Protests bring city to standstill

Press, 25 September 1989, Page 10

Protests bring city to standstill

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg Three people were reported hurt and more than 150 arrested in Pretoria on a day of protest marches and clashes between rival political groups that brought the South African capital to a standstill. A huge police operation on Saturday thwarted attempts by thousands of women to march on the Union Buildings, seat of the white minority Government, to protest at President F. W. de Klerk's apartheid policies. Witnesses said baton-wielding police ' beat women outside the Government buildings and again when they took refuge in an office in the city centre. Pretoria was also the scene on Saturday of two rallies by separate neo-Nazi movements. Scuffles broke out betweeen black onlookers and khaki-clad members of a white supremacist movement at one of the demonstrations. Radio South Africa said a total of 154 people were arrested and three people hurt. The police said those arrested were released shortly afterwards following “preventative action” against the illegal rally. The radio said stones and bottles were tossed at police and a large number of people arrested near where Winnie Mandela, wife of the detained black nationalist leader, Nelson Mandela, made an appearance. , „ , The Minister of Law and Order, Mr Adriaan Vlok, who was at the scene, said he was pleased with the police operation and promised to keep an open mind about future applications for protest marches.