Pass System Extended To African Women

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29273, 3 August 1960, Page 13

Pass System Extended To African Women

PRETORIA, August 2. All African women over the age of 16 will be required to carry reference books (passes) from December 1.

It was an anti-pass campaign begun by the Pan-Africanist Congress which led to the police shooting at Sharpeville in March, when 67 Africans died, and to riots in other parts of the country. The announcement that all African women must carry passes was made today by the Minister for Bantu Administration and Development, Mr de Wet Nel. A spokesman for the Department of Bantu Administration said reference books already had been issued to all African women over 16. The African women had accepted the books voluntarily. “Because women accepted reference books it is now officially promulgated as from December 1 that all over the age of 16 will be required as in the case of Bantu (African) males to be in possession of reference books,” he said.

South Africa’s pass laws, under which Africans must carry reference books, were designed to prevent an influx of Africans into urban areas and unemployment Demands by police to see passes, and arrests for their nonpossession, were ' suspended on March 26, this year, after the riots of that week. The Defence Minister (Mr Erasmus) announced on April 6 that police were again authorised to ask for passes. Spokesmen for the African National Congress have said that passes made slaves out of the Africans and restricted their movements. Former Chief Albert Luthuli, president-general of the Congress, who publicly burned his pass, was arrested on March 30 on charges of inciting Africans to burn their passes. The South African Leader of the Opposition, Sir de Villiers Graaf, is "gravely concerned” over steps taken by the Ghana Government to boycott South African goods. He appealed to the South African Government to immediately take all necessary steps to protect the country’s rights under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

In a press statement yesterday Sir de Villiers Graaf said that in his opinion article 21 of G.A.T.T. (which provides for action against international de-

linquents) was no justification “for this arbitrary step’’ by Ghana.

If followed by other member countries this could have a most serious effect on the stability of international agreements and international trade. The stand taken by Ghana was distinctly contrary to the spirit of the Charter, which was the basis of the United Nations as a whole. He said: “Such arbitrary action can be in fact interpreted as a repudiation by Ghana of her obligation to maintain international peace and security and should be strongly opposed by all G.A.T.T. members.”