Migrant From South Africa Discusses Racial Troubles

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29220, 2 June 1960, Page 14

Migrant From South Africa Discusses Racial Troubles

(New Zealand. Press Association)

DUNEDIN, June 1.

“Every man in Africa should have two wives—one white and one black. That is the only way the continent can solve its racial troubles.” This was said today by a South African, Mr W J Schonknecht, who has come to New Zealand because he says he wants to bring up his children in the "cleaner” atmosphere of this country. Mr Schonknecht was in the motor-ship Newcastle Star, which berthed today at Dunedin direct from African ports. He is a draughtsman and town planner who is to join the Ministry of Works in Wellington. His wife and two children are to follow him to New Zealand. Born in Cape Province, he has lived much of his life in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia, where he was employed by the municipal administration.

With its heat and atmosphere created by a number of races together, Africa was no place in which to bring up children, Mr Schonknecht said. Southern Rhodesia might have adopted a partnership plan, but the unhappy atmosphere remained.

Other factors had helped decide the matter. The scorching heat of central Africa and a desire to live again by the sea were arguments against staying in the “shut-in” interior of the continent.

Recent Rioting In Johannesburg and Cape Town he had seen something of the recent rioting, he said. It was not the common native who was responsible for the trouble The educated or partly educated black and the purely subversive Communist element caused the flare-ups The natives were led on, and unfortunately it usually was they who suffered the casualties.

He believed, he said, that ultimately all the races of Africa would reach a stage of peaceful existence together The light in which all African ramal affairs should be viewed. Mr Schonknecht said, was that South Africa had still to make its decision on when and how. if at all. it integrated the races. Af s ica ' with its vaster natives, had crossed the Part r- Under toe United Government it had embraced integration. There was la «—integration was immediate. And once it had

been pronounced there was no turning back Even now the whites were looking about them to see who voted the Government into power. They were beginning to ask whether the immediate move, without further gradual education of the natives, was wise. “Nothing To Offer”

The unfortunate part of the whole racial situation was that the whites had nothing to offer either the coloured races or the natives. In fact, if anything, the blacks and coloured races had more to offer the whites. Within these races there was great community of interest and friendliness. One native looked on the other as his ’’brother.” and the same applied to the Indians and other races. They found the Christianity the missionaries taught was hollow. It called for brotherhood of races, but the native found that even within the white race there was no brotherhood or natural friendliness.