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Press, Volume C, Issue 29469, 22 March 1961, Page 15

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Emotional Welcome CAPE TOWN, March 21. Solemn memorial services for 69 Africans killed when police fired on demonstrators at Sharpeville a year ago are being held throughout South Africa today. But large attendances are not expected because of a ban on the Pan-Africanist Congress and the African National Congress, the two main African political organisations. The Prime Minister <Dr. Verwoerd) may address Parliament in Cape Town today and possibly call a snap election. After emotional welcomes at Johannesburg and Cape Town on his return from London, he said in Cape Town late last night: “We shall try to bring together the English-speaking and Afri-kaans-speaking people in this country. “Whatever storm may break —perhaps in Parliament tomorrow—they will pass. But what will not pass are our efforts to achieve unity among ourselves.” Ten African political leaders were arrested before Dr. Verwoerd arrived. Nine of them are to appear in Court today, facing charges under the Suppression of Communism and Unlawful Organisations Acts. Associated Press said the welcoming ceremonies for Dr. Verwoerd yesterday had been criticised by his political opposition and by the opposition English-language newspapers as contrived and "well organised.” The Johannesburg “Rand Daily Mail” claimed in a front-page story today that to welcome Dr. Verwoerd. schoolchildren had been given the day off and “coached in singing.” More than 50,000 people greeted Dr. Verwoerd with hymns, prayers, banners and applause when he stepped

from a jet airliner at Johannesburg. South Africa would emerge stronger than ever before now that it had left the Commonwealth, Dr. Verwoerd said in Johannesburg. He told an airport crowd estimated at between 50,000 and 60,000 that South Africa had “released ourselves from the pressure of the AfroAsians who have been taking over the Commonwealth. “We are not prepared to let them dictate to us,” he said. “We did what God wanted us to.”

Last evening. 1000 men and women marched through the streets of Pietermaritzburg, the capital of Natal, and assembled in front of the City Hall as a protest against Dr. Verwoerd’s action in withdrawing South Africa from the Commonwealth. The marchers endorsed a resolution passed by the Pietermaritzburg City Council last week calling on the Government to resign. The crowd stood with heads bowed while a lone piper played a lament.