Tough line likely with S. African students

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33068, 8 November 1972, Page 26

Tough line likely with S. African students

(By

JEREMY TOYE,

E'.Z.P. A.-Reuter correspondent)

JOHANNESBURG.

The conflict between South African students and the Government, which erupted into clashes with police in June, is still simmering.

It has led to court acquittals of people charged in the disturbances, but there have been renewed threats by the authorities of similar tough action if demonstrations occur again.

Five university centres in South Africa have witnessed police action involving the use of batons, tear-gas and dogs — against students demonstrating originally against the unfair effects of aparthied in education.

Of more than 600 people arrested during the 10-day period in June, only two have been found guilty by a court, although 36 are still waiting to be tried. JUDICIAL DEFENCE

Last week, convictions were quashed by the Supreme Court in Cape Town against 14 people in connection with one of the incidents, in Cape Town itself on June 5. This week, the Attorney-General has announced that 45 others arrested on the same day will not have charges against them pressed. In his Supreme Court judgment, Mr Justice Van Zijl ruled on a technical interpretation of the Riotous Assemblies Act.

But he went on to say that: "Free assembly is a most important right, for it is generally only organised public opinion that carries weight, and it is extremely difficult to organise it if there is no right of public assembly.” He said that Parliament guarded these rights jealosly, for they were part of the very foundation upon which Parliament itself rested. MINISTERIAL VENOM Yet it is Cabinet Ministers themselves who have undoubtedly led the campaign against the students; the Prime Minister (Mr Vorster), at one stage even turned on the normally obedient Afrikaner students, labelling as “spineless” those who suggested mild support for their English-speaking colleagues. The Cape Town judgment,

plus the acquittal—again on a technicality—of 38 students in Johannesburg on similar charges two days later, prompted Mr Marais Viljoen, the Minister of Labour, to accuse students at the universities of Cape Town and Witwatersrand of being "internal terrorists” who wanted to "hijack,” the Nationalist Government. Students’ activities in South Africa had followed a wellestablished pattern imported from abroad, he said.

“They collide with the police and then get the press to treat it as police brutality ... for the truncheons that were used in Cape Town and Johannesburg, I do not apologise and we will do it against them again.” PARTY “HYPOCRITICAL” The student council at Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg, reacted sharply to this: “Not only does he ignore a recent Supreme Court judgment which declared peaceful gatherings to be the right of democracy—a concept which the National Party continually stresses — he further discards any opposition to the National Party as ‘international terrorism’.” Statements similar to Mr Viljoen’s have been repeated at regular intervals since the June incidents. Significantly, they are often made at party rallies, to a background of cheering faithful, and the prospect of by-elections next month may have had much to do with the latest outbursts. But for the students themselves, there has been little or no attempt to provoke a confrontation with police. Their campaign has switched to one of petitioning and indoor meetings. "Free education for all” began to appear on lapel buttons rather than demo, posters. The only real exception was when Cape Town students attempted to hold a token protest in August on the steps of St George’s Cathedral — the focal point of the June clashes. But the planned demonstration, to mark a civil-

rights week, was immediately banned. The handful who did turn up were taken away by police — and there was no hint of violence. Similarly, very minor token protests in Johannesburg nave been virtually ignored by police. The idea of demonstrations is still there among students, however — perhaps kept there by the Ministerial statements and many trials. “STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY” A student leader. Miss Jenny Cunningham, acquitted in the Johannesburg case after telling the Court that she suffered concussion as a result of a police charge on Wits campus, told her fellow students outside the courtroom: “Whilst we have got off, we must very carefully examine what rights are left to people to protest in this country. There is firm resolve among the students today that they will never suppress that spirit of protest, because it is our responsibility that it continues.” The “Rand Daily Mail,” which fiercely opposes Gov-

emment policy on such matters, tried to analyse I what often appears to be i over-reaction on the part of the Government. “The Government abhors criticism,” it said. "It feels j I inclined to tolerate only such , I degree of opposition as it j believes to be ineffectual . . . lit is quite determined to put 'down everything that smacks .of effective protest.” I When such protest comes from people with long hair. , invariably speaking English ■ and charged with lofty ideals, the reaction is all the more ; vigorous. i So that in spite of the (Cape Town ruling on free- • dom of assembly, there is every likelihood that any effort to organise anything more than a token protest will be met first with a Gov- ' emment ban, and then, if that is ignored, with force.