Mass protests against incorporation
As over 50,000 residents of Botshabelo marched on the local magistrates office to present a petition on 1 October in protest at the incorporation of their township into the Qwaqwa bantustan, eight other affected communities circulated petitions to mobilise against similar government plans.
Plans for incorporation have sparked fierce resistance in rural areas which has been met with repression. In an attempt to limit legal challenges, the regime introduced the Alteration of Boundaries of Self-Governing Territories Bill in April. The bill states that 'no court of law shall be competent to enquire into or pronounce upon the validity of any proclamation issued by the State President'. It would retroactively validate previous proclamations, thereby reversing court decisions such as that which nullified a government plan to incorporate the Moutse area into the Lebowa bantustan.
The bill is likely to affect Botshabelo as soon as it becomes law. Botshabelo was incorporated into Qwaqwa bantustan on 2 December 1987, but the decision was reversed by a Supreme Court Order in August 1988. Despite this, residents say that the bantustan officials continue to exercise authority in the area. The government is appealing against the Supreme Court decision. The march by 50,000 residents was to demand the withdrawal of their township from the bantustan administration and the provision of transport, educational and health services.
In October over 800 residents of Nkqonkqweni in East Peelton sought refuge in a church hall after their houses were demolished by Ciskei bantustan authorities who then moved some of the homeless residents to various villages elsewhere in the bantustan. This forced removal of residents was seen as a move to undermine their organised opposition to incorporation.
In November the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Peelton after meeting a delegation led by Frank Chikane, General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches. They demanded a guarantee for the safe return of refugees to Peelton; a review of the decision to incorporate their villages; the unconditional release of detainees; compensation for damage and losses sustained during evictions and the return of their property and livestock.
Peelton was incorporated into the Ciskei bantustan in August 1988 without the consent of local residents. Since then there have been repeated incidents of police and vigilante violence.
Journalists were prohibited from visiting Peelton without prior permission from the authorities and were told they would be refused permission to visit areas considered 'unsafe'. Where permission was given, journalists would be accompanied by police. In September, after police prevented the Bishop of Grahamstown from entering Peelton, they fired teargas and rubber bullets into the church where he was due to conduct a service, injuring 15 people, including a child.
In October the bantustan authorities declared a 'State of Emergency', banning all gatherings of more than four people and imposing a curfew from 10.30 pm to 4 am. The village was sealed off by the bantustan army and police who went on the rampage. Over 50 people were injured and at least 96 went missing — some of whom may have been among the unknown number detained.
In October, 30 organisations of the Mass Democratic Movement in the Border region met to consider actions in support of the villagers and later launched a consumer boycott of all businesses owned by Ciskei bantustan politicians. In November, two senior bantustan police officers revealed that there was discontent within the bantustan army and police forces. Among the reasons for this, they listed the fact that police were forced to assault residents of Peelton and demolish their houses.
In October the Bophuthatswana bantustan authorities granted indemnity to police and government officials for actions against local residents. This was made retrospective to April 1989 and nullified civil claims instituted against members of the bantustan police by residents of Braklaagte and Leeufontein. The two communities were incorporated into the bantustan on 31 December 1988 against their will. Since then there have been reports of police violence and intimidation.
About 11,000 pensioners from the two villages have refused to accept pension grants from the bantustan administration in protest at incorporation.
