Student Unrest In South Africa

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31782, 12 September 1968, Page 15

Student Unrest In South Africa

(N. Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) JOHANNESBURG, September 11. While university students in Johannesburg today demonstrated on their campus against alleged Government interference in academic affairs, two Cabinet Ministers gave a warning of strong action against the student unrest sweeping the country.

The Johannesburg municipal authority had refused permission for Witwatersrand University students to hold a street demonstration in protest against the suspension of about 200 students from the Africans - only University of Fort Hare, in the Eastern Cape. The Africans were suspended last week after refusing to end a sit-in. Almost at the same time, the Minister of Police (Mr Lourens Muller) repeated an earlier warning by the Prime Minister (Mr John Vorster) that steps would be taken, if necessary, against the young protesters. Soon afterwards, the Minister for Bantu Affairs (Mr Michael Botha) said the Government would not tolerate interference in the affairs of Fort Hare and its body of students.

Earlier today, the Government had announced the appointment of a judicial inquiry into South Africa’s white universities.

This will, among other things, look into the role students and student bodies can play in co-operation with academic authorities, in maintaining “a healthy spirit and code of conducts on the campuses of modern universities.”

In spite of Government threats, students at the English-language universities apparently intend to continue a nation-wide programme of protest against the Fort Hare suspensions.

They are planning to drive in convoy to Fort Hare for an interview wth the principal. and hold a torchlight vigil and mass teach-in at the Natal and Cape Town universities tomorrow.

The Fort Hare suspensions hav? increased student un-

rest, which has been smouldering since last month’s Government veto of the appointment of an African to Cape Town University’s lecturing staff. Those picketing on the Witwatersrand campus tonight bore placards reading “Their Freedom is Our Freedom” and “Who Next?” ‘‘Students regard the Eort Hare suspensions as one of the worst attacks on students for many years,” the president of the National Union of South African Students (Mr Duncan Innes) said today. “I have no doubt that South African students, generally, will launch a massive protest campaign for the rights of those students.”