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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 38, Number 7. 15 April 1975

Change

Change

Henry went on to look at the possibilities for change. He discussed the simplistic view many people outside South Africa hold of possible peaceful change. This view suggests that one day Vorster might co-operate with the Black people, concede that whites have had a 'fair innings' and that the Black people should control their own lives. But Henry Isaacs and his people know that will not happen. The only change will come through Black people fighting for their freedom. This situation has been forced and any peaceful avenues towards sharing power and land have always met with state brutality.

Then came the questions. The first question was: 'When the blacks come to power, what will they do to the indifferent mass of whites?' Immediately came the reply, 'Many people ask this but not what is happening to 20 million blacks in South Africa today'. Many people seem to fear black vengeance but if they read Black political programmes, he said, they would find that the programmes are based on a non-racial egalitarian society, where you are assessed not by the colour of your skin, but the content of your character.

'Have you been imprisoned in South Africa?' was the second question. Henry was first arrested coming out of a shower at 6 o'clock in the morning at an Anglican Theological seminar. The crime was that blacks and whites were worshipping together. The next time was at 4 o'clock in the morning' where he was charged with being involved in an international conspiracy to cause unrest in South Africa. He was also arrested when President of the SRC and spent 40 days in solitude, with no access to family or legal aid.

Drawing of a white figure beating several black figures with a stick

Next the question of the 1976 Springbok tour was raised. Henry explained that by refusing to play unless the team was selected on merit has a definite effect on the white sportsman in South Africa. The cancellation of international tours drives home to the South African white his isolation and forces the sports administration to rethink their position. Also its a boost to the moral of those South Africans who are trying to get selection by merit. Many New Zealanders think that if we send multi-racial teams something is achieved but the problem is not NZ's method of selection but South Africa's method, and this will only be influenced by definite action.