INCREASING CONFLICT IN CISKEI Conflict in the Ciskei region of the Eastern Cape in South Africa mounted as the date for 'independence' of the Ciskei bantustan, 4 December, drew near.
The opposition to 'independence', reported in FOCUS 37, gained in strength and determination. Action by police against trade unionists and others intensified. In November police fired at a gathering of trade unionists killing one person and injuring several others.
The President of the South African Allied Workers Union warned the Ciskei authorities of 'confrontation' if they continued 'suppressing trade unions' (RDM 13.11.81).
Restrictions on opposition political parties have already been initiated (FOCUS 37 p.1).
Open opposition to the implementation of the bantustan policy in the Ciskei was most forcefully expressed by the South African Allied Workers Union (SAAWU). SAAWU has a very large membership in the East London area, the workplace of many who live in the township of Mdantsane, just inside the Ciskei boundary.
SAAWU was joined by several organisations in its opposition to the bantustan policy and in its commitment to the ideal of a unitary and democratic state. They included a number of independent unions and civic organisations, amongst them the Port Elizabeth Black Civic Organisation and the Border Civic Organisation (DD 27.7.81; RDM 31.7.81; 11.11.81; S 30.9.81).
Church opposition was expressed by Bishop Tutu, the general secretary of the South African Council of Churches (CT 3.11.81). Opposition to Ciskeian 'independence' was also a theme of the campaign against the South African Indian Council elections (see INDIAN COMMUNITY REJECTS APARTHEID).
Severe repressive action by the police continued and intensified. Half the detentions listed in this issue of FOCUS occurred in or around Ciskei.
Thozamile GQWETA, the President of SAAWU, was a particular target of attacks. Detained four times (twice by the South African police and twice under Ciskei emergency regulations) his house was set alight in March. On 1 November his mother and uncle died when their house was burnt down in a fire for which many believed the authorities were responsible. One week later Ciskei police opened fire on a crowd of trade unionists returned from the funeral of Gqweta's mother and uncle. Diliswa ROXISO (20) was killed and several others wounded (RDM 10.11.81; CT 11.11.81; Tel 19.11.81; Obs 22.11.81).
In another anti-trade union action during November, the Ciskean authorities recruited strike-breaking labour for the Dunlop factory in East London where SAAWU members were on strike. The recruits were screened by the Ciskean security police to ensure that none had a record of involvement in strikes. The head of the security policy explained that his department was committed to 'eliminating' strikers as an element of the workforce (Star 10.11.81).
