REPORT ON SOUTH AFRICA

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 886, 27 July 1956, Page 5

REPORT ON SOUTH AFRICA

Sir-I listened with great interest to the excellent BBC broadcast of various South Africans’ views on "apartheid." I feel, however, that one of the most essential issues involved was completely missed. (Unless it was referred to in the first talk which I did not hear.) I _ refer to the question of Native labourto my mind the major stumbling block of "apartheid." If complete territorial segregation of all races is intended, then what is to become of the vast labour force upon which South African industry, mining, farming and domestic service, etc., now

depends? I can assure you, very few apartheid supporters would agree to a system whereby the European relinquished his monopoly of skilled labour and undertook what was _ previously "kaffirs’ work." If, on the other hand, this labour force is maintained,» with only "surplus" labour filtered out, then there would be no real difference from the present state of affairs. Furthermore, real industrial development in Native areas would compete with the labour supply available for white areas. Also, just how are the: millions who work for the Europeans to "develop along their own lines" at the same time? Clearly what the Nationalists really want is the Native’s labour without the Native, and this they would like to obtain by creating large "reservoirs" of labour whose population would be impoverished enough to want to come out and work for the European-under a closely-controlled system (as is now done in the gold mines). The Nationalist Government will remain in power whilst there is no vocal and effective opposition to the idea of white supremacy. Strauss’s United Party is only opposed to the Government in degree and method, not in principleand that is not enough under the pre- vailing conditions in South Africa,

G.

ROYLE

(Wellington).