Troops Alerted For S.A. Republic Day

Press, Volume C, Issue 29520, 23 May 1961, Page 15

Troops Alerted For S.A. Republic Day

(A/ Z P.A .-Reuter—Copy rig nt)

JOHANNESBURG, May 22

Territorial troops are being called upland police are raiding African townships as a precaution against outbreaks of trouble when the Union of South Africa becomes a republic on Mav 31.

Several hundred Africans have been detained by the police in the Pretoria area but it is not possible to learn the number of arrests throughout the country because officials refuse to divulge the figures. The Defence Minister (Mr Jim Fouche) will give full details in Parliament today of the call-up of territorials. Men of two Cape Town citizen force regjments, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles and the Queen's Own Cape Town Highlanders, have been told to report to headquarters this morning with full equipment. The call-up is not general, although certain regiments in all four provinces have been alerted.

If the call-up becomes extensive, banks, insurance companies and other business

houses employing young men will probably be affected as the average age of the citizen forces is 21.

The call-up. affecting all 10 of South Africa's military command areas, has been described as one of the biggest moves of its kind ever enforced in the country in peacetime. It is far bigger than during the Sharpeville emergency last year.

Military camps are being established in Johannesburg. Pretoria. Bloemfontein. Port Elizabeth, and other strategic centres. A commando unit will be based at Jan Smuts Airport, near Johannesburg, from tdoay. Oil terminals, industrial plants and broadcasting stations are also expected to be guarded. Police say that if there are

demonstrations, they will most likely be at Pretoria, where Mr Charles Swart is to be sworn in as president. Forty-seven prominent citizens of Cape Town, representing all races and all walks of life, last night issued a cal! for a multi-racial convention to work out a “new deal” constitution for South Africa. The statement said; “Farreaching changes will have to be made before South Africa can recover the esteem of other nations and achieve internal harmony and conditions for sustained economic progress.

“South Africa needs a new deal but no reforms will avail to attain the ends mentioned unless they are based on the consent of all races. "Such consent cannot be forthcoming unless the freely elected representatives of all participate in drawing up a reformed constitution.” Police arrested three people in an early morning swoop today after the discovery of explosives tn Johannesburg and in the Western Transvaal.

An investigation was berg made throughout the Union following the discovery The men were believed to be members of an English patriotic organisation. ,