A PLACE IN THE SUN SIR,—The South African Director of
Information resents the 'highly selective' interest taken by foreigners, in what he very conveniently calls 'Union affairs.' I suggest that the following facts, taken from the booklet This is Apartheid (by Leslie Rubin, who is an African Representative in the South African Senate) more than justify this 'selective interest.' The booklet was published this year.
1. No African is entitled, as of right, to acquire freehold title to land anywhere in South Africa, nor is it the intention of the present Government to grant such right to the African, even in his own reserves.
2. An African who was born and lived in a town continuously for fifty years, and then left to reside elsewhere, for a period of two weeks, is not entitled, as of right, to return and remain in that town for more than three days. It is a criminal offence.
3. An African who has lived continuously in a town for fourteen years is not entitled, as of right, to remain there for more than three days.
4. No African. lawfully residing in a town, by virtue of a permit issued to him, is entitled. as of right, to have his wife and children living with him.
5. It is a criminal offence for an African boy over eighteen years of age to reside with his father in a town, unless he has obtained permission from the Government.
if the imbecile rulers of South Africa are arrogant and inhumane enough to believe that they have a right to make a mess of the lives of a certain section of the population because it is not 'white.' and put this belief into practice, we cannot dismiss their actions as 'Union affairs and remain indifferent.
Mr. Steward also mentions that the Union has a good record of industrial peace, but forgets to men- tion (by oversight, no doubt, but it is not a defect one would expect to find in a Director of Information) that it is a criminal offence, punishable by a £300 fine and three years' imprisonMent, for an African to take part in a strike.—Yours faithfully, 46 Northern Grove, Manchester, 20
M. JOGANANTHAN
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