Bomb Explosions In South Africa

Press, Volume C, Issue 29699, 18 December 1961, Page 17

Bomb Explosions In South Africa

<N.Z. Press Association— Copyright)

JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 17. Police stood guard on Government buildings in all major South African cities today after a series of night bombings rocked the country. Government offices, a post office, and an electrical substation were targets of the sabotage blasts in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. The bombings were believed to be the work of a new African underground movement fighting racial segregation, the Associated, Pres® reported.

One African was killed and another injured in one explosion at a municipal office in Dube, a Johannesburg African township. In Port Elizabeth one African was arrested after police disturbed a group sabotaging a power plant. Today police were on the alert in other cities, including Durban. Cape Town, Pretoria. and Bloemfontein. New Organisation The explosions followed the appearance of leaflets from a new African organisation calling itself “Unkonto We Sizwe" (Spear of the Nation). The leaflet urged "sabotage against Government installations. particularly those connected with apartheid and race discrimination.” It Said that “Unkonto We Sizwe” will carry on the struggle for freedom and democracy by new methods, and added: “Violence will no longer be met with non-violent resistance only.”

The Associated Press said the first explosion in the

Johannesburg area occurred just before night. It rocked the ppst office in the suburb of Fordsburg. tearing out an entrance labelled “whites only.” Next came an explosion at the municipal offices in Dube African township which killed one African and seriously injured another. In the early morning a series of explosions occurred at various places in segregated African townshios around Johannesburg. The main targets were Native Commissioners’ offices The Port Elizabeth disorders began about 9.30 last night when some Africans attempted to sabotage an imnortant electrical substation. One man was arrested, but the rest of the group escaped. The saboteurs threw explosives on to the plant grounds after forcing open the gate. Police then found 'hat some plant machinery had been short-circuited. Police guards were stationed around pos* offices in Johannesburg. Port Elizabeth. Durban. Cane Town. Pretoria and Bloemfontein Big police forces also combed through the African townships of Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth for the dynamite gangs.