ANC RADIO LAUDS MASSIVE RESPONSE TO STRIKE CALL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP92-00053R000300410005-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 14, 2012
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: November 6, 1984
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP92-00053R000300410005-2 GLIB
Thu Nov. 8 09:27 1 T E M P R 0 G -F )17,
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MIDAFR.U .5UEFN .D49384 MB070855 REV 1
HEADLINE: rsa: ANC Radio Lauds Massive Response to Strike Call
SOURCELINE: "Lusaka Radio Freedom in English to South Africa 1700 GMT 6 Nov 84
(tentative) It
(uf headline>
ANC Radio Lauds `Massive Response' to Strike Call{ql}
{$f3}MB070855 Lusaka Radio Freedom in English to South Africa{$fl}{ql}
{$f3}1700 GMT 6 Nov 84 (tentative){ql}
{$fi}{em }{ql}
(Text] After the 2-day strike of Monday and Tuesday, the task
before us is to evaluate it and weigh its impact on the enemy. The
decision to launch a strike {em-) a general strike {em-} was well-advised.
The response was massive and there can now be no doubt as to the
readiness of the oppressed workers of our country playing a decisive
role in future battles for our legitimate rights.-Cep}
No other way will ever prove more effective in our efforts
to win the demands that we have put before the regime. We
demanded the withdrawal of the fascist army and police from our
townships, resignation of the town council stooges, scrapping
of rent and fare increases, plus the legal plunder of GST [general
sales tax]. People elsewhere (?looking at the) the affluent
(?wealth) of our own country, will well wonder why a general strike
on these issues was called, but to us these are not ideological or
abstract issues. They are bread-and-butter issues. They are
the type of issues people who understand elsewhere will wonder
if we do not fight to the bitter end to win changes in their
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present nature. None of us need to be lectured on how each of
these issues adversely affect our lives.{ep}
Our pay-packets disappear within minutes of our receiving
them. What eats it up are the high rents, high fares, and the
GST. Because of all this legal robbery, we live from hand-to-
mouth. What is more, many of us do not even afford to live from
hand-to-mouth. We live with less than that. How can we then
change the situation? The answer came in the form of the
2-day strike. There can be no doubt about the decisive
effectiveness of this weapon that was resorted to.-Cep}
A general strike as a weapon is everywhere effective. If
it proves otherwise) the problem is at the organizational level.
That is not yet our own case. Issues on which the strike was
fought are national sore points, but we decided only to challenge
them in the Transvaal.-
Cep)-The general strike itself was limited to 2 days. There can
be no doubt that this could emerge as the basic weaknesses of
the general strike. The limited nature of a provincial strike,
even though it is an industrial province (?of) the Transvaal and
given also that it is only 2 days, does nothing against the
capacity of our enemy to resist our blows.-Cep}
(?Perhaps) there are objective considerations which dictated
the limited nature. [Words indistinct] that we do not win much.
The enemy will resist because we did not make it difficult or
impossible for him to resist, for he is afraid to meet our demands,
as a result of the general strike [words indistinct] agree to our
demands, ('?in that) he held the future in his mind.-Cep}
Were our demands to be met, it would prove an example to
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people an other provinces. They would be encouraged to
do likewise, for they also have the same problems. This is what
(?we call) the enemy (?resistance). (?We will) find that
[word indistinct] in that the challenge is limited to one
province. If, at the end of the day, it turns out that we
have not won, the answer as to why is this.-
Cep)-At any rate, it is good that we resorted to positive action
to force the enemy to accede to our demands. The calling
of the general strike and the response to the call is an unqualified
success. It is a giant step towards our legitimate goal of
winning freedom. We now know that our people can act in unity
in support of their basic political demands, not only on the
factory floor for bread-and-butter issues.-Cep}
We ought to build on this victory for future battles. The
battles are tough, and we need concerted support on our part
if we are to win this. The preparations for this battle will
start in earnest now. The response to the call for a
general strike was not [word indistinct]. A bit of soul-
searching is necessary on their part, that is, the part of those
who did not respond. The issues on which the general strike
was called affect us all. We need to have fought together.
This is what must happen next time.-Cep}
Those who hesitated must mend their ways, so that we strengthen
our offensive against the enemy next time. The victory that
we have won in mobilizing successfully for the first general
strike in many years (?should) inspire all patriots, and
together we must march forward to greater victory.-Cep}
{ETX}
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP92-00053R000300410005-2