On 3 November, after a meeting between Mr. Vorster, his ministers of Bantu Administration and leaders of seven of the eight Bantustans, a joint statement was issued that unanimous agreement had been reached that Africans from the Bantustans would in future carry "travel documents" instead of pass or reference books. The announcement was the result of a joint investigation by the government and Bantustan leaders launched in 1975 to find ways of "streamlining" the system.
The agreement was based on the unanimous endorsement by the parties at the 3 November meeting of a document entitled: "Secret - A new era in Bantu administration in the Republic of South Africa". In spite of a few minor amendments and changes, the influx control laws will remain largely unaltered in this new policy.
The talks were boycotted by Chief Gatsha Buthelezi of the KwaZulu Bantustan, who commented afterwards that the statement showed Pretoria was intent on forcing the hand of those "regions that refused so-called independence".
Africans who do not reside in the Bantustans may, in terms of the agreement, apply for the "travel documents" of the particular bantustan they are judged to be ethnically related to. According to the agreement this would make them eligible for the "preferences" applicable to travel document holders. These preferences relate to work opportunities and housing availability.
The agreement means that all Africans in the Bantustans over the age of 16, who wish to enter "white" areas will be issued with travel documents by the homeland governments. The travel documents will contain much of the information presently recorded in passbooks including "personal particulars and particulars of nationality, a photo and a serial number based on a register in the black state and also fingerprints". Holders of the travel documents may only enter "white" areas if requisitioned as labourers, or if "called-in" by a previous employer.
But before being able to start work, the travel document holder must register as a worker with the Bantu Affairs Administration Board in control of townships in the particular "white" area. Clause 1.7 of the 3 November agreement states that without this sanction from the relevant BAAB, travel document holders "will be in the white area illegally and will be dealt with accordingly".
In a newspaper interview published on 8 November, the Deputy Minister of Bantu Affairs, Mr. W.A. Cruywagen, said that holders of travel documents would be liable to produce them on demand to identify themselves. Referring to one of the clauses in the agreement that only persistent offenders would be imprisoned, Mr. Cruywagen said: "Aid centres will continue to play a big role in helping people."
Mrs. Sheena Duncan, national president of the Black Sash, commented: "Since Transkei independence last year, Transkei passport holders have faced exactly the same problems as reference book holders." These included orders to leave prescribed areas, refusal of applications to register as workers, and denial of permits for women to live with their husbands, she said. "The document is different. The disabilities are the same."
This new agreement may well mean that Africans in urban areas may now be forced to acquire the "passports" of their so-called homelands, and thus their rights as long-standing residents of urban communities may be removed.
The Chairman of the BAAB in Cape Town, Brigadier J.H. van der Westhuizen, said in October that there had been a substantial increase in the prosecutions of people employing "illegal blacks" in spite of increased penalties for the offence. He said that 1,486 employers and 25,565 African workers had appeared in court during 1976 in relation to this offence, compared with 607 employers and 16,557 Africans in 1971.
The Brigadier said that "penalties for employing illegal blacks had been nearly doubled during the last parliamentary session."
