S.A. ‘genuinely shocks’ unionists

Press, 22 July 1986, Page 10

S.A. ‘genuinely shocks’ unionists

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg International trade union leaders said yesterday that they were shocked by the plight of detained South African colleagues. The head of a 12-person delegation from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, John Vanderveken said the union leaders had been given a comprehensive account of the “grim realities” facing the union movement in South Africa.

Mr Vanderveken said: “The plight of detainees was uppermost in the delegation’s concern. “The picture painted by the first-hand accounts given to the delegation — in many cases by the released detainees — has proved genuinely shocking.”

He said working people throughout the world should press for change in

South Africa. The I.C.F.T.U. is an umbrella body for labour federations in 99 countries with 82 million members.

This report has been censored on legal advice to remove sections which could contravene stringent emergency press curbs. The regulations forbid calls for economic sanctions against South Africa or reports of security force actions.

Mr Vanderveken said he knew of 269 unionists held under the emergency imposed five weeks ago in a bid to stamp out black protest violence.

The labour leaders from Europe and the United States held an hour’s talks with Bishop Desmond Tutu, a vocal opponent of apartheid, who was to meet President Pieter Botha in Pretoria for the second time since the state of emergency was The bishop, who iheld a

farewell service in Johannesburg yesterday before taking up his new post as Archbishop of Cape Town in September, said he was hopeful. He said he wanted the state of emergency lifted, the release of political leaders and negotiations with authentic black representatives. His meeting with Mr Botha last month did not produce a result, although Bishop Tutu said the talks were surprisingly friendly. A British union chief, Norman Willis, said the most vivid sights of his three-day visit were the hostels for migrant workers in Johannesburg’s black townships of Soweto and Alexandra. He had seen men who spent 26 years in single men’s hostels “in which I would not be prepared to spend a single night Those conditions are for animals. They are kennels, not homes.”

Mr Willis said in a telephone interview that he and the other members of the delegation were surrounded while examining living conditions in Alexandra. Three television crews and a number of newspaper journalists accompanied them, and security forces had been “extremely displeased” at the presence of reporters in the township, he said. “We looked at houses, and then went on to a particularly dreadful feature — a hostel for single men in the form of a tin hut with apparently no facilities and bare beds,” he said.

“While we were inside we were warned that one of the big army carriers, nicknamed ‘hippos’ and carrying 25 soldiers, had arrived outside.

“The organisers suggested to the press that they stay inside, and we out,” Mr Willis said.

“We were prevented from going anywhere for half an hour and we were clearly under guard.”

Mr Willis said he and a British transport union leader, Ron Todd, were asked by the soldiers if they were reporters.

After the union leaders drove off they were stopped again about Ikm away and warned by a security force lieutenant that if they wished to visit the township again, they could not do so without permission.

“He said he had been sent to escort us out of Alexandra. The whole situation got extremely heavy and we left”

Mr Willis said he had telephoned the Press Association because he was concerned the full facts would not emerge due to South African reporting restrictions on the activities of the security forties. ;