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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 25, No. 10. 1962.
In South Africa — Nazi Tactics Against Students
In South Africa
Nazi Tactics Against Students
A police state can be defined as "a state in which personal liberties and the basic freedoms can be taken away from a man by the head of the policy, without any conviction or sentence by a proper court, or without any right of appeal against the decision." South Africa is a fully-fledged police state.
The National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) has appealed to all Student Associations throughout the word to protest against the "sabotage bill" drawn up by the South African government.
Hitler!
This Bill (the "General Law Amendment Bill") is probably the most vicious piece of legislation ever to have been introduced into any country in time of peace, apart from Nazi Germany. It was drawn up by the Minister of Justice, a Nazi who was interned during World War II for Nazi sympathies and activities, and it reflects the pattern of legislation of the Hitler regime.
| (1) | To ban Any meeting (political or non-political, public or private). |
| (2) | To ban any student gathering within the Universities if In his Opinion "any of the objects of Communism" may be served by such a meeting. |
| (3) | To confine any individual who In his Opinion may be likely to further any object of communism, without trial for as long as he pleases. Such a person may be ordered to have no communication with any other person in any way (including legal advisors). |
| (4) | If a university lecturer is banned, it will be illegal for any student to take notes from his lectures given after the ban or at any time in the past. |
| (5) | If a person writes a political slogan on a public wall, he is liable to the Death Sentence. |
| (6) | If a person enters a post office or public building which may be reserved for one particular race group he is liable to the Death Sentence if he cannot prove that he did not intend to encourage any political aim or "to embarrass the administration of the affairs of the State." |
| (7) | The penalty for "sabotage" is death. Sabotage is given such a wide definition that it becomes clear that the purpose of the Bill is to blot out ruthlessly by physical means, banishment or isolation, all effective opposition, and the machinery of non-racial opposition to apartheid. |
These are only a few provisions of the Bill which will directly affect student organisations and their leadership.
Demonstrations
Students have been demonstrating throughout South Africa. In Natal a mass protest march took place. In Johnannesburg some 2,000 students joined a protest march of 6,000 on the City Hall which the police broke up with tear gas. In Cape Town students formed the main contingent in another mass protest. Mass student gatherings have been held at the Universities of the Witwatersrand, Cape Town, the two sections of the University of Natal in Durban and at the Pietermaritzburg section.
Students are working actively with various civil defence committees to manifest radical opposition to the Bill and have participated in mass marches which have been attacked by fascist thugs.
In response to the international appeal of NUSAS the following cable was sent to the Prime Minister of South Africa:
"The New Zealand University Students' Association Joins with Nusas in their Unequivocal Opposition to the Provisions in the General Law Amendment Bill which can Remove the Personal Liberties and Basic Freedoms of the People of South' Africa."