The South African regime has intensified its tight control over the Namibian population with a number of measures introduced in early 1985. In March, Proclamation AG9 of 1977, the Security Districts Proclamation, was amended, making it even more restrictive and at the same time it was made applicable to an even wider area of the country. In the same month a dusk-to-dawn curfew was reimposed in the Kavango bantustan. Reports also surfaced of plans to build fortified fences along Namibia's border with Angola and South Africa's northern borders.
On 11 March the Security Districts Proclamation was amended to control entry into six of Namibia's bantustans: all civilians not normally resident in the designated areas must obtain police permits before entry. In the 1970s similar measures were invoked under Proclamation R17 of 1972. The new regulations apply not only to the northern bantustans of Kaoko, Ovambo, Kavango and Eastern Caprivi but also to the north easterly ones of Bushmanland and Hereroland East. Thus over half of Namibia's population, which is resident in these bantustans, is to be isolated from the rest of the country. Furthermore the areas affected cover the borders with Angola, Botswana and Zambia.
The substantive proclamation as amended in 1978 and 1980 already empowered the Attorney-General and anyone acting on his authority to prohibit any person 'from residing or being at a place or in an area situated within a security district and indicated in the order'. Under the new legislation the same authorities are permitted to prohibit entry. It allows for the Administrator-General to exempt 'specified persons' or 'persons of a specified category' from the order. Furthermore he, or the Commissioner of Police or his deputy, may determine conditions and requirements under which people not so exempt may be allowed to enter, reside or be in security districts.
This draconian measure, which newspapers described as 'cording-off' the north and the north-east of Namibia from the public, is the latest of a series of moves tightening control over the population. Notable among these have been the programme for compulsory military registration, the draft Manpower Bureaux Proclamation and harsher penalties enforcing the carrying of identity cards (ID cards) which came into effect on 1 March 1985. The relationship between the Security Districts Proclamation and the enforcement of ID cards became clear during a press conference to announce the new measures. The Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant-General AJC Gous described the two as complementary. Permanent residents of areas proclaimed security districts would not be liable to obtain permission to enter the area: decisions on residency status would be based on ID cards which state the district in which the holder is permanently resident. He agreed that this would 'clearly reveal who had valid documents and who did not'.
The new permit system increases the powers of the security police who have been charged with its administration. It is yet another weapon with which they may harass the civilian population. According to the police, permits should be obtained from any police station and border control would not be exercised. Penalties for failing to produce a permit or a valid reason for not having one were set at a maximum R600 and/or 12 months' imprisonment. Failure to have an ID card carries a penalty of R500 and/or a six months' prison term.
The police stated that permits would be valid for twelve months and could cover more than one trip; permits would list which districts were open to the holder. Fears were expressed that permits would be refused for political reasons or that the reasons for refusal would be withheld. Lt. General Gouws recommended applying for a permit at least three days before making a visit, claiming the authorities did not want to put 'any stumbling blocks in the way of the press'. On 11 March, the day the regulations became law, a spokesman for the security police stated that already 609 permits had been issued, mainly for the Caprivi and Kavango bantustans.
On 6 March the Officer Commanding Military Sector 20 announced the re-imposition of a dusk-to-dawn curfew in certain areas of the Kavango bantustan. This announcement was the first newspaper report that the curfew imposed in 1981 had been conditionally suspended sometime during 1984. Press articles recalled that at the end of December SWATF had claimed only 23 guerillas were still active in Kavango. Less than three months after this statement the curfew was reimposed 'in the light of the security climate in the area'.
