Govt won’t allow S.A. trade ban, says P.M.

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 1

Govt won’t allow S.A. trade ban, says P.M.

Wellington reporter

The Government was totally opposed to a ban on trade’ with South Africa, the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) told a postcaucus news conference yesterday.

It was the Government’s policy to trade with any country regardless of its internal politics, he said of a unanimous resolution at the Federation of Labour conference on Wednesday to ban trade with South Africa. Trade was New Zealand’s lifeblood, more so than almost any other country’s. “It has consistently been our policy to trade with any other’country: that includes the Soviet Union, Chile, Iran, and South Africa,” said Mr Muldoon.

The F.O.L. decision was inconsistent with the policies of black African nations themselves. In spite of their differences of opinion almost 50 African countries traded with South Africa to the value of $lOOO million annually. Mr Muldoon believed that the official Bank of Zambia had advised a Lusaka freight-forwarding company to buy as much as possible in South Africa because its goods were cheaper than elsewhere.

He had personally seen a train carrying goods from South Africa enter Zambia over the Victoria Falls bridge when he had been there last year for the Commonwealth heads-of-government meeting.

Trade was not the only contact between black African nations and South Africa. Zimbabwe continued to play in the Currie Cup rugby competition with South Africa, rugby players from Zimbabwe had participated in mixedrace trials to select the Springbok team, and one Zimbabwe player had played in the South African test against the visiting South Americans.

Although the British Lions were touring South Africa, the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe (Mr Mugabe), would allow the team to play against Zimbabwe in Salisbury. “How does that . fit in with Gleneagles?” Fasked Mr Muldoon. “I presume that Zimbabwe accepted the Gleneagles obligation upon becoming a member of the Commonwealth.” Mr Muldoon said New Zealand would adhere to its obligations under the Gleneagles agreement but it could be the “odd man out” in its opposition to a

proposed visit by . the Springboks next year. The South African Con-sul-General in Wellington (Mr P. R. Lindhorst) said the F.O.L.’s action was "terribly selective in view of the greater upset situations which have been created elsewhere in the world.” reports the Press Association. It appeared that there had been no mention of action against “a major Superpower” for its activity in Afghanistan. “I would have thought that should be given great priority,” said Mr Lindhorst.

Moves to isolate South Africa, or the boycotting of countries, seldom accomplished what they set out to do but caused damage to the people of both countries and frequently to third parties.

Mr' Lindhorst attributed the F.O.L. decision to the presence of Mr Zola Zembe, a banned South African trade unionist who had spoken to the conference.

In an earlier talk to the Manawatu Trades Council, Mr Zembe had made f a r-fetched allegations against South Africa. Mr Zembe was “out of date.” Black trade unions now had “equivalent rights” to white unions.

The director-general of the. Manufacturers’ Federation (Mr I. Douglas) said that while it was desirable to show New Zealand’s opposition to apartheid “surely we should find ways of doing so that do not penalise New Zealanders.” A trade ban might hurt New Zealand more than South Africa and that meant ultimately hurting New Zealand workers. New. Zealand statistics show that in 1978-79 New Zealand imported goods valued at more than $lO million from South Africa and exported goods valued at almost $6.5 million. The main imports were refined petroleum ($2.4M), vegetable oil (SI.2M), iron 'and steel rods, angles, etc.. ($730,519), oil seeds and fruit for vegetable-oil extraction ($704,537), pig and sponge iron, rerro-alloys, etc. ($499,918), crude minerals ($383,863), and medical and pharmaceutical products ($356,896). The main exports were wool and other animal hair (SI.7M), motor-ve-hicle parts and accessories ($657,402), edible vegetable products ($633,327), starches and glues ($508,922). and animal oils and fats, fish, butter, milk, and cream. i