unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (08/24/89)
AD HOC WORKING GROUP ON SOUTHERN AFRICA HOLDS HEARINGS IN LONDON
============== UNITED NATIONS DATABASE ========================
FRIDAY AUGUST 18, 1989
(Based on information received from the UN Information Centre, London.)
LONDON, 15 August -- The Ad Hoc Working Group on Southern Africa of the
Commission on Human Rights, today heard testimony from the following
witnesses: N. Rubin, International Labour Organization (ILO); Kwaku Dankwa,
United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid; Thozamile Botha, Gazin
McFadden, Lulu Mabema and Joyce Diseko of the African National Congress of
South Africa (ANC) and Geoffrey Bindman of the organization Southern Africa,
the Imprisoned Society (SATIS).
Testimony of Witnesses
Mr. RUBIN (ILO) pointed out the linkage between the perpetuation of the
system of apartheid in South Africa and the dire effects of economic
deterioration on the black population. Increasing repression in the form of
circumscription of labour union rights, and, in fact, repression of trade
unions at all levels was rampant. This had not diminished the effectiveness
of the trade unions and had not impaired their strength.
Turning to the situation in Namibia, he said that unemployment was
extremely high, education was very poor and mainly whites seemed to be trained
for employment. In 1978, a provision excluding Africans as employees was
abolished and that meant that Africans could form trade unions. There were
now six trade unions in operation in Namibia.
Mr. DANKWA (Special Committee Against Apartheid) reviewed recent
developments in South Africa and said arrests, detentions and tortures
continued to be the formal instruments which the authorities employed to abuse
human rights in South Africa.
Mr. BOTHA, a member of ANC and of the South African Congress of Trade
Unions, living in exile in Lesotho, spoke of his personal experience as a
trade unionist in South Africa and his detention as a consequence.
Mr. McFADDEN (ANC) said his concern was to update the working group on
the plight of children in South Africa. The South African Government was
responsible for a massive amount of ill-treatment and detention of children.
Ms. MABEMA (ANC) addressed herself to the question of detention without
trial and ill-treatment of detainees.
Ms. DISEKO (ANC) spoke of the right to life in relation to the ANC. She
referred to massacres which had been perpetrated against members of ANC and
said that recently attacks had been made on rank and file members of ANC, as
well as on the leaders.
Mr. BINDMAN (SATIS) said he was also speaking as a member of the
International Commission of Jurists' fact-finding mission in South Africa. In
answer to a question regarding the independence of the judiciary, Mr. Bindman
said there was a strong positivist attitude to apply law as enacted by
Parliament and judges felt obliged to do so. However, a minority of South
African judges took a more liberal view and tried to interpret laws in a way
consistent with human rights. As to the relative independence of the Namibian
courts as compared to the South African courts, he said there was a case when
the Supreme Court in Namibia struck down legislation as it did not conform
with Bill of Rights.
He said there was a total of 280 on death row awaiting execution in South
Africa. Out of those, 80 cases were considered to be political.
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