VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A001200030018-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 1999
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: March 23, 1960
• Content Type: BRIEF

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I. Riots of 21 and 22 March, unprecedented in vi?lence in the Union,
raise serious new security problems, with racial. tension increas-
ing between country's 3,000,000 whites and 12,000,000 non-whites.
A. At least 80 Africans killed and nearly 200 wounded at
Vereeniging, 30 miles south of Johannesburg; some reports
put number of casualties much higher.
B. Reportedly ? killed and 46 wounded near Cape Town.
C. Many Africans now staying away from work; two thirds of those
in Cape Tawn are reported out on strike.
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II. Violence the result of a new campaign, led by newly .formed Pan-
Africanist Congress (PAC), against identity card system for non?
whites. (Identity card system is not new.)
A. Dynamic Pan-Africanists, led by Rovert Sobukwe, a young ex-
instructor at Witwatersrand University, broke with older
African National Congress in April 1959.
Anti-Communist PAC seems to be replacing Communist-influenced
National Congress as African spokesman in important areas of
Transvaal and Cape provinces.
C. PAC program militantly anti-white, although present emphasis
is on peaceful protests.
D. PAC reportedly maintains contact with other pan-Africanist
groups in Accra.
III. South African whites will probably try to destroy Pan-Africanist
organization's effectiveness and intimidate African population.
A. Army reserve has been partially mobilized.
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NOTEa Union's security farces and strengths aree
Police force
- 22,000
Army
- 2,500
Citizen Force
(Army National Guard)
- 14,000
Air farce
- 2 , 9OC1
Navy
- 3,000
B. Sobukwe and 131 other Pan-Africanists have been arrested and
will be charged with sedition.
C. Police officials say Africans must "learn their lesson the
hard way."
D. Whites buying up all available arms in Johannesburg area.
E. .Prime Minister Verwoerd refused to permit inquiry into riots,
asserting it would be used as platform for agitators.
IV. Growing African organizational ability and increasing white
nervousness are almost certain to lead to more clashes.
A. One third of the 10,000 whites among 22,000-man police are
estimated to be under 21, and heavy Afrikaner (Dutch descent)
majority in the security forces is considered trigger-happy.
B. Security forces are believed capable of containing, but not of
preventing, further isolated disturbances.
C. Much of current unrest stems. from harsh application of
apartheid legislation; a relaxation of some government con-
trols could relieve tension considerably.'
V? Meanwhile, situation will be aggravated by critical world reaction,
A. Moscow radio says "blood of the dead" calls for intensified
struggle against imperialism,
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~._.i
~. Nehru condemned shootings in statement before Indian parlia-
ment.
VI. We are in contact with relatively liberal European elements in the
Union, in an effort to encourage bridging of ever-widening gap
between the Africans and Europeans.
A. For the immediate future it seems doubtful that these elements
can exert a significant influence.
B. We are still hopeful that something may be accomplished over
a period of several yearsq
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