South Africa

Press, 24 September 1988, Page 24

South Africa

Sir,—l accept much of what lan Dimbleby said about the need to educate (September 12) but, in regard to humanitarian feelings, the Boer Government treated its natives like the Romans, who cared for their slaves only when they cost too much money to replace. When Harold Macmillan warned of “the wind of change blowing through Africa,” as the world moved towards improving human rights, the Pretoria Gov-

ernment went into reverse and is now paying for its mistakes. First, it alienated the moderates and then, when they turned round and made concessions in recent years, these appeared to have been extracted by force or threat of force, which made the blacks feel that force was the only weapon left to them. In other words, the reforms were too little and too late. Finally, when lan Dimbleby mentions “radicals and reasonable people,” who does he classify as “reasonable” and in whose eyes? — Yours, etc., VERNON WILKINSON. September 18, 1988.