Much Of Johannesburg Declared ‘White Area’

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29800, 17 April 1962, Page 15

Much Of Johannesburg Declared ‘White Area’

(N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) LONDON, April 16. The South African Government had declared most of the Johannesburg municipality a “white area” in one of its most sweeping decrees under group areas legislation, the “Guardian” reported. The result would be that many thousands of coloureds and Indians living and trading there would have to move from their homes and businesses. The proclamation, just issued, gave non-whites one year’s grace, after which they would not be allowed to remain without Government permission.

The report said Johannesburg municipal spokesmen considered the Government’s action drastic and premature, because no provision existed for adequate rehousing of displaced communities. The worst hit would be the Indians, who feared the loss of residential rights and means of livelihood established over many years. The proclamation would at first affect about 14,000 Indians and 20,000 coloureds, but would -ultimately affect double those numbers, the report said. Reuter reported from

Johannesburg that toe proclamation did not specify those areas of the city where the bulk of Johannesburg's 40,000 coloureds and 28,000 Indians live.

These were a section, just west of the city centre, where toe main meat and vegetable markets were situated, and another on the eastern outskirts.

Johannesburg City Council officials said that because of the detailed nature of toe proclamation, it would take several days to examine the position and find the exact areas and streets which nonwhites would have to leave. One Johannesburg city offi-

cial said toe proclamation could lead to chaos as the provision of housing in prescribed coloured areas, to which the proclamation makes small extensions, was only now starting in earnest.

He said that there would ■be “adequate housing” for them in “two years’ time ’’ An Indian township has for some time been under development at Lenasia. about 20 miles from the centre of Johannesburg