SAUL PELLE, a full-time officer for the African National Congress Australian Mission, recently returned from a visit to South Africa, his first since going into exile 14 years ago. He was one of 1603 delegates attending the ANC Consultative Conference in Johannesburg on December 14-16. Pelle spoke to JACQUI KAVANAGH about this historic event and about his impressions of his homeland.
What were the main issues discussed and strategies adopted at the conference?
The conference, in itself, was very significant. For the first time in 30 years, the ANC was able to hold a legal conference in South Africa.
Of great significance also was the presence of ANC President Oliver Tambo. His immense qualities and commitment to the struggle against apartheid were particularly noted, and he was enthusiastically received when he arrived at the airport and when he spoke at the conference.
At the first open session, chaired by Walter Sisulu, the president read the keynote speech followed by the deputy president [Nelson Mandela]. Both speeches were an appraisal of the events leading to the unbanning of the ANC, meetings between the ANC and the government, questions of violence, education, organisation related to the different regions and branches.
There was great anger about the government dragging its feet on some of its stated intentions, particularly from the Groote Schuur and the Pretoria meetings, where you find that their undertakings have not been fully implemented — for instance, the release of all political prisoners. We still have thousands of political prisoners in the apartheid jails. The government committed itself to release them as far back as the Pretoria meeting in August. The exiles have not been given amnesty. That is another thing that was supposed to be done.
It was decided that the ANC should embark upon a mass action campaign which would ensure that the government adhered to the letter of the decisions taken at the two meetings with the ANC. The conference also warned the government that, unless these obstacles are removed by April 30, the ANC will consider the suspension of the whole negotiation process.
On the question of sanctions, the conference came out with a very clear statement. It recognised that to a certain extent changes have been effected by the government. But it felt that the negotiations process has not yet reached a stage of irreversibility. Sanctions should be maintained until the ANC
and the Mass Democratic Movement inside the country feel that there would be no turning back.
One of the burning problems discussed was the mass recruitment drive. There is a lot of support for the ANC throughout the country, but to actually get those people to become card-carrying members you have to have activists who go out and join up these people. That has been a huge task in an atmosphere of violence. So, whereas we had initially envisaged that by the start of the conference the ANC would be having something like a million members, we did not have that many.
I participated in the commission on violence, which escalated immediately after the unbanning of the ANC and the release of Nelson Mandela. One does not have to look too far to see exactly who is behind this violence and its direct links with the government.
In the commission, some were sceptical about the continuation of the negotiations because they were very unhappy about what is going on. The government is saying it is bent on reform, but on the other hand you've got repression, people being tear-gassed or even shot because they were demonstrating against apartheid.
It was clear that a majority of people were concerned that the ANC had suspended the armed struggle without extensive consultation with the grassroots. It was further argued that there was an urgent need for communities to be able to defend themselves from the brutal onslaught of massacres and random killings.
The commission resolved that negotiations should go on, they are seen as part of the struggle, but that people have a right to defend themselves. It was decided that defence units should be organised.
Could you describe the atmosphere of the debates?
What really impressed me was the openness, the directness of the people, in expressing their views about the present situation, even criticising the leadership. You saw that the people were not afraid of the leadership. While they respected their leadership, they felt that they are the people who are to decide what kind of South Africa they'd like to have and how the ANC is to move forward.
During Mandela's closing speech, it was very clear that he really acknowledged that the people have a right to criticise the leadership and to show the leadership where it's gone wrong. But they also have an obligation to listen to what their leaders have to say. If some of the decisions have been taken without extensive consultation at one time or another, the leadership explained those things.
It was quite clear that the leadership of the ANC felt they were answerable to the people.
How will de Klerk's recent announcement regarding the lifting of some apartheid laws affect the political climate?
De Klerk's announced intention to repeal the Land Acts of 1913 and 1936, the Population Registration Act and the Group Areas Act, is to be commended. We see it as a logical step for creating conditions for negotiations. But the government should have gone further than that by releasing all political prisoners and allowing our exiles to return.
One major step which could have been taken is to review the security laws. People are still being detained under such laws as the Internal Security Act. As long as those laws are still in place, I do not see how an atmosphere of free political activity could be built.
What progress is being made towards a united front of all anti-apartheid organisations?
Some significant progress has been made. The ANC has met with different organisations, and those organisations have had meetings to lay the groundwork for a situation where almost all of the anti-apartheid groups could form something like a coalition or an alliance. This is something that all genuinely anti-apartheid groups would like to see. The ANC has already met with the Pan-Africanist Congress, and they have agreed on a common program around some specific demands.
As an exile of 14 years, in what way has the country changed and how did it feel to be home?
I felt a little bit out of place for the first two or three days. Seeing my mother for the first time in 14 years, and my brothers, sisters, my cousins, my immediate family, my extended family and all my friends from my township — it was quite an exciting experience, overwhelming!
One thing that struck me was the terrible poverty and squalor. People have got poorer: they haven't got homes, there are shacks everywhere. There is no sanitation. Unemployment is running up to 6 million. The crime rate has gone up, which is to be expected in a situation like that. It is terrible, unbelievable. You have a whole generation who have not been going to school since 1976. And the government has not been addressing those problems.
On the other hand, the attitudes of whites towards blacks have changed. They are willing to talk to us, some of the whites are even joining the anti-apartheid movement, some of them are joining the ANC and the other organisations. So that is a great step forward.
There is an atmosphere of real determination. People feel that this is a very crucial time and they are making sure that this last lap, which is the most difficult, is trodden upon with confidence and a lot of strength. A lot of people had hope that things would come right, that all that they have struggled for is not in vain. The fruits of their struggle will be realised.