South Africa: Are There Silver Linings?

Abstract

SOUTH Africa is possibly most controversial of countries. Its defenders acclaim its political stability; others ask at what price in civil rights. Its economic boom is pride of its advocates; its economic inequality is target of its critics. Separate Development of ethnic groups is presented on one hand as an enlightened solution to racial tensions; on other hand it is condemned as not only racist but unworkable. South Africa's critics not only condemn present situation as unjust, they show even greater concern over dangers of today's policies projected into tomorrow. Lord Caradon, Britain's Ambassador to United Nations, has long pointed to southern Africa as a time bomb with a shortening fuse. Former U.N. Am bassador Goldberg sees South Africa as a racist cancer which could infect whole planet and lead to World War III. Such alarming predictions are not conclusions of this author. The projections in this article, based upon contemporary domestic de velopments and trends in foreign policy, point to possibility of a relatively peaceful transition to a more just South Africa. Essential to our understanding is some acquaintance with Prime Minister John Vorster. When he succeeded Dr. H. F. Verwoerd two years ago, Vorster was considered a man of iron by his party, and with reason. He had been jailed for alleged subversion for two years at Koffiefontein Camp during World War II; he had broken up Communist Party, defeated wide spread sabotage rings and instituted preventive detention, bannings and exit permits. No doubt he would continue to defend Dr. Verwoerd's granite stand. Vorster's ascension to power dismayed all varying shades of opposition in South Africa and world outside, which had observed procession of Nationalist Prime Ministers, each successively further to Right?Malan, Strijdom, Verwoerd?since party came to power in 1948. The logical culmination seemed to be Vorster, who had toughest image of any cabinet minister. The New York Times dismally concluded that the South African Na tionalists in fear have turned over reins of government to most extreme, most ruthless, most totalitarian of their party