South Africa “Compelled” To Eradicate Communism

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28154, 18 December 1956, Page 15

South Africa “Compelled” To Eradicate Communism

DINGAANSKRAAL (Natal), Dec. 16. The South African Minister of Justice (Mr Charles Swart) told a Convention Day ceremony that his Government has been compelled to take drastic steps to eradicate communism, “and we are going to do it. even if there is going to be criticism.” Since December 5, many people of all races have been arrested in South Africa on allegations of high treason, sedition and contravention of the Suppression of Communism and Riotous Assemblies Acts. Mr Swart said: “As Minister of Justice, I have received strict instructions to eradicate communism. I cannot disclose to the public the steps we intend to take for fear that the enemy will be put on his guard.” He said that the enemy had come from overseas to persuade many thousands of Africans to break the country’s laws.

Although Communism in its active form had been destroyed it had now taken a new form and was working undef the cloak of the idea that all people in the country were equal, he said. The Minister said that South Africa was fighting one of the gravest battles of her life and the eyes of the world were on her. The Communist world intended to do away with the white man in South Africa, he said. He expressed surprise that the Western nations—whom he expected to stand by South Africa al the United Nations —had voted with Russia against her. Convention Day, December 16, commemorates the victory of the early white settlers over a Zulu chief at the Blood river in 1838. Earlier, Mr Swart addressed a meeting of Zulu tribesmen. Appealing for support for his Government, he said: “Every individual, white or black, has a place in the South African sun. Each one of you has an important task to perform. “I know that people do wrong things, but we must be careful not to do the things which the devils from other countries tell us to do.” The South African Minister of Internal Affairs (Dr. Eban Donges) said today that at present there were about 600 people in the Union whose activi-

ties were being checked under the Suppression of Communism Act. Speaking at the Josephinasdal, Orange Free State, Covenant meeting, celebrating the Boers’ conquest of the Zulus in 1839, he said that the Communists had not been entirely eliminated. Dr. Donges said that South Africa is an ideal target strategically in the Soviet efforts to conquer the African continent. The Communist danger in South Africa should not be under-estimated. It was possibly more advanced than was generally realised, said Dr. Donges.