of the side effects of the barrage of attacks on SASO by govern-
ment forces, has been the growing acceptance of SASO by international
groups as an effective opponent of the South African Government and
its policy. Student organisations like the National Union of Students of
Britain, the International University Exchange Fund, the International
Catholic Students Organisation and many othen have long accepted
SASO and her viewpoint in the South African context. In addition to
this, it was repo~ed in May that the All-African' Council of Churches
will recognise SASO alongside other South African liberation move-
ments.
Reporting this to Drum on May 8, the Rev. Morris Ngakane the
associate General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches
said the All-African Council of Churches "eventually agreed that SASO
and liberation movements should send official representatives because
churches could not pass judgement on whether individuals sent to the
consultation were Christians or not" .10
When the new Frelimo government was being installed in'Moza-
mbique on June 25, 1975, SASO was one of the very few South African
groups invited to the occasion. Other groups invited were the ANC,
represented by Mr. Oliver Tambo, and NUSAS. At, far as could be
ascertained SASO did not actually send any representative to the
independence celebrations.

114
 Natal Indian Congress
Important Changes in Policy
Towards the end of 1973, there had been increasing speculation that
the Natal Indian Congress was shaping up to participate in the South
African Indian Council provided that this body would have elected
members. It was not quite clear what the Natal Indian Congress policy
was exactly on this issue.
However, in his presidential address to the 1974 conference of NIC
held at Orient Hall in Durban in September 1974, the president of the
NIC Mr. M. J. Naidoo outlined succintly the NIC policy towards the
SAIC. Mr. Naidoo revealed that the congress executive had taken a
decision that when there are true elections of the SAle, Hwhcn you and
I and the 600,000 in Natal can nominate and vote then Congress will
participate. This executive decision will be put to conference where a
final decision will be made. This decision does not mean that Congress
now accepts SAIC in that the SAIC is for us in the acceptable stage in
the evolution of political rights for the Indian people". NIC according
to Mr. Naidoo was mindful of the many bannings imposed on its
leadership and sought the kind of protection that attaches parliamentary
privilege to these statutory bodies.
"Congress ·needs to, and will have to use, the South African Indian
Council as a protected platform to make its demands for full demo-
cratic rights. It needs the platform to reach the people on the one hand
and to make the Government to hear its demands on the other hand. If
it were not for the protected platform the SAlC would have nothing to
offer us. Congress policy has not, and is not changed". 11
Outlining his criticism of the SAIC, Mr. Naidoo made the following
points:-
eThat the failures of the SAIC are not due to its personal law but
rather due to the fact that it was created a powerless body and was not
intended to achieve anything more than placate a small section of the
Indian people.
eThat it had the other side effect of dividing the people into those who
looked up to it and those who rejected it in a typical divide and rule
technique.
• That the so called elections implied that half the SAIC, i.e. fifteen
members, would be voted into office by an electoral college consisting
of the Local Affairs Committee and Town Boards. Mr. Naidoo revealed
that in Natal, this electoral college, would consist of a hundred people
and would vote into office the ten "elected" Natal SAIC members.
Quoting a newspaper commentary Mr. Naidoo described this election

115
as "one which would be screamingly funny if it were not so tragically
. "
senous.
When the issue of participating in the elections of the Local Affairs
Committee and the South African Indian Council was ultimately
debated by the conference of the NIC, the conference decided to reject
participation within the SAIC election, ldescribing the SAIC as
"another institution created for the sole purpose of dividing and sub-
jugating the oppressed people of South Africa".
Another policy issue raised at the conference was whether the
organization should change its character and open its doors to people
of all races. This issue had come before several conferences of the
NIC and had remained unresolved. The 1974 conference decided that
congress should open its doors to all groups and the word "Indian"
should be removed from the constitution. This effectively broke a
longstanding tradition of exclusiveness on the part of the NI C in their
membership.
In an interview with Black Revitw, the NIC President Mr. M. J.
Naidoo admitted that the new open-to·all policy of the congress widen-
ed the scope of similarity with the Black People's Convention. He said
even though his movement has never given consideration to the possi-
bility of a merger with the Convention, it would not be a remote
possibility. He added that he was personally uneasy that the Con-
vention had decided to close its ranks even to sympathetic Whites,
while the Congress was completely non-racial. He felt, of course, that
this would be a matter to be considered when merger talks started.
NIe Political Perspectives
In his report to the conference, the General Secretary of the NIC
Mr. R. Ramisar outlined new trends in the sophisticated policy adopted
by the government of "including black people to accept their exploi-
tation" Mr. Ramisar claimed that the Government did this by
• creating a powerful and influential black middle class which will
have an interest in preserving the present order.
• creating the impression mainly through the press that liberal
opinion amongst the Whites is growing and that Whites of their
own accord will bring about a just society in South Africa. .
• trying to cause division among the black people and therefore
weakening their strength
• creating institutions which give black people the shadow and not
the reality of power. a
Mr. Ramisar also called for closer co-operation and elimination of
quarrels amongst the various black organizations who all had a common
a.m.

J16
 In the field of sport, Congress firmly reinstated its belief in inte-
grated sport beginning at club level and rejected the so-called multi-
national events. Congress called upon white sportsmen to show their
honesty by refusing to participate in matches against groups like the
Derrick Robin Xl. Congress went on to support the stand taken by
people like Hassan Howan and Morgan Naidoo who are black sport
administrators and strong critics of racist sport.
With regard to transport and increased bus and train fares, Congress
blamed the Government for dumping black people in ghettos, miles
away from towns and therefore making it necessary for black people to
travel in and out of towns at their own expense everyday. Congress
called upon the Government to acknowledge its own faults by sub-
siding transport costs.
With reference to education, Congress voiced concern on the dis-
parity in the amounts spent on the different racial groups. Congress
went on to call the attention of black people to the lack of academic
freedom on black campuses. IS
On the question of African trade unions, Congress voted in favour of
supporting African unions and called upon existing trade unions to
further this course. 14
Attempts at Creation of. New Political Party
In the course of June, there emerged in Durban some manouvre to
fonn a new Indian political party for the country. It appeared that
these moves emanated from discussion groups led by Dr, M. H. G.
Mayet, and consisting largely of many professional people in the
community. Amongst those invited to the initial discussion on this new
political party, were five senior officials of NIC including Mr. M. J.
Naidoo, president, Mr. Rabi Bugwanden, Dr. Faruk Meer, Mr. D. K.
Singh and Mr. Ramisar. According to the NIC preSident Mr. M. J.
Naidoo, all the NYC officials refused to attend the meeting on the
grounds that, "on the surface it appears a gimmick. of some kind by
certain people. And we are not prepared to get our hands soiled with
such a group as it presently appears". U

The Black People's Convention

In 1974 the activities of the Black People's Convention were marred
by police intimidation and harassment and arbitrary action on the part
of the Department of Justice.
Banning of the Hero e.' Day Gathering
According to policy and custom, the Black People's Convention
declared March 21 as Heroes' Day on which the branches of the move-

117
ment allover the country would commemorate various massacres of
black people especially through police shoot-outs as was the case with
Sharpeville. The Durban branch of BPC organised what was to be a
massive commemoration service to be held at Young Men's Christian
Association Hall in Durban at 2 p.m. on the 30th of March 197+. Large
posters and handbills advertising the meeting were distributed through·
out Durban, and it appeared that the commemoration service would
draw large crowds.
However, on the 29th of March, the magistrate for the district of
Durban Mr. L. L. A. McKay evoked provisions of the Riotous Assemb-
lies Act which had been passed shortly before, and banned the Heroes'
Day Commemoration service from being held anywhere in Durban.
Notices of the ban were given to five Durban newspapers and to the
local officers of the South African Broadcasting Corporation. The notice
read,
"I hereby in terms of Section 2 (i) of the Riotous Assemblies Act of
1956... prohibit the said gathering at the said place and everywhere in
the said district from the period beginning at 12.01 a.m. on March
30th and ending at 12.01 a.m. on April I".
Mr. McKay said in the notice, he "had reason to apprehend that the
public peace would be seriously endangered by the gathering advertised
as Heroes' Day Sharpeville Commemoration Service, to be held in the
Hall ofthe Young Men's Christian Association, Beatrice Street, Durban,
at 2.00 p.m. on March 30 197+".
Following the banning of the meeting the BPC issued a statement
calling on all those who had intended attending the meeting to rede-
dicate themselves to a firmness of purpose. It read "The unilateral
banning of a commemoration service to remember all fallen heroes in
the black struggle for freedom, is only too familiar." The banning of the
meeting was also Condemned by many other people including Professor
John Duggard of Witwatersrand University, who claimed that the use
of the new powers confirmed the fears of those who believe that the
new Riotous Assemblies Act was intended to put an end to freedom of
assembly throughout South Africa. a
BPC Durban'. Symposium
A national symposium was organised by BPC in Durban in September
1974. Amongst the chief speakers at the meeting were, Mr. Zeph
Mothopeng, a former PAC leader, Mr. Phandelani Nefolovhodwe,
SASO president, Mrs. Fatima Meer and Mr. Harry Singh, Public
Relation's Officer of BPC.
The main feature of this symposium was a concentrated attack on
"institutions that work within the apartheid system" which were
counted as Urban Bantu Councils, Homeland Governments, SAIC,

118
and CRC. The highlight of this meeting was the public tribute paid to
the BPC by Mrs. Fatima Meer, who in her speech declared "the time
has come when we all have to get together and work for a determined
unity. We must use our passions, our methods and energies, to get all
our black brothers and sisters together and fonn a united front",17 The
meeting was also marked by the physical ejection of some people from
amongst the crowd who were identified as "spies". Outside the Kajee
Hall where the meeting was held were two car loads of plain-clothes
security policemen.

Frelimo Rally and Mass Arrests

The BPC joined hands with SASO to announce on the weekend of
the 20th to the 22nd of September the times and venues of a series of
rallies to be held throughout the country to celebrate the victory of
Frelimo in Mozambique. The first rally which was to be held in Durban
on the 25th of September was widely advertised in the press following
information from some quarters that Frelimo representatives would be
addressing the meeting.
The details of what went on thereafter are spelt out in the chapter on
detentions. Many of the BPC leadership, about thirteen in number, and
many other followers of the movement were subsequently arrested and
detained.
Partly as a result of mass arrests, and the accompanying disarray, the
conference of the BPC scheduled to be held in December was in-
definitely postponed. The offices of the BPC in Johannesburg were
broken into, allegedly by the police. However it was not quite clear
what had happened since the police claimed to have gone into the office
in the company of a BPC official whose name did not appear on any
BPC list and with whom no BPC leader was acquainted.

Reorganization After the Mass Arrest

At the time of the Frelimo Rally and the subsequent mass arrests,
the BPC president Mr. Farisani was on a study visit to Israel and came
back at the end of the year, together with leaders of the main branches in
Johannesburg, Durban and the Cape. Mr. Farisani set up a provisional
structure to take care of the affairs of BPC and visited branches through-
out the country to keep up the morale of the membership. BPC branches
remained reasonably active in Johannesburg, Durban, Pietermaritz-
burg, Port Elizabeth, King William's Town, Cape Town, Vereeniging,
Bloemfontein, Daveyton and went about with the nonnal business of
the movement but at low profile. In March 1975 many of these branches
held a customary Heroes Day Commemoration service without much
interference.

119
 At the time of writing, a meeting had been called of all the branch
leadership with the national leadership to re-examine the thrust to be
made by the organization within the given situation.

Self-Help and Religious Groups

BLACK COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES
1974 saw a phenomenal growth in the work of Black Community
Programmes which brought it much closer to the intended goal of being
a community development organ wlthin the black community.

Home Industria
The Black Community Programmes began to consolidate its attempts
to offer means of economic existence to some destitute areas, parti-
cularly in the Eastern Cape, through the creation of home or cottage
industries in places like Njwaxa, Zinyoka and Norwood. These home
industries are manufacturers of leather goods and cloth garments. The
production process is laboriously slow in that it is labour intensive and
uses minimum machinery. At this stage 50 people are employed in the
"'arious home industries who derive their living from the sale of goods
they manufacture.
In addition, the Black Community Programmes has set up a sales
organization to publicist the work of the home ind.ustries and to ensure
a constant supply of orders to them. The sales division re-
presents not only the home industries run by BCP but also those
established by the Border Council of Churches under the leadership of
their field officer Mr. Themba Sibeko. The Border Council of Churches
has established home industries at Dimbaza, St. Matthews and Krwa-
krwa, near Alice, all of which employ about seventy people. The two
organisations have worked well together in this sphere and all these
home industries are slowly approaching the stage where they will no
more need to be subsidised except for expansion.
The purpose of the home industries is not only to provide gainful
employment to destitute people but also to train people in rnaatering
certain basis production skills and also management skills. It is also
hoped that through this form of living example many people will be
encouraged to exploit their natural resources where opportunities for
work are hard to come by.

120
Re.earch and PublicatiODS.
The Research and Publications' Department of Black Community
Progrunmea continued with the production of Bltuk Rt:fJinD 1973. Bltlck
Rt:fJiem has now become a yearly feature, as was intended. After public-
ation of Black Rt:fJUm 1973, it was decided to change the year for Black
RttJitrD so that it spreads over one half of each consecutive year. Thus
instead of having Black Rt:fJiftD 1974 we have Bltlck Rt:fJinD 197+-75
which covers the period from July of the one year to June of the foUowing
year. Hence Black Rt:fJinJ) will now appear in the latter half of each year.
Black Rt:fJitfD continues to be of immense value to the scholars of the
South African situation and remains a proud documentation of things
done by Blacks, done to Blacks as reported by Blacks. In this sense it
serves a unique purpose in the South African situation.
In addition to Black RtvinD, the Research and Publications Depart-
ment is to resume publication of Black Vitwpoint and Black Ptrs-
putivts. The next issue of Black Viewpoint will reflect the feelings of
Blacks on the detente exercise currently in the news in Southern Africa
whilst Black Ptrsputiva will concentrate on an academic analysis of the
significance of the Bantustan policy to the black community. Both
topics will be treated in an unbiased balanced way reflecting the pre-
dictable differences known to exist amongst black people.
•
Women'. Diviaion
"At the begining of September 1974, Mrs. Daphne Khoza (formerly
Miss Daphne Mahlangu) left the service of the Women's Division of
the BCP due to marital commitments and was replaced by Mrs. A. N.
Ndamse of Umtata who now heads this division. Mrs. Ndamse operates
from a branch office based in Umtata which is dedicated entirely to
women's work. .
Through this office courses are organised for women's training
sessions in spheres such as nutrition, child care, basic skills such as
knitting, sewing, crotcheting, cookery and gardening.

Health Schemes
At the beginning of 1975, the Black Community Programmes started..
health centre in the Eastern Cape, "about nine kilometres out of King
William's Town. The Health Centre is situated between two large con-
sortiums of rural settlements, collectively known as Zinyoka Valley (west of
the centre) and Balasi farm area (east ofthe centre). In this way it is with-
in reach of many thousands of people who otherwise would have to be
attended to in King William's Town at much greater coat. l
The Community served is mainly rural people living on trust lands,
freehold lands and white farms between King William's Town and

121
Frankfort. In its first six months of operation the Centre saw close to
2,500 patients. Over this period the average daily intake worked out
each week built up to 41 patients per day. Most of the patients come
from families averaging six in number and living on an income of be-
tween R5 and RIO weekly. The patients are mainly women and children
and men over the age of 50 since most young men are away on migratory
labour.
The centre consists of three parts:-
• the outpatients clinic consisting of a waiting room, an injection!
dressing room, a preventive medicine lecture room and two external
toilets.
• the maternity section consisting of a labour ward with three beds, a
maternity ward with six beds and six cotbeds, a linen/sluice room and a
toilet and bathroom.
• The on-duty staff section consisting of a kitchen-cum-dining hall, a
staff room with overnight facilities and a staff toilet/bathroom.
Besides the Medical Officer Dr. M. A. Ramphele, the Health Centre
has four sisters, one staff nurse and administrative staff. A few doctors
in the area occasionally do voluntary relief duty.
In addition to the daily curative work at the clinic, there have been
many subsidiary services of preventive medicine nature introduced at
the clinic. The clinic also serves two out-stations.
The Zanempilo Health Centre is only the first of a number of similar
health schemes that the BCP is planning to introduce into the country.
Others are earmarked for Northern Natal, Northern Transvaal and
Transkei areas.

Other Prajecta
The BCP has also started introducing into urban areas a bulk buying
scheme to minimise the effects of inflation on people. The scheme in-
volves co-operative buying of monthly groceries by communities
through wholesalers to reduce overhead charges. The pilot scheme
marking the introduction of this type of programme was launched in
King William's Town in April 1975 and the scheme had become very
popular and has been completely taken over by the people.
Regarding child care, BCP has seen the provision of creche schemes
in urban areas as being of extreme relevance in enabling more members
of the family to be able to go to school and for others to seek work.
Already BCP has managed to revive a creche in Ginsberg location in
King William's Town and plans to put up model creches in Umlazi,
Durban.

122
Leadenhip Training Programmes.
Setbacks were experienced in this aspect of BCP work following
bannings on staff including the arrest and detention of Mr. Aubrey
Mokoena of the Johannesburg BCP office. However, in 1974 more
leadership seminars were held in places like Umtata and a National
Consultation of Black Organizations is being planned for October 1975.

THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL

DEVELOPMENT FOR AFRICANS-ASSECA

Due to lack of timed information activities of the ASSECA were not

included in BltUk RttJitw 1973. The following report on ASSECA
will therefore date back into 1973.

The Aftermath of the Fort Hare Walkout

Following the 1973 students crisis at Fort Hare many parents
expected ASSECA to play a major role in mediating between the
students and the Fort Hare authorities. Dr. H. M. S. Nyembezi of
Johannesburg attacked ASSECA for maintaining a silent attitude
claiming that ASSECA is given large sums of money for use in the
advancement of Blacks in schools. He asked ASSECA to "Kindly
explain to the Blacks why they now seem completely paralysed and why
they refuse to co-ope'rate with other Blacks to improve the lot of the
students".' Repying to this Mr. Mehlomakhulu the General Secretary
of ASSECA dismissed the attack as unfounded and claimed that
ASSECA was committed to promoting black solidarity and not to
dividing the community by sniping at other black organizations. He
said "Had it not been that this statement contained such blatant un-
truths, we of ASSECA would have ignored it."1

Outline of ASSECA Problems

Further elaborating on the issues involved in this debate, the president
Mr. M. T. Moerane dealt with grants to ASSECA and described the use
to which the money was put. He revealed that ASSECA had received
a grant of RIO,OOO which ASSECA used for general administration of
the organization which included the salary of an organiser, the establish-
ment of an office with equipment, employment of a typist and purchase
of a car for office purposes. 4

123
 Amongst programmes undertaken by ASSECA was the running of
a yearly Summer School for matriculants. In addition ASSECA had
equipped the laboratory of Orlando High School and initiated the
TEACH fund that was backed by the Star.
Mr. Moerane also revealed that ASSECA had advanced plana to
establish technical schools in urban areas.
Following the tragedy at the Western Deep Levels ASSECA an-
nounced that it would start a fund to ensure that the children of people
who were killed in the accident would be educated. 5 Summing up
ASSECA's role within the black community, Mr. Mehlomakhulu said
that ASSECA's aim was to ensure that every African child went to
school under the best conditions.
In a report in TM Star it was announced that Polaroid would con-
tinue its support for ASSECA because it regarded ASSECA as a
valuable organization.'
Controveny over the Collection of Funds
Late in 1973 ASSECA launched a campaign to collect money for
ASSECA programmes. A suggestion was made that a ten-cent levy on
students be imposed to go towards a special fund for ASSECA. This
suggestion roused a storm of protest from a number of parents especially
in Dube, who protested that it was incomprehensible to expect children
to boost ASSECA. 7 Soweto residents generally criticized the organiz·
ation on the grounds that outside expansion throughout the country,
the organization had nothing positive to contribute. In a meeting at
Soweto heated arguments were exchanged between ASSECA officials
and parents who were demanding a financial statement from ASSECA.
In a special interview with Blo.ck Review, the. general secretary of
ASSECA, Mr. Mehlomakhulu explained that the controversial 10e
levy was in fact misinterpreted. He said that the intention had been to
involve the black community in raising funds for development pro-
grammes run by community organizations like ASSECA; which was in
fact an important aspect of community development, to promote a
spirit of self-reliance.
The money was only supposed to be given to children and channelled
through schools to facilitate the collection of donations. A further
meeting was called between officials of ASSECA, the Urban Bantu
Council Chairman Mr. Lengene, and parents. It was planned that at
this meeting ASSECA would release statements about its activities,
finances, and assistance to students. Later on, however, ASSECA
officials denied having agreed to this meeting and declared that they
would independently release statements about the organization's
affairs. Despite insistence by Mr. Lengene that the meeting should go
on all the same, the meeting did not take place at the prescribed time.
Polaroid Grants to ASSECA
At the begining of 1975 conflicting reports were given about the
continuation of the Polaroid grants to ASSECA. It was reported in the
Rand Daily Mail that the Polaroid Corporation had cut off its massive
subsidy to ASSECA and that two senior officials working in the Soweto
office were sacked. 8 The report continued to say that the crunch had
come in a special statement by a representative of Polaroid, Mr. Helmut
Hirsch who had been responsible for the financial donations. Mr.
Hirsch is reported to have told the Rand Daily Mail that he was not
happy with the way donations had been made to ASSECA. He said "In
1975 Polaroid donated R15,OOO to ASSECA on a rand for rand basis
but since then we have not been fully infonned of what is happening",'
In the meantime, Tht Sunday Tjwus, reported that Polaroid had
merely interrupted its support to ASSECA pending full financial
reports from ASSECA. The Polaroid official denied having sacked the
two ASSECA officials claiming that such dismissals could only be made
by the ASSECA officials and that in this instance they had been made
without his knowledge or approval. Later on Mr. Mehlomakhulu
explained that the dismissals had been occasioned by an internal
reorganization which had rendered the positions superfluous.
Outlining the new approach to the funding of ASSECA Mr. Hirsch
said that Polaroid would discontinue from 1976 onwards giving out~
right grants to ASSECA but would give grants on a basis of ten rands
to every rand raised by the organisation and that this would all depend
on satisfactory progress and financial reports.
Asked in an interview by Black Revino, whether or not the Polaroid
change of funding approach had been prompted by ·the controversy
raised, Mr. Mehlomilkhulu explained that Polaroid had promised
annual grants to ASSECA for a period ending in 1975. It was therefore
not surprising that Polaroid could decide to change its funding policy.
Mr. Mehlomakhulu further expressed an observation that there were
people especially in Soweto, who sought to destroy the good name and
the work of ASSECA because of their personal differences with in-
dividuals involved in ASSECA. He advised such people to allow the
community to reap the fruits of work done by organizations like
ASSECA, and that they should make it their business in future to corne
into ASSECA to help build the association with constructive criticism;
and "not stand on a hill and point fingers, while they themselves are
doing very little to be desired. I want to emphasise that we want the
people to associate themselves with ASSECA, and everyone can be
part of the association. Ccroperation is the word we must observe for
the prosperity of our community."

125
Growth or ASSECA Work
In the Cape ASSECA continued to 80urish in some of the towns
with the Mdantsane branch succeeding to make a useful impact on the
community there. As a result of the success at Mdantsane a new branch
i. about to be formed at Duncan Village to take care specifically of that
area.

IDAMASA

IDAMASA continued to grow in strength during 1974 and 1975.

Branches in the major centres, especially in Johannesburg, took strides
in tackling social issues in the black community.
BlLuk RtfJinD learnt from several interviews with top officials of the
association and with the general membership in lOme parts of the
country that there was a strong move from within ldamasa, to
revise the role and the service of the association in society.
This reassessment, which was spearheaded by the young ministers
from the time of the 1974 annual conference, which was held at Eden-
dale in Pietennaritzburg, has prevailed through 1975: and it is expected
to dominate the 1975 conference due to be held at Gugulethu, Cape
Town in August.
One of the major points on the revision programme was the whole
question of opening the doors of ldamasa to all the other black groups
i.e. Indians and Coloureds. This move was seen as a long overdue
revision of poliq.
The 1974 annual conference appointed a new national executive,
consisting of six people. Rev. Jerry Poswa was appointed President,
Rev. P. M. Mbtshwa first vice-President. Rev. WaNamo, second
vice-President. Reverends Sol Led.iga and John Mbata were dected
secretary general and assistant secretary general respectively. and the
treasurer wu Rev. Zulu.

Projects Supported by ldam...

In 1974, ldamasa took a key role in fundraising for the establishment
of the African Bank of South Africa. a project of the National African
Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC). It therefore became one
of the major participants in the project. It was expected that it would
buy shares in the bank.
Idamasa believed in i.nvolving the community in the raising of funds
for community projects. Talking to Dr""" on June 8. the Projects

126
Director of Idamasa, who was also appointed a member of the board of
directors of the African Bank, Rev. Enos Sikakane said: " ...the only way
Blacks can be liberated is through self-discovery, self-help and standing
on our own feet.
. "Just imagine the amount of money we can raise if each Black were
to contribute a cent to a fund," said Rcv. Sikakane.
Explaining the Association's involvement with thc African Bank,
Rev. Sikakane said, "We decided to invest in the black bank because it
is our own, and we will have a say in its running". 10
From its Orlando base in SOWeto, Idamasa launched an urban
development programme conducted by the Rev. B. B. Radebe, former
Secretary General of the Association.
Idamasa has continued to assist needy students with scholarships.
One of the three students they sent abroad for training in community
development and social work, Miss Nthabiseng Bolofo is back in the
country and is reported to be helping in the Idamasa Soweto Training
Project.

•
THE EDENDALE LAY ECUMENICAL CENTRE

The Ecumenical Centre at Edendale underwent remarkable ex-

pansion in the course of 1974 and 1975. A large conference hall was
built with dressingrooms, film screen and modern interior equipment.
Five rondavels were put up, each with a capacity for 25 persons;
mainly to be used for group discussions. Four more of these are planned.
These rooms are proving quite useful to the various programmes run
by the centre.

Women'. Programmes
Arts and Crafts: The Lay Centre has been running a programme
of giving skills to local needy women in such crafts as crochetting,
embroidery, pottery, beadwork etc. In addition to this programme,
women are being taught in pattern designing and dressmaking. A total
of eighty-six women have gone through this programme.

Makhelwana
The Makhelwana programme (meaning "neighbourliness" pro-
gramme) was started in 1973, and it was intended to equip women with
skill in house-wifery. Fifty-two women have gone through the pro-
gramme since its inception.

127
 Youth Programme.: This division started functioning in May
1974, with a large seminar of young people from the neighbourhood, in
an attempt to identify their needs, work out their priorities and for-
mulate methods of achieving their goals.
M part of this programme, regular youth leadenhip training sessions
are held at the centre.
Agriculture and Fiah Culture: With the introduction of Mr
Mazibuko. the famous Natal agriculturist, the centre has been able to
run very useful and interesting programmes of soil utilization.
Mr. Mazibuko was a demonstrator at the Valley Trust agricultural
haven at the Valley of a Thousand Hills area near Pietermaritzburg.
Since his arrival at the Lay Centre, he has built up an admirable vege-
table garden from which local people get opportunities of learning the
best methods of gaining the most out of little ground and minimal water
supply.
A pond for fish cultivation has been made at the garden. The yield
takes care of the needs of the centre, as well as helping the neighbour-
hood which suffers as a result of soaring meat prices. Many people come
to learn for their own use, the methods involved in fish breeding.
Jn a report pamphlet issued by the Edendale Lay Ecumenical Centre
in June 1975, the Director, Rev. E. Sikakane says, "the long term
objective demands the building up of ecumenical relations &0 that
friends of the centre may increase throughout the world, beginning here
in South Africa, and Africa as a whole.

ASSOCIATION OF SELF-HELP (ASH)

The historical background of this association wu fully related in

Black R~ 1973. During 1974 and 1975, ASH moved at a faster
pace developing into a strong effective community deve10pment body.
The almost traditional financial problems that accompany most Black
voluntary organisations in South Africa have considerably slowed down
the enthusiastic growth of ASH, but to use the words of one of the
organisers, Bob Marie, "The will to continue and the full knowledge
that time and the truth is on our side has kept us going".
Early in 1975, ASH applied for registration as a non·profit company.
Such status would enable them to engage in all kinds of economic
activity, and whatever income that accrued (tuAree) would be wholly
devoted to the running of ASH work in self-help programmes.

128
PROJECl'S:-
(i) Adult Literacy
With th~ belief that literacy promotes "a person's self-respect and
confidence",l1 ASH embarked on a literacy campaign in March 1974.
The project started slowly with a trial period which saw preparation
and printing of literacy co-ordinators' handbooks and primers; develop-
ment of codes, slides and other aids necessary for the running of the
work. While this programme was aimed at assisting the illiterate
members of the community to acquire the skill of reading and writing,
it was also designed to assist individuals to reflect critically on their
environment, and encourage them to act jointly to solve their problems.

(ii) Playgroup
During 197+ and 1975, ASH initiated playgroups in Merebank, to
fulfil a need felt by lower-income parents of pre-school-going age
children. At a nominal fee of SOC per month per child, children attend
the daily playgroup which involves indoor creative activity and outdoor
play.
Each playgroup is administered by a Working Group of parents and
interested members of the community. These Working Groups send
representatives to the Central Planning Committee which consists of
resource personnel and the ASH Director. The task of the committee
is to co-ordinate the administration and education aspects of the
programme. ASH believes that it is of the utmost importance to keep the
parents of the plagroup children fully involved in the administration
and development of the programme.
Reflecting on their work, ASH printed in a report published in June
1975: "The first aim of establishing the Playgroup haS been achieved.
Much work needs to be put into raising the standard of the playground.
However, since space and facilities are problems, any attempt to raise
the standard of operation will have to involve the invention of a new
structure of operation that will obviate these problems.
While there is emphasis on restructuring the mode of operation of
the playgroups, an equal, if not greater emphasis needs to be placed on
the education and training of parents.

(iii) CommUlUlI Buying

This scheme, which was discussed in Black Review 1973, grew
stronger in 1974 and 1975. By June, 1975 it catered for 100 families
divided into 7 groups. These people buy their groceries jointly as groups,
and therefore enjoy the advantages of whatever discounts are offered as
a result of bulk buying. Perhaps more important has been the way the
project has succeeded in uniting conununity efforts in problem-solving.

129
Evaluating the work, ASH wrote in their publication "Much work has
been put into orientating the families to meet once per month to
discuss common problems... On the whole the gatherings are informal
and condusive to free discussion".

(iv) Other Projects

ASH runs training progranunes catering primarily for community
members involved with playgroups and communal buying. The
training programmes touch basic administration, group co-ordination
and human relations.

REFERENCES

Political Pressure Groups Self.Help and Religious Groups

'Rand Daily MaU 5.2.74. IDaily Dispatch 19.4.75.
IRand Dail)' Mail 22.1.74. 'Rand Daily Mail 13.9.73.
IRand Daily Mail 7.2.74. Ilbid.
'Rand Daily Mail 6.2.74. 'SumMY TimeI16.9.73.
'Natal Mucury 12.2.74. I/bid.
'Ca~ Tima 18.2.74. 'Star 10.10.73.
'Rand Doily Mail S.2.74. 'Rand Daily /IIaiI26.10.73.
'Doily Nft&1 1.3.74. 'Rand Daily Mail 15.2.75.
'Star 2.7.74. 'Drum 1\1aguine 8.6.74.
l'Drum 8.5.74. I'lbid.
lIAddrus by Mr M. j. Naidoo 20.9.74. HASH Annual Report: june 1974-june
lISecretarial Report to Conference 1975.
20.9.74.
"Ibid.
"Ibid.
uThe Graphic 7.6.7S.
JlRond Daily Mail 30.3.74. •
uDrum 8.11.74.

130