Hard man Hendrik
From Sir Albert Robinson Sir: Andrew Kenny's article on apartheid ('How apartheid saved Africa', 27 Novem- ber) verges on an act of revisionism that cannot remain unchallenged if it is intend- ed to persuade your readers that apartheid had 'saved South Africa'. Unlike Kenny I knew Verwoerd as a lecturer at Stellen- bosch University in 1933, as editor of the extreme nationalist newspaper Die Transvaler during the war (where he did his best to undermine South Africa's par- ticipation on the side of the Allies), as a nominated senator, as a minister and final- ly as prime minister. I was an active oppo- nent both in and out of the South African parliament. The National party led by Dr D.F. Malan had not decided on a programme to imple- ment 'apartheid' after its victory in the 1948 election. A year or two afterwards Hendrik Verwoerd started the process of social engi- neering which ultimately led to his becom- ing prime minister. Kenny records that this process involved using brute force to drive millions of black people out of their homes into designated homelands, and using the police and security forces to suppress oppo- sition. In addition, it successfully made English-speaking South Africans politically irrelevant by making the state apparatus including the public service, the armed forces, the judiciary and the National parlia- mentary party — the strict preserve of the nationalist Afrikaners.
As a result the English-speakers were driven into the arena of business. It was they who successfully managed an economy that had to contend with the government's strict exchange-control regulations and international sanctions; it was they who encouraged disadvantaged Afrikaners to enter business; and it was they who did a great deal to improve the wages and condi- tions of employment of blacks, insofar as the law permitted. It must be emphasised that it was the English-speaking South Africans, supported by a minority of Afrikaners, that protected the economy and kept the flames of liberty and freedom alive.
No apology is due to the Nationalists, only praise for those like Helen Suzman who steadfastly opposed the evil regime that governed South Africa for 40 years and for those English-speakers who were main- ly responsible for creating the financial sta- bility that the ANC inherited with the advent of majority rule.
Sir Albert Robinson
43 St Mary Abbots Court, London W14
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