African exile makes plea against tour

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 5

African exile makes plea against tour

Makgolo Makgolo has made a personal plea against the proposed All Black tour to South Africa this year for the sake of his people. A political exile from his homeland since the 1976 Soweto uprisings, Mr Makgolo was in Christchurch yesterday as part of a national speaking campaign against the tour.

He is a member of the Black Conscious Movement of Azania (Africa) and vows that his struggle against apartheid will never stop until his people are freed. “My conscience would never allow me to keep quiet about the situation in my country. I will always be proud of my country and I will fight until I can return there,” he said. Mr Makgolo is concerned about the plight of his people. In spite of being a majority race they remain oppressed and many have died in the cause of “freedom.”

“We don’t expect people to come to our country for entertainment when our people are mourning.”

He claims that some Springbok team players have been active in South Africa’s defence force and police force. "I can’t imagine New Zealanders going to play sport with murderers. Noone has a conscience who can play with murderers,” he said.

He dismisses arguments that sports contacts with South Africa would improve international relationships

with the country. “That argument is totally irrelevant. If a Government cannot build bridges between its own people, how can it expect to build bridges between people from other countries?” A racist Government felt isolated and struggled hard to have contact with the outside world, he said. If the New Zealand Rugby Union went ahead with the tour the South African Government was likely to use that as propaganda supporting apartheid. South Africa’s apartheid system affected countries all over the world, as was seen during the 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand, he said. “If it were not for an apartheid system those disruptions would not have happened. If this tour goes ahead, peace will be upset

again because of the system. The only way to prevent further disruption is by stopping the tour,” he said. Touring All Blacks could be assured of a less-than-welcome reception from South African blacks. Protests would be likely as well as refusals to play sport with them, Mr Makgolo said. Maoris would be regarded as “honorary whites.” "I don’t think there is anyone who would want to be an honorary anything.” But again, Mr Makgolo’s prime concern is for the welfare of his people. Since his exile nine years ago he has been expressing their plight throughout New Zealand and Australia.

A post-graduate student in archeology, Mr Makgolo was brought to New Zealand for three years by the New Zealand University Students’ Association South African Trust, a body which relies heavily on public donations.

Mr Makgolo has been encouraged by the support on his tour of the universities. His speeches are preceded by the controversial New Zealand film, “Patu,” which depicts the 1981 Springbok tour riots.

“ ‘Patu’ is significant not only for the history of New Zealand but for our own history in the future. To see the extent of what people outside our country have sacrificed for our freedom is well illustrated in the film,” Mr Makgolo said.

He considers “Patu” the best documentary of its kind he has seen.