U.K. ACCUSED ABOUT S.A.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31237, 8 December 1966, Page 21

U.K. ACCUSED ABOUT S.A.

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

NEW YORK, December 7.

Britain was accused in .the United Nations today of subordinating the deaths of black South Africans to the salvation of its currency.

A South African Nationalist leader, Mr A. B. Ngcobo, told the 121-na-tion special political committee that trade by Britain and other Western countries with South Africa amounted to complicity with the racial policy of apartheid. “We now know that whether our people die or

not, it is immaterial to Britain, for our death means the salvation of their currency,* he said. Mr Ngcobo, treasurer-genu'-ral of the Pan-Africanist Con gress of South Africa, salt* Britain, the United States, West Germany, Japan, Italy Belgium and France did $1467 million worth of trade with South Africa in the first 10 months of last year, and most of them enjoyed a favourable trading balance. “Two Societies”

Such “connivance" at apartheid led him to ask: “Are the Western nations trying to divide the world into two societies based on race and colour?”

The Nationalist spokesman, granted special permission to address the committee during its debate on apartheid, said South Africa’s racial policy meant to some countries merely the chance of scoring debating points in international law. To black Africans it meant starvation, persecution, gaol, torture, degradation and submission to such public notices as “dogs and natives not allowed.”

Racial Conflict For Morocco, Mr Ahmed Benaboud warned that unless the South African “racists” realised before it was too late that force of arms was no match for the forces of right there would be a “violent racial conflict.” Pressure was mounting and would surely blow up the Pretoria regime one day, he said.

Mr Ngcobo joined AfroAsian countries in requesting punitive economic measures against South Africa to cure its apartheid policies. A formal resolution by Guinea embodying the proposals was expected to be tabled tomorrow in the special political committee.

Speaking before the South African Nationalist spokesman, the Iranian delegate, Mr Mohammad Ali-Ansari, dubbed apartheid a “suicidal” policy for the white minority in South Africa.