International Homeland cuts South Africa ties, back libesration group

Press, 12 April 1978, Page 8

International Homeland cuts South Africa ties, back libesration group

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg Political analysts are split on whether South Africa will take a hard or soft line after Transkei, the black homeland Pretoria created, suddenly severed relations with it.

Transkei, internationally ’ cold-shouldered as a product of apartheid, on Monday broke off diplomatic relations with South Africa, the only country in the world to have recognised it, and one on whom it has been heavily dependent financially. The black homeland was granted independence by South Africa in October,! 1976. Some political analysts! thought the South African ( Prime Minister (Mr John! Vorster) may withdraw; economic support from the homeland, but such a move could have far-reaching effects on the already impov-J perished lives of its inhabitants. Others felt that Mr Vor;ster was more likely to play; down the whole issue, hop-; i ing that the Transkei would 1 reconsider its position. Under its apartheid policy;

of race segregation, South i Africa is creating a series of! black States within its holders with the aim of retain-; ing 87 per cent of the land! for whites. In a statement to Parlia-| ment, the Transkei Prime Minister (Chief Kaiser Matanzima) said the main reason for the break in relations was South Africa’s refusal to hand over a strip of land called East Griqualand, which has recently been made part of Natal province in South Africa. Chief Matanzima said: “We were treated with contempt. Hence we can no 1 longer take it. We have been! compelled to join the liber-; ition movements and claim [, the whole of South Africa as belonging to blacks and’ vhites, with blacks con- ’ Tolling the majority.” j The chief went on: "We,i ire going to propagate i

majority rule in southen Africa. From now, hence • forth, this will be the fund |amental policy of ou ; struggle for liberation.” I South Africa’s “brutal [decision on East Griqualani was “a declaration of wa against Transkei,” he said. “Knowing the strength o South Africa militarily Transkei will bide its time before taking up arms to re cover the land that has beer cynically raped from it.” After announcing the dip lomatic break, Chief Matan zima told the hushed House of Assembly that it was “just the beginning.” The Opposition leader Cromwell Diko, rushed out of the Assembly after the Prime Minister and pumped his hand, saying: “This is what I have always wanted.” At a brief press conference later, Chief Matanzima emphasised that he had not

iisaid anything about agree -'ments between Transkei anc -[South Africa. At this stage -|he was speaking only about I diplomatic links and the re’[call of diplomatic staffs. 11 which would be done by • April 30, he said. Chief Matanzima said that ' Mr Diko had criticised the Transkei Government for not declaring a conventional war on South Africa. “I am sure he does not wan-t us to underestimate his intelligence. He is advised to come forward for military training first.” Political analysts say Mr Vorster may in the long term offer to reconsider his country’s decision on East Griqua. land, believing the concession to be a small price to pay to solve the embarrassing rift with the homeland. ' Chief Matanzima has long ; been considered by Opposijtion groups within Transkei i to have been too soft on the South African Government, and many observers believe! internal pressures played an important role in his decision to make the break. He said in his statement that he expected South Africa to do everything to ostracise Transkei and apply sanctions against it, including withdrawal of financial aid.

Transkei vould accept aid i from any country- that offered : it, the Prime Minister said. Britain, he said, was obliged ■ to assist since the Transkei . was their former colony. Although Chief Matanzima said that the Transkei Army was preparing for military ■ confrontation With South Africa, Mr Vorster was thought unlikely to pay much attention to such a threat. Transkei, home of the Xhosa nation, was the first of South Africa’s nine black homelands to be made inde-j pendent. Bophuthatswana, I the Tswana homeland, has' since followed. Covering an area of 41,000 square kilometres Transkei is i bigger than the Netherlands, and twice the size of Israel. But its two million popula- [ it ion represents only half of , the Xhosa people. The rest [ live and work in white South Africa. The citizenship rights of Xhosas outside Transkei ’ have been another point of! dispute between the two Governments. South Africa maintains that all Xhosas — whether or not they live in South Africa , — lost their South African ‘ citizenship and became Tran- I skeians with the act of inde- ' pendence. Transkei says citi- ; zenship should be optional. ,