Transkei to build airport to bring in foreign troops

Press, 17 April 1978, Page 9

Transkei to build airport to bring in foreign troops

NZPA-Reuter

Johannesburg

I ranskei—dubbed “the loneliest State in the world” after its break last week with South Africa—is to build an international airport to help bring in foreign troops and arms, the Prime Minister (Chief Kaiser Matanzima! has said.

Chief Matanzima broke off diplomatic relations with South Africa over a landclaim dispute last Monday. He said the airport and a proposed harbour which is to be built by a French consortium meant “arms and troops from other countries” could be brought to Transkei without touching South African soil. Chief Matanzima did not elaborate where the troops would come from. He was speaking at a public meeting at Ramohlakoane black township near the white town of Matatiele, which is In the area claimed bv Transkei.

After inspecting a guard of honour of the fledgling Transkei Army, he said that Transkei wanted peaceful relations with its neighbours

but could not allow itself to oe cheated of land and its people’s rights. “The days of ’baaskapism’ (Afrikaans for a master-

slave relationship) are over no matter what Mr Vorster may say,” Chief Matanzima said, referring to the South African Prime Minister (Mr John Vorster). Describing Transkei as “under-developed but progressive,” he said the world had been fed distorted information about it. But he added: “Our application to duty and our determination to stand our ground are gradually attracting world interest.”

Transkei was the first of South Africa’s nine black homelands to be proclaimed fully independent 18 months ago as part of the apartheid .policy of separate development of the races. South Africa is the only country to have recognised Transkei independence. In a statement to Parliament announcing the break with South Africa last week, Chief Matanzima said the main reason for it 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 longer take it. We have been compelled to join the liberation movements and claim the whole of South Africa as belonging to blacks and whites, with blacks controlling the majority.”

South Africa’s “brutal” decision on East Griqualand was “a declaration of war against Transkei,” he said. Expecting South Africa to cut its aid to Transkei (South Africa provided more than half the 1977-78 Budget of SUS 274 million), Chief Matanzima appealed to the West for help. The United States, however, said it did not recognise Transkei as an independent „tate and would not change that policv.