See pages 12-13. Blacks protest stalling by apartheid regime

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Pro-choice supporters protested Supreme Court ruling at the California State Building in San Francisco, Calif., on May 25.

The white minority regime in South Africa continues to stall, as pressure mounts for it to make major concessions to the oppressed Black majority. As a result, the African National Congress (ANC), which had been pursuing a process of negotiations with the government, has been forced to take a more confrontational stance.

On May 18, the ANC announced it would refuse to discuss a new constitution with the regime until progress was achieved on its demand that the government put a stop to the violence in the Black townships, which has claimed at least 1000 lives so far this year.

The ANC and other groups supporting a democratic South Africa have announced plans for a consumer boycott, demonstrations, and strikes-focusing on protest rallies on June 15-16, the anniversary of the massacre of Black demonstrators during the 1976 Soweto uprising.

Anti-apartheid groups charge that the white regime is responsible for the township violence—which the local and international press falsely call "Black-on-Black" violence. For that reason, when the regime called a conference on May 24-25 to discuss the violence, the anti-apartheid groups refused to participate.

Government security forces, in fact, have abetted attacks by the right-wing Inkatha Freedom Party, which is based among a section of the Zulu population. It is common for Inkatha members and supporters to go on the rampage without any police interference. But as soon as the community defends itself, the police suddenly materialize to arrest and beat up the victims.

After criticizing the ANC for its call for self-defense units, President F.W. de Klerk announced that traditional weapons (spears and battle axes) used by Black vigilantes would be made illegal in the Johannesburg area. But he did not prohibit the weapons in Natal province, where Inkatha is primarily based.

It is noteworthy that the so-called traditional weapons used by Inkatha supporters had been banned by the white regime for one century until September 1990—that is, after the national liberation groups became legal and active again in South African politics. Most of the deaths, as well, have been a result of gunfire—thus pointing to police and army complicity in the violence.

Winnie Mandela convicted

Meanwhile, on May 13, the white justice system convicted Winnie Mandela, wife of ANC leader Nelson Mandela, of kidnapping four youths who were taken to her home in 1988 and severely beaten.

Mandela was acquitted of the more serious charge of assault to intent commit grievous bodily harm. Instead, she was convicted of the charge of "accessory after the fact." Mandela said she was not present at the time of the beatings, but 200 miles away.

There are no juries under South African law. All white juries were abolished in 1969. The white judge hears the case and decides the verdict.

Mandela was sentenced to six years in prison, which she is appealing. "As long as you know that I did not assault any child," she said afterwards, "that's all that matters to me."

Whatever the facts, it is total hypocrisy for the white regime and its friends abroad to talk of "justice" being possible in the (continued on page 4, in “Boston forum highlights S. African and U.S. struggles 'Racism is the common experience of these two societies'”)