Barnard against ‘social apartheid’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34107, 20 March 1976, Page 15

Barnard against ‘social apartheid’

I (N Z P.A Reuter —Copyright) | ' LONDON, Marcli 19. I I I i The eminent South ( i African heart-trans-: plant surgeon, Dr( Christiaan Barnard,; says lie would like to' see ‘‘social apartheid” abolished in his conn-! try. !

In a British Broadcasting Corporation television interview Dr Barnard said he' believed that 80 per cent of white South Africans shared his views.

“Personally, I would like to see social apartheid completely abolished,” Dr Barnard said. “There should be the right to give blacks and Coloureds the opportunity to Teach any position.” Dr Barnard, who performed the world's first heart-transplant operation, is in London to promote his (first novel, ‘The Unwanted,” ■ which is the story of a iwh’te and non-white doctor •in South Africa. Dr Barnard said most white South Africans believed that change should come soon in South Africa. He also said that he believed that non-whites in South ,’frica would prefer to build a society with whites rather than alone.

’! Baboon heart > i > “On the whole, the black land brown South Africans I have witnessed what has I happened in other parts of , Africa, and most of them would choose to build a society with whites and not i build a society alone in ■ South Africa.” he said. Dr Barnard said he hoped Ito transplant a baboon’s heart into a human patient in a pioneer operation this year. The patient’s heart > I would not be removed, but ■would be allowed to rest ;whik the body functioned (on the baboon’s heart. He said he hoped to retire iin two years. He had no 'plans to become a politician. I