MEETING THE CHALLENGE‘V it ar> N c E M new constitution b a o La n will entrench apartheid vx ; ahTa domr.atio".. No to «f>» Koo—-*is' bwi arh<* anil deprive more a*d mon Afncan people of ther- beThnght Y ES tc tS* United D *t-o cT jc Front (DDF) , and |ivf fT our full support wi in iffutu to t«K-a our peopb in the- fight ■gains: the eonC-tLtior, and Koor- nhof * t l b U D f Declaration

In rao r- ; v«*e«$ thousands of ftude- 3 on carrpuass around the count-. tw t erxJoTed these K T .;- « ' 3 w itf. C » - H Jiatures The The fejnching of the UDF M illion _ Signat-re Campaign or, campuaes by N USAS has g «^ students an opp­ortunity to a ip m their rejection of A sa rh e id and euspon for the UDF s aims of a united, non-racia’ S .A .- «**wre democracy , justioe and peace ye va i!.

But 0u' commitment must be . ongoing Signing against apa'theid mould be the sta"! o‘ a process in which * * « stuae'.o invalve Our­selves in changing South A frica.

We do this by involving OuTetves in the **D'k of the UD F. by w orkin j in the NUSAS organ­isations on campus It a through ongoing involvement in Our org­anisations that we as students can meet the challenge of change.

In Tight of the NUSAS theme STU D EN TS M EETIN G TH E C H A LLEN G E ' O F C H A N G E- the UDF Signatunt campaign rep­resents a particularly important •vent. In this pamphlet we aim to examine the importance of the UDF for students and their involvement in tfianging South A frica.

JANUARY 23,19*3Of Ato* Boesak ceBs lor the formation of a United Democratic Front to bring mgettw organisations to fiaht the government's 'new deeT - .R a g iw ! UDF's formed in Natal, Tranevael end Western Cape. -- -

AUGUST 20,1963. ’ - . ' • . t - :More ttian 2 000 dalsgaai from more than 400 organisations oooverga it RoddwK) Civic Centre in Mitchell Plain. Cape Town to form the United Dniiuo a tK Front and adopt its declaration. That evening a further 12 000 paopte erended a pecker! mast rety to mark the launching of the UDF. R aly addressed by newly elected UDF president Archie Gumeda and Patron Or A b e Boesek who »0s the crowd:

• |Be era doing srfiat we are doing not becajee we are while or black, we ere doing whet wa era doing bwvuee it b right.'

UDF bailed es the noet signifv development in South Africa formore *»an 20 years, cms. ment all over the country.

SEPTEMBER 1#83.The UDF conducts a ft- -»tul boycott campaign against Management oomrruTtaft elections. The r mmir ve ft form of apartheid local »<thority forCoioured communn* A ' . . j r campaigning - average poll of less than

121

OCTOBER 1983gas in widespread brutality while trying to suppress

a bus boycott. Thousands detained end tortured, UDF holds meetings and nffia around tfte country to draw national and international attention to the pfi#<t of the people of the border region.

NOVEMBER 1883* In I i in n ie to fee government's *Vrhias only" referendum to decide on the m w constitution, the UDF holds the People's Weekend. AD over the

of people come together at meetings, tallies and

MAKE XJURMARK a g a in s t .-. APARTHEID"/-

•towns e t *m y

concerts. The common meesage wes that eo constitution would be accept . ebb unless It was decided on by an South Africans together.* AB over the country UDF mobilises thousands of people egamr the

community council elections. Polls as loo as 0,2 percent reflect a w e reaction of the "new deel” and support for UDF.

* Government attempts to step up its apathad policy through increased removals and raeettloment draws sharpreeponeefrom UDF. UDF imefcad in action against removals ftt Mogops in Transvael. against the planned destruction of Croearocdi squattar camp m Cape Town, end ageme the plenned incorporation of Lamontvile in® Kaa Zulu in Natal. UDF raeffimu the demasd for a single, undivided South Africa.

* PW Both* steps up the wooing of NetaTs Indian Community by hoidxig a pubfcc meeting in Durban. In reaponeethe Maul Indian Congress, a UDF affiliate, dram B 000 people to a meetag on the same night. Rsiechon of government attempts to woo Indians eico maintaining aparthe* and support for the UDF were dominant themes

DECEMBER 17,18, 1983.UDF holds second national confer once in Port Elizabeth, with mot than 600 orgenisations represented. Assessment reflects major gains in campaign against constitution and Koornhof Bills. Mary n ew organisations have joined the UDF and organisation has been extended to outlying areas. Three *ift)Or tasks h ie been identified:* To coBeet one million signatures against ^ertheid and in support of UDF.

To oppoa the Au^jst elections to aepaaa Coloured and Indian c by promoting a boycott.

* To campaign actively against the planned extension of conscription to Coloureds and Indiana.

JANUARY 21.1984UDF Million Signatures Campari launched in Pretoria.

FEBRUARY , MARCH. APRIL. 1984Thousands of agnatures pour In as UDF workers aka signature fores to wary comer of the country. More then 100 000 collected by April 30ft.

NUSAS 1984I

• — — Lmo*t JO* Nations *vo*c-~y S tcm ry *Htmr xaempr (uO f t v on* A.x> » Bormn fo nrmr **/SAS 0«« no* or* UO Xtfon LracuC**

■L No to Constitutional Proposals_ ____ thousands ofaaadarrp on our campusaa haw put

I to the UDF S ta tu re___ forms. They h m joined

_____ t a n 100 000 South Africansw*e t a i elreecty “made their mar* I ^ r h 9 t n J W O . i w r y t n o u s a n a s

awee. both on and off campus, will aan a w tha eoming a n k l at UDF ■a mm to reach hi target of 1 mill- i n q n u n i .

By svning we record a loud NO tc ®artheid in the form of the new m rc —to n and Koomhof Bills. We rm--r r'. a loud YES to the UDF in its b j c : for a non-rec'ial democratic Satth Africa.

Tne NUSAS theme, "Students U a .B y the Challenge of Change". \ r jB t f students to involve ou reelves r tw process of changing our treated country. The enthusiastic

to the UDF signatures on campus has shown that

as avhrs students we are prepared to m s : tie challenges, ushering in an exiting new ere of student history.

The government managed to dupe M i< n n of white voters who

bad been oppoeed to Apartheid into • o u t far the proposals in November2, W .

T h a t people voted YES in the be'*‘ t « t the proposals were "a E E In the right direction". Perhaps the b K tostimony to the true nature of ihe poposals can be found in the mMiva lumber of right wing supp- or a n who voted yes' in the referen- dcn . More than half of the C P

i votao yes'. Right wingers ‘yes' because they mere I by the government that the

G~aup Areas Act. sepa'ate Educat­o r and segregated political srjctirres would remain intact. They vcaes yes because they were— m iJ that white domination w o u ii ram in unseated.

ApaTwid is the basis of thejw-3>3«s

* Separate voters rolls. sepa'ate pari- laments. *parete schools, separate

.communities and aeparate "home­lands" are a(l entrenched in the new constitution. < •

* Coloureds and Indians are given a vote for a parliament whose legis­lative powers are ultimately mean- ingle* against the combined weight of the white chamber (the ratio, remember, is 4 whites to 2 coloureds, id 1 Indian), the NP dominated President s Council and the axtaran* powers of the Exec­utive State Presdent. In return for this "vote" P.W. Botha has inform­ed them that they can expect to be conscripted into the SADF.

* A fricans have been system atically excluded from any participation in government by the new constitut­ion . A frican exclusion has not been because of oversight, nor is it a temporary problem which can late' be remedied. The "independant homelands" are still the basis of government policy towards A frican s, n d for this reason the Koom hof B ills are the 'new dispen­satio n 'fo r A fricans. , •

* DemoOTtic rights have only ever been anjoyed by whites in South Africa. We have had the right to vote for parliament, and some ext­ent of freedom of speech etc. Rec­ently . however, even these rights have been eroded, with many important decisions being taken bv unelected executive bodies like the the State Security Council which is composed of high ranking military and police officers. The new const­itution confirms this trend towards rule by dictatorship, by according tremendous power to the Executi­ve State President.

* Ttw Koom hof B ills revamp the Com m jn ity Councils as local gov- ernment structures for a small group of urban A fricans; while

- streamlining the process whereSy most Africans car. be maoe to live in the economically destitute

■homelands". They are a recipe for pass arrests, increased removals . and economic disaster for most South Africans.

We reject the "new dea'",- the Constitutional Proposals and Koomhof Bills because :— It entrendies rathe' than breaks

down apartheid.— It >»vs division among our

country's people divisions between black and white. Coloured. Indian and African; those with passes and those with-

” out— It does not address the fundament­

al problems of apartheid, the "new dea' " is a recipe fo' increased and more intense conflict in our country.

The final reason for rejecting the proposals and the bills is the prooess by which they were drawn up. Con­cedes on the drawing boards of the Nationalist Party, only white vote's were asked to express arty opinion on them during the November 2 . ref­erendum. The government was plainly afraid of the massive reiection that would have been the likely outcome of referenda in the Coloured and Indian communities They h w simply gone #»ad with the implementation of the proposals by catling elections for August. A democratic South Africa can only be created with the participation of i l 1 South Africans.

Lart year 14 000 students signed a NUSAS petition against the constitution which stated that "all South Africans must particvete in deciding our common future." We reject solutions from the Nationalist drawing boards. The drawing boards must be a truly representative national convention, and the archit­ects must be all the people of South Africa!

2.Yes tot!Today the UDF mirations of the broad mac South Africans for a eon-racial democratic society."We the freedom laving peopr South Africa say wrsi one vote the whole world that we cherish vision of a united m i demor South Africa based ae Bie will o! people.Wt commit oureehrei to unrbrv our people w hirM f they mty b the cities and countrywide,factories and mint, schools, coUe mosques and ttmolti to fight for freedom " UDF Detitration

•*. * - • * - > .,4.rr - r -*%*•? * ■— •* tF~^ * : ' - — i * ? *

• 5 . v r - -« ? ; • y - £ v ^ _ - . ■ . } . - ' - £ i > £ - • • • • ; . - . . . . .

H I ' • • _ ' f * 'V . - : ~ \ N

3. Participation for all

? T H U D BflWOD

, UNITED !f I •** *

) ,’dem ocratig:

To marry of us ft might aaem atrenpe to Think of politic* outsid* of ptrii*- mant.

* <t mev seem even ravtge- to think of ordinary people involving themselves in po litic*. :.. ,- . v •

The media often fo ajs exclusiv­ely or parliament when discussing "po litics'', concentratins on the statements and policies of formally constituted political parties however small they may be. Csxerage of the coming Coloured and Indian elect­ions bares testimony to this Politics is presented as being ve~y much "for the politicians''. Our role is simply to be convinced one way or the other, and to car, a vote every 4 years. The UDF dearly represents a very d iffer­ent approach: thousands of ordinary people are involved in politics on an ongoing basis.

It B important to understand why the UDF operates outside of this "conventional" notion of politics. • - : -

F irstly , there is the reality that the majD-'itv of South Africans h M been sysam atically denied access to these formal channels throughout our h istcry. Black South Africans have bee- deliberately denied the right to vote for and stand for any legislative body, except powerless

I institutions created to give the <■> ressisn 0’ rea n ;* 2 . Democrar. <1 South A frica has been reservec ~gr whites only.**

Secondly the-e is the idea tfsr if we are to d a democ-T-c alternative to apatneic. the- *■ must a'! be involved in that p n xe : Genuine democracy w ili not be I by a few people on behalf of the r« r of us. Parliamentary politics o 'V s very lirtle acope for participator to anyone besides the MP's: mot: people are expected to do littie more more than vote 1C or 12 times r a lifetim e. Participation in democrat* organisation outside of parlia^»"t shows the way to a democratic o r* . in South A frica ir which we M participate. - ''

Although excluded from torral processes black South Africans have certainly made their presence felt in South Africar, politics. Many of the "reform s" institute; by the gove-v ment recently ha.-* come as a of the government feeling th e H ^

I ure of more and more South Afnca- 'n s uniting to demand their rig-3. But the gsve'nmen: reforms dc re : address the rea problem: that of A L L South Africans building 1 ne»* ^society together.

UDFTne UDF is not a political party

*>d its members are not politicans.

The UD F b a braod front in which hundreds of organsatons have come tooetfw' on the basis of common opposition to the aovemments ’new deal'. It oompraes many types of orcamsations from DOlitical and stud­ent organisation, through trade unions, residents' and woman's onanisations to s o n s , cultural and relicipus bodies. It is the hundrecs of thousands of ordinary South A fricans in these organisations that make uo the U 0~ .

Or Allan 6oesa« a ' m* nationalUDF launch.

- ^ n " » i *-■

4. Explaining the sloganAPARTM ED DIVIDES: UDPU N ITES . - * . ' v , . .

Aparthee? South Afree*people «I many ways Mot only ia ts« “new daat" inadaqueted in meeting Ow eviration* of mon tout- Af’ icani H to actually deaign- ad to increaw division emonpft ul.

T r* L 'D c oombets this by bring­ing SouT A ‘-•cans fro-"- *1' w a !i*c f life to g erw jiving the I* to apa't- hckJs d rvo o nv Particularly signific- »>t tor lb o trie inclusion of a large number c ‘ Democratic wnnes in trieU D E. ____ t- >

"The nature and quality of our tsuggla tor liberation cannot ba det­ermined by ttw colour of one’a skin, but fathar by the quality o) one'e u xnmltrwm to Justice, peace andhumv iteration ---- South Africabatons* to a l Its paopia. Thai to a j— v M h *>at <n mu*t cMng 10 now and tor the future. Thu count­ry N our country and it to not lafa in tftt heneh of paopia who deepiae democracy and trampW on tha rights of paopia. whether thay ba black or white. '

HTi tutura to not a f l in the lands, of paopia - black or whha who dapand on aconomtc nploitat- ■on and human degradation to buildtfwr ampiraa__It's futura to not safeaafe in tha hands of paopia - white or black - who eaak to secure their ■aijustty acquired privileged positions by violent repression of tha ere*. * a exploited and the needy. It's future to not sate in tha bands of paopia -white or black- who put the* farth (imply « tha madness of growing militarism.

So tor tha sake of our Aildren, whether you be whits or black, rea­list them whether they be white or black _ We ere doing whet we ere doing not because we are white or black. see are doing what wa are doing because It Is right,"

•Dr Aden Boaeak.

The UDF believes'm a rwrvrbd*' South A frica,* and believes that a» South Africans, black and white , ha»-f t ro<t in b jid m j tna fulL” * This has enpan*- the po*.s;:i^ : to' whit* ocoone-s s ' e ce -rw : to move o.ts-oe o' trie pa'iame-ta', ap **n . The n r* conr,inr..ona

3? t r.ai rf “ 3e*?r pa"iam e';a~ , comp»e:€ .impot»r,L. and now mere thtr r^ ' w O O O n e - 3 o* r*+2

cfianneli fo- tn tir commitment. Th« UDF 9^ « us V * a tr.fy to join h»nds witn r * m jp n ty 04 Scut*“ Africans r r»>er.- ng ■£*":neid *ntf b u iid n ; a future. _ . , i v '.r

r . - » ■ t Desote government attempts to

p o l'a y trie UDF as a violent o^a" J- ation. UD F has made ebundant'y dear their non-violent nature. I UDF has pointed Out that it is TV government of this country tha: has taker, South A frica on the course of violence It upholds and perpetuates the apartheid system and is intolerant of political oppostion.

"The Apartheid govt, car make as many peace agreements as it likes, it can tab to ea many leaden of Other countries that it wanb to. We know that it must be to us and our leaders that the Apartheid govt. O lk a

There will not be any peace whie our leaders are jailed and banned •td a iled .There evil) not be any peace while Apertheid rules our lend. In the end P W Botha must make peece with the people of South Africa." Dr Allan Boeeek

The UDF has called for a repres­entative national convention o* all South A frica ’s leaders as a first ttec towards peace in our country. Th is convention, which must include those leaders currently imprisicned. those in exile and those banned, would be the beginning of the dism­antling of apartheid and the building of a new order.

. . . . w « » v u i i5 . 7 :*V ■

V ’- ^ i t " - 1

& 3 i ‘V x \

% H \ \ v - v • a - .- .-v• %Ve ‘ ^ » * a __—

Trie M'lhor. S 'f - i - 'f was m Pretort, on 2’ T96-H v t , Dr 6oesj« his msrk agam r A flW w d ms UDF ottict-Senrs from «Ovt' South Afncs took on.

5. Why a Signature Campaign?

Dr. aeyva NUSAS H o w ry RrtuovU a-gna me -Mi/wn Signafurea' petrnon

Most South African* gat vary little opportunity to make themselves heard.

The new constitution is being implemented after less than 15 percent of the population having been consulted Indeed trie rumber of "yes" votes in trie whites only ref­erendum last year represented less than 10 percent of the population!

The UDF believes that no const­itution is legitimate unless all South Africans have been involved indrawing it up. The signatures campa­ign presents an opportunity for all South Africans to record their rej­ection of the "new dea’" . and tneir support of the democratic alternative presented by the UDF.

The UDF m illion signatures campaign is a peoples' referendum, open to a ll.

The signature to— is not I petition to be presenter tc the govt pleading for reforms insaad. it is l statement and measLn o' the wides pread oppositon to the patr. trie s forcing the country ante and o the widespread support lor UD F.

The signature ce-saig" is * important opportunity tor UDF to Sieak to thousand of Sour Africans face to face «du3 *urv organising and mobiiifcng TheT., tr- very im portantly, baming tror them. Various agents cf aparthe: may seize and tea' up raaa ^ d s : signature forms, but t|^ fc»nnot de troy trie effect o ' th^ ^ ^ p aij". A present in South Africa, w itr V came'al elections 3 m otns awa,* an with the prospect of Caiojreos ar Indians being conscripted into V SADF, the UDF signet. carr.pa^ is a crucial show of itfity betwn ail South A frica's peoc e.

6. RSakeyour mark!White South Afpcana who r*i*ctad tha ' naw daal' ware in a minority in last yaar's referendum. Yet thay are part of a broader majority of South Africans who have said no to Botha. The results of tha whits ref­erendum must not force ua to acqu­iesce as naw forms of apartheid are introduced. We cannot concede bec­ause of the results of e whitaa onlyreferendum!We need to affirm our commitment

to justice, peece end democracy no* more then aver. This aaeens jotnin hends with the majority of South Africans in tha UDF , and corrbnuin opposition to the 'new dear. W need to effirm that we are part of notvraciai democratic future ai thi country, and our commitment to * build thb future together. One of tfi way* of doing this is to sign one c the UDF signature form*,1

Published by trie National Union Of South A frican Students. 131 Lower Main Hoac. Ooservatory. 7 s2 :Op" * - *

MEETING THE CHALLENGE' > l «r>: No to the new constitution becaua It will entrench apartheid m i «Sit> ( o n r . r j y No to tha Koomhof tawi wt*cr. will deprive n o ri and more Afncan people of tha-' berthright. YE£ tc tha United Democratic From (U D F) , and fna it our full aupport in m efforts <o ur'ta our people v" their fight H»«nr tha eonttmreor and Koor- nhof BiltL." UOF Declaration

In racert weeks tro -sn d s of Budents on camputos around the country aroo-sed • theseaer.im enB w itfi tnei' u j-Jtu re s The The lunching of the UOF Million^ Sig'trture Cam paiy o r cm pum s by N JSA S has given sooents an opp­ortunity to « press their rejection o ' Apartheid and fcoport for the U D F's aims of a in t e ;, non-raciai S A where democracy. justice and peace prevail.

But Ou' commismen: m js : be ongoing Signing ag a '*r aw t ie d should be the st2~ c* a p'oces: in which » * . as jt jo e ia iovofvt ou'- toives in chang.ng South Africa

We Oc th is to invoking ourjeives in the work o ' the UOF. by working in the NUSAS -orja"- isations o r ca rp u s . It o Taroujh ongoing ir»voK*'Tent in our org anisations thai we as students can meet the challenge of change.

In light of the NUSAS theme STU D EN TS M EETIN G TH E C H A LLEN G E O F CH A N G E.- Ihe UO F S ig n a tji campaign rep­resents » ' particularly important A event. In this pamphlet we jb t. to eiam ine the irrpo 'zam t o ' the UOF for students and th e i' involvement in changing South A frica .

JANUARY 23.1983 . ; ...Or Alan Boesak calb for tha formation of a Unitad Damocratic Front to bring together organisations to fitfit tha govemmaifs 'raw dear Regional UDF’s formed m Natal, Transvaal and Wastam Capa.

AUGUST 20.1083. - - .Mora tfian 2 000 dMagatai from mora than 400 organisations converge at Roddand Civic Carrtre in MitchaBs Plain. Capa Town to form tha Unsad Damocratic Front and adopt its declaration. That evening a further 12 000 paopla attended a packed mass rally to mark the launching of tha UDF. Raly add rawed by nawty elected UDF president Archie Gumede and Patron Dr Alan Boesak who tols the crowd: . -

" We are doing wtsat we are doing not herame we are whito or black, we are doing what ae are doing beceuse it It right,'

UDF hailed as the most significant political development in South Africa for more than 20 years, causing great excitement all over the country. .

SEPTEMBER 1983.The UOF conducts e successful boycott campaign against Management committee elections. The committees are e form of apartheid local authority forCotoured communttai. After UDF campeipiing - average poll of lees than 121

OCTOBER 1983 - . * .Cokei government eo^ges in widespread brutality while trying to suppress e bus boycott. Thousands detained and tortured, UDF holds meetings and raBies around the cowtry to draw national and intermtional etlaiiuu i to the pfeght of the people of the border region.

NOVEMBER 1983* In re*>onse to the government’s "whites only" referendum to decide on the aew constitution, the UDF holds the People’s Weekend. All over the oowitry thousands a* people come tugefliei i

concerts. The common massegs was that no constitution would be K W ebb untoss it was riecided on by all South A fricm together.

* AH M r the covitry UD F mobilises thounnds of people against toe community council elections. Polls as low ae 0,2 percent reflect i rejection of the "new deal" and support for u p F .

• Government attempts to (top up hs apanhaid policy through i removah and resettlement draws sharprespon—from UDF. UDF i in action apirut removals at Mogopa in Transvaal, against the | destruction of Crossroads squatter camp in Cape Town, and against toe planned Incorporation of LamontviBe bits Kwa Zulu in Natal. LEF reeffirms the demend for a single, undivided South Africa.

• PW Botha steps up the wooing of Natal's Indian Community by holder a pubic meeting In Durban. In responsethe Natal Indian Confess, a IDF affiliate, draws 8 000 people to e meeting on the same night. Rejecsoe of government attempts to woo Indians into maintaining apartheid ato^ support for the UDF were dominant themes.

DECEM BER 17,18, 19B3.UDF holds second netionel conference In Port Eloabeth, with more C r 600 orgsnisabons represented. Assessment reflects ms,or gains in campe^- ageinst constitution and Koomhof Bills. Many new o rg a n is a t io n s have jo i^ the UDF and organisetion has been extended to outlying areas. Tfves m tasks have been identified:* To collect one million signatures egeirut Berthe id and in support of UOF.• To oppoa the August elections to sepersti Coloured and Indien chantes

by promoting e boycott.* To campaign actively a^inst the planned attansion of mibtoy

conscription to Coloureds and Indiera.

JANUARY 21.1984UDF Million Signatures Cam ped lainched ei Pretoria.FEBRUARY . MARCH, APRIL. 1984Thousands of signatures pour In as UD F workers taka signature forms a every comer of the country. More then 100 000 collected by April 30th.

NUSAS 1334

F vhcm L —o a ru o * N #*on* *uo*c*y S t e m ? ; .*—mr Jammed '‘JO* mt-or Anarvm Bpr»,r \ NJSAS ^ym/omx. nom or U O f Mabon* £«

1. No to Constitutional ProposalsIn meant M aki thousands of students on our canpuw h M put their u m a is Ihe UOF Si*»aturi Campaign tofmi. They have joined mote than 100 000 South African who have efreedy "mad* their mark agvst *>arthe*d." Many tfiousands man, both on and off campus. will ■gn over tfta coming waalu m UDF ■trim to roach rti target of 1 mill ion sipteturaa.

By signing wa record a loud NO to *>arthek3 the form of the new constitution and Koomhof B ills . Wa record a loud Y E S to the UOF in its n je a for a non-recia! democratic South A frica .

The NUSAS theme. "Students Meeting the Challenge of Change", urges all studw its to involve 0u n e t\« in the process o f changing our troubled country. The enthusiastic response to the UDF signatures campaign on campus has shown tha: as white students we are prepared to nwet the challenges, ushering in an exciting new era of student history.

Tha government managed to dupe large numbers of white voters who had been opposed to Apartheid Into voting for the proposals in November 2,1983.

These people voted Y E S in the belief that the proposals were "a step in the right direction". Perhaps the ben testimony to the true nature Of the poposals can be found in the massive number of right wing supp­o r t s who voted 'yes' in the referen­dum. More than half of the C P . supporters voted "yes'. Right wingers «cted 'yes' because they were asxred by the government that the Group Areas A ct. separate Educat­ion and segregated political structures would remain intact. They voted ‘yes' because they were assi.rred that white domination would remain unscathed.'

Apartheid is -the basis of the proposals:

* Separate voters rolls, sepa-ate parl­iaments, separate schools, separate communities and separate "home­lands" are all entrenched in the new constitution. '

* Coloureds and Indians are gwen a vole for a parliament whose legis­lative powers are ultim ately mean­ingless aoainst the combined weight of the white chamber (the

_ ratio , remember, is 4 whites to 2 coloureds, to^ l Indian), the NP dominated President's Council and the extensive powers of the Exec­utive State President. In return for this "vote" P.W. Botha has inform­ed them that they can expect to be conscripted into the S A D F .'

* Africans have been systematically excluded from any participation in government by the new constitut­ion. African exclusion has not been because of ^ersight. nor is it a temporary problem which can later be remedied. The "independant homelands" are still the basis o? government policy towards A fricans, and for this reason the Koomhol B ills are the 'new dispen­sation' for Africans.

* Democratic rights have only ever been enjoyed by whites in Scxjth A frica. We have had the right to vote for parliament, and some ext­ent of freedom of speech etc. Rec­ently . however, even these rights have been eroded, with many important decisions being taken bv unelected executive bodies like the the State Security Council which is composed of high ranking m ilitary and police officers. The new const­itution confirms this trend towards rule by dictatorship, by according tremendous power to the Executi­ve State President.

* The Koomhof B ills revamp the Community Councils as local gov­ernment structures for a small group Of u ro a r . A fricans, while

stream lining the process whereb, most A fricans can be made to live in the econom ically destitute ■homelands". They are a recipe tty pass arrests, increased removals and economic disaster for most South A fricans '

We reject the "new deal".- the Constitutional Proposals and ICoomhof B ills because :— It entrenches rather than breaks

down apartheid.— It sows division among our

country's people: divisions between black and w hite. Coloured. Indian and A frican , those w ith passes and those with-

■ out _— It does not address the fundament­

al problems of apartheid, the "new deal" is a recipe for increased and more intense conflict in our country.

The final reason for rejecting the proposals and the b ills is the process by which they were drawn up. Con­ceived cm the drawing boards of the Nationalist Party , only white voters were asked to express any opinion on them during the November 2 . ref­erendum. The government was p lainly afraid of the massive retection that would have been the like ly outcome of referenda in the Coloured and Indian communities They have simply gone ahead w ith the implementation of the proposals by calling elections for August. A democratic South A frica can only be created w ith the participation of a ll South A fricans.

Last yeer 14 000 students signed a NUSAS petition against the constitution which stated that "»> South Africa™ must participate in deciding our common future." We reject solutions from the Nationalist drawing boards. The drawing boards must be a truly representative national convention, and the archit­ects must be all tha peopl* of South Africa!

m i m u . i . i n m m l

2.Yes totiToday tha UDF represents attritions of the broad mai South Africans for a non-recia democratic society.“Wa tha freedom b ring peopl South Africa say with one voii tw whole world that we charts! vision of a united and democ South Africa based on tha will o people.■e commit oursefcei to on rt i n our people wherever they mty b t * cities And countryside, factories and mine, stools, colu Mosques end terndlei to fight fo freedom." UDF Declaration

—

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J:> Omc*r M p rn o n or the UDC wirn Dr Aker S o w * • u£>* p«.’ror

3. Participation for all

, UNITED 1 DEMOCRATIC;

«

To many of ut It might nem strangetc think of politics outside of parlia- mmnt. • •

It me, seem ever stringer to Th*nk of ordinary people involving themselves in po litic*. - • . . .

The media often focus exclusiv­ely on parliament when discussing “ p o litics", concentrating on the sasm en B and policies of form ally constituted political parties however smaf' the* may be. C (ve rege of the coming Coloured and Indian elect­ions bares testimony to this Politics ■s presented as being very much "for the po liticians". Our role is sim ply to be convinced one way or the other, and to cast a vote every 4 years. The UOF dearly represents a very d iffer­ent approach; thousands of ordinary people are involved in politics on an ongoing basis.

It a important to understand why the UOF operates outside of this "conventional" notion of po litics.

F irstly , there is the realitv that the m ajontv of South Africans have bee1- system atically denied access to these formal channels throughout our history Black South Africans h M bee" deliberately denied the rig*’ : to vote for and stand for any legislative body, except powerless

! institutions created to give the ir s - ress:or o* rtM. rights. Democrac* r . South Afnce has been reserv*e whites on ly."

Seondly there is the idea th r i‘ vw are to build a democrr^c alternative to apartheid, the- we must a! be involved in the: proce^. Genuine democracy w ill not tx : by a few people on behalf of the iw . of us Parliamentary politics o fiirs very little Kope for participator ic anyone besides the MP's nest people are expected to do little n n more than vote 10 or 12 times r a lifetim e. Participation in dem ocrat organisation outside of parliament shows the way to a democratic o r** in South A frica, in which we • participate. - *

Although excluded from for—a! processes, black South Africans have certainly made their presence ft !; n South African po litics. Many of me "reform s" instituted by the i ment recently have come as a rd, of the government feeling the p n _

ju re of more and more South Africa- 'n s uniting to demand their rig-3 . But the gcvernment reforms do re t address me tea1 problem that of A L L South Africans building a new .society together.

IDFThe UOF is not a political party

and its members are not ooliticans.

The UO F is a braod front in which hundreds of organisatons have come tooether on the basis of common opposition to the Qovemments 'new deal'. It comprises many types of organisations from political and stud­ent organisations, throuoh trade unions, residents' and woman’s organisations to sports, cultural and relioious bodies. It is the hundreds of thousands of ordinary South A fricans in these organisations that make uc the UDF. Dr. Al.’in Boost* ar the Ma!’anti

UDF launch.

\ V !*• -V

4. Explaining the sloganAPARTHEID DIVIDES: UOF UfurTES. -

drvioea SoutJ- Africai in m«r> way*. Not only it

leaf" inadequetad In tht eviration* of mm;

S o t* Africans. it it actually design­ed zz rznmM division emoryprr ui.

~he UDF oombao this by bring­ing S o .T t - f r fro r all w aV IO * l~'_ tS S it'* ' C ••r' i It* *- »P«“ - h e 2s divisions Parucula'ly ugnific- r : fo- us is the inclusion c f ■ large n _—c<- of democratic w hite: ir.r » - y .

T h « nature and quality of our ■Butgia for UUntion cannot ba det- am rad by the colour of one'* akin, but mPwr by lha quality o« one* iiniMrfliinnl lo jutttee, paaoa andKur-jr ibecatioo ---- South Africabatons to a* #* people- Thai la a haaac truth *iat we must c*ng lo now and for lha future. This count- ry ■ our country and it is not aafa in *w hands of people who daapisa democracy and trample on the rights of peopta. whether thay ba black or ertirte. '

I n future ■ not afa in tha hands of paopla - black or whit* who depend on aconomic explorat­ion mti human degradation to build their ampin* _ If* future k not aafa left r tha hands of people - white or Mac* • who nek to secure their impotty acquired privileged posroora by violent repression of tha weak, tha exploited and tha needy, ft's future is not safe in the hands of psopie -white or black- who put their faith simply in the mednaaa of growing militarism.

So for tha taka of our children, whether you be white or black, rat- ttst ttam whether they be white or black _ Wa * e doing whet we era doing not beceuia wa are white or black, wa are doing what we ere doing because It b right.”

-Dr Allan Boaiak.

• - . f

The UDF believes in i notvreciel South A frica .' end baitevas that all South Af-icans btect and white h *« I rote if building this fu tu l Th is h e expanded the pom jbiiitje; fo’ white oroo-ve'ts c f epa"r>eid to move 0. 3 .3* of the pa'iiam era-y S ih e i. The ne*. eonstitjtio r.a!

' has renje-ec psrnamenu"> oppos.lon completely im potent end now more thar eve', white opponents o‘ a p a 'in e ; need a“ e c ti« channels foi expressing thei- commitment. The U D F gives us the ability to join hands w ith the m ajority o‘ South Africans in reject mg epa-.neid and building a new future . . . - L i - .• » P « . *. » t * » • . * » ' » !•

. . Despite government attempts to poar»y in* UDF as a violent organis­ation. UDF has made abundantly dear their non-violent nature. UDF h e pointed out tha: it is the government of this country that has taken South A frica on the course of violence It upholds and perpetuates the apartheid system and s intolerant of potitica' oppostion.

‘Tha Apartheid govt, can make at many paac* agreements at n likes, it can M i to at many leader* of other countries that it wants to. Wa know that it mutt ba to us and our leaden that the Apartheid govt, talks There win not ba any peace while our leaders are Jailed and bained and exiled.There will not be *ty peace while Apartheid rules our land. In the and P W Botha must make peece with tha paopla of South Africa.** Dr Allan Boaiak

The UDF has called for a repres­entative national convention of all South A frica's leaders as a first step towards peace in our country. Th is convention, which must include those leade-s currently imprisioned, those in exile and those banned, would be the beginning of the dism­antling of apartheid and the building of a new order.

The Million Signature Campaign was lunched m Pretoria on J a m 7 21. 196- Here, Dr. Boesak makes his mark against Apartheid as UDF othce^mare-a from a over South Africa too* on.

5. Why a Signature Campaign?

Or. B e r n Neuda. N USAS Honarary President, signs tne 1Million Signatures' petiton

Mon South Africsi* gat vary little opportunity to make themtalvat

The new constitution is being implemented after less than 15 percent of the population having been consulted. Indeed the number o f "ye s" votes in the whites only ref­erendum last year represented less than 10 percent of the population!

The UDF believes that no const­itution is legitimate unless all South Africans have been involved in drawing it up. The signatures campa­ign presens an opportunity for all South Africans to record their rej­ection of tne "new deal", and their support of the democratic alternative presented by the U D F.

The UD F m illion signatures campaign is a peoples' referendum, open to a ll.

The signature fcr-r. is not 1 petition to be presented to the gcvt pleading for reforms. Instead, it is 1 statement and measure of the w id e preadoppositon to the path the g<x is forcing the country onto and o Oe widespread support for UD F.

The signature campaign is a1 important opportunity tor UDF to speak to thousands of So u r Africans face to face, educating organising and mobilising them, an< very im portantly, harrying fro r them. Various agents o‘ aparthei: may seize and tear upJto jsands a signatu'e forms but tr^ B r .r .o ; de-. troy the effect of the cffipaign. A present in South A frica, w ith tri camera1 elections 3 months away arv: with the prospect of Co’oureds an; Indians being conscripted into trv- SAD F, the UDF signat-'e campaig- is a crucial show of m iry betwe­en South A frica's people

6. Make your mark!White South Africans who rejected the ' new deal' were in a minority in last year'* referendum. Yet they are part of a broader majority of South African who have H id no to Botha. The result* of the white ref­erendum must not force in to ecqu- ie*c* at new formt of apartheid are introduced. We cannot concede bec­ause of the reault* of a white* only referendum!Wa need to affirm our commitment

to justice, mora than ever. This means joining hands with the majority of South Africeni in the UDF , and continuing opposition to the ‘new dear, Wa need to affirm that wa are pert of e norvraciaf democratic futm ta M s country, and our commreiiein b to build tho future together. One of the ways of doing tha it to *tjn on* of the UDF signature formt!

Pub’isne : sy tne National Union Of South African Students. 131 Lower Main Hoad. O cse'vatory. 7s25. r Etguo PiM (Pty) Utt WifuM O'** Anon* naan 77%*

Collection Number: AK2117 DELMAS TREASON TRIAL 1985 - 1989 PUBLISHER: Publisher:-Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand Location:-Johannesburg ©2012

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