Kruger warns S.A.: Prepare for more attacks

Press, 26 November 1977, Page 8

Kruger warns S.A.: Prepare for more attacks

' NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg ] The South African Justice ' Minister (Mr James Kruger) f has warned South Africans (to .prepare themselves for more urban guerrilla attacks after the bombing of a central Johannesburg shopping complex which injured 16 people. The blast in the city’s] ] underground Carlton Centre blew out windows and shop j fronts but did no structural | damage to the complex. The Education Minister] , (Mr Peit Koornhof) told a' ' private meeting that the! I Government had been ex- ] pecting such attacks since] its purge of black organisa-' tions last month. The Government closed] ■ down two black newspapers;! detained scores of black; leaders, and outlawed 18: black organisations. Mr Kruger said the bomb'

> blast proved that the Gov- ; ernment’s action was fully )jjustified. He said that the s republic’s enemies were very determined and would be T certain to strike again in the near future. The bombing was the i, second at the Carlton Centre in less than a year, l.ast De- ; (cember a young black lost - an arm when a bomb he was >; carrying into a beer hall | there exploded. Mr Kruger said it was (very difficult to say if the I explosion had been timed to ■; coincide with the run-up to ] the South African General '(Election next Wednesday. | The police say they have I uncovered a number of guerl| rilla cells in South Africa in '(recent months, and Mr Kru;]ger has accused neighbour-; 1: ing States of training young ' biacks from the republic in >'guerrilla warfare.