Two events during the first part of 1983 focussed attention on the continuing programme of enforced relocation of black people in South Africa.
In April a community leader, trying to address a meeting of people resisting the uprooting of their community, was shot dead by a policeman.
And during March, April and May a prolonged drought affecting many parts of South Africa brought great suffering to people in the bantustans, particularly in some of the resettlement camps where there are very high levels of unemployment, poverty and malnutrition (see below). These were the most severely affected areas in the country.
Contrary to assurances given by Ministers during February, actions by the authorities made it clear that the programme of enforced relocation of the African population will continue.
Saul MKHIZE was shot dead on 2 April while trying to address a meeting of people of the village of Driefontein. He was the elected Chairman of the Council of Directors of Driefontein, which had been coordinating the resistance to the removals.
The meeting had been called in the grounds of a school to discuss the removal with which the community of 5,000 people is threatened. Two policemen arrived and tried to stop the meeting, saying that it was illegal. In the face of protests the police threw teargas and then left in a van. Outside the gates of the school grounds the van stopped. One of the policemen got out and shot into the school ground, killing Mkhize (Star/DD/RDM 4.4.83; S.Exp 10.4.83).
Although the South African Police said that the policeman had shot in self-defence, eyewitnesses described the meeting as peaceful and said that the police were in no danger (CT 5.4.83; RDM 9.4.83).
The funeral was attended by 3,000 mourners, mainly from Soweto and other parts of the Witwatersrand. Representatives from many organisations were present.
The situation of the Driefontein community illustrates several aspects of the policies of enforced relocation.
The community lives on land it has owned since the first decade of this century, when it was bought from a white farmer, along with two adjacent farms. The African occupants of all three areas of land have been told by the government that they must move. In line with apartheid policies, the communities are to be broken up and people resettled in different parts of the country according to the language they speak: people who speak Zulu are to be sent to Natal and put on land due to become part of the Kwazulu bantustan, while those who speak Swazi are to be put in the Kangwane bantustan.
Of those living in Driefontein, about 300 own land, and small portions are leased to tenants who cultivate it. Only those who own about 40 acres or more will be allowed to claim land 'of equal agricultural and pastoral value' when they are relocated. The rest will join the very large numbers of people who have been deprived of access to land through relocation.
The response to Saul Mkhize's death, both at his funeral and in the many protests made by organisations throughout the country, was indicative of the resistance to relocation. Nevertheless the intention of the regime to continue the programme has been made clear.
In February a number of statements were made by Ministers implying that enforced relocation of population was to be discontinued. It was suggested that instead there was to be a new policy characterised by 'compassion and due respect for human dignity' in which people would be removed only 'in their own interests', 'where there is no alternative'. The Minister of Cooperation and Development said that the government 'will do everything possible' to avoid removals 'as far as is practicable and possible' (S.Trib 20.2.83).
However, the Association for Rural Advancement (AFRA) responded with a statement saying that there was no evidence of change: 'To date there has been no fundamental reversal in policy, merely delays, confusion and concealment in its implementation'.
The statement continued saying that the first part of 1983 provided mounting evidence of the authorities' determination to proceed with black spot removals and to clamp down more tightly on the presence of African residents on white-owned and Indian-owned land (AFRA Report 19, February 1983).
