LAST FRIDAY Denmark became the first European government to impose a ban on trade with South Africa. The motion was moved by the Social Democratic minority in the parliament and carried South Africa. Labour must pledge itself to end all links with South Africa.
Events of the last week South Africa have underlined once more the barbaric vicious character of the apartheid regime and society, most strikingly the destruction of the Crossroads squatter township.
The events at Crossroads have also revealed a frightening phenomenon in the situation in South Africa — the massive involvement of black 'vigilante' groups, with clear evidence emerging that these groups are in the pay of the regime.
Crossroads, where an estimated 30,000 people were made homeless and at least 44 killed in the last week, is a squatter camp, rather than an official township. Black people, orten megany away. trom the Bantustans and official townships in this case in the area of seekille WUIK.
Capetown, have settlea in the squatter camps like Crossroads. They live under corrugated iron, constructed shacks, and only force of numbers gives them any right to stay in the area. It has long been a priority of the regime to clear CrOssroads, and camps like it, That lorener to bald dlllapartheid protest too close to the whites of the rich The Danish decision to impose economic sancCape province.
The emergence of the 'vigilante' Crossroads follows a pattern that is tvoical in many of the townships, but reached val ululal levels due to the illegality of the squatter camp.
In the camp a de facto 'administration' had devPosed oritarian leader. who was charging squatters a tithe to live in the area. This fact has been contirmed in number of sources. In the Guardian of David Beresford explained that this 'leader':
DrULCCL followers himself and his the challenge of more ideologically-orientated youths the "Fathers" emerged, acting ruthlessly to purge the camp of "progressive' elements.
Vigilantes initially materialised in the homelands in a similar way, defending the authority of 'establishWichild created under the Bantustan policy. Over the last three years the development of local vigilante groups has become a clear policy of the regime. The most well-known of these vigilante actions were the Durban killings last Aug• ust Chief Buthalezi's Inkatha organisation was clearly involved.
The vigilantes methods SUBSCRIBE are aimed at smashing and the anti-apartheid movement. Their enemies are youth involved boycotts, movements defend camps _uke CIOssroads from eviction by the regime involved in anti-apartheid activity. They employ torture and terror killings mutilations, castrations, dismemberment order to terrify the local population into quiescence and the acceptance of the authority 'establishments' approved openly or covertly by the regime.
The open involvement of the apartheid regime in backing up this vigilante violence was exposed around the Crossroads The equipment used to fire the shacks tents, leaving homeless, was sophisticalca nre guts rauct Wlan simple torches These cond onlv have been 0btained from the regime.
The go charget bet nying charges, but resisting the growing calls for parliamentary The development the vigilante groups are the same as the use of squads' in countries like El Salvador. Anti-apartheid militants now not only - have to fear the death in a prison raises like steve Biko, cell met comjuridical murder as faced by Moloise They now face the increasof fire petrol bombing of their vigilante murder and torture. , The regime is attempting to claim this is 'black on black' violence. The the involvement of the regime the destruction of Crossroads heiped SHOW what is really going on still more cically.
Take out a years inland subscription and we 'WE'LL FIGHT or we'll negotiate' roared the front court to make sure that the words the only ones who
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against the opposition of the ruling Conservative tions must become the first step in the complete diplomatic, economic and political isolation of the apartheid regime. Britain in particular must cease using its veto at the UN to oppose sanctions against