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SMA Voetsak! The SMA on Wits campus is actually not that popular but I have discovered where it gets such a big name from: none other than Wits liberais who pay so much attention to them in confronting them, arguing with them in tfueatening t]lem. They're actually puny on campus but their image in boosted a hundred times when lefty students come to heckle them and cause trouble. They love it! In fact, to be more precise, they exist off it! Their whole existence is based on tile existence of Nusas and BSS because their whole purpose is undermining these organisations. They want students to get upset with them and it would even serve their purposes if they were beaten up. This is because they want to weaken the respectability and ;redibility of these organisations in porfraying progressive students as a bunch of wild radicals whose soie purpose is to create total anarchy in this counhy. TheY are succeeding because ttrey set uP traPs for us and we fall into those traPs time and time again. They set this up to draw attention to thernselves and the onty way they can do that is if they get these students to gave them attention. Take the traP set uP on Thursday 2915186 when there was an ECC meetigg. TheY set trP a huge display with about 10 flags flying high, a TV cameraman from 8.30am and riot police waiting in a van from 8.30am (I can't imagine who called them!). This was a taP in two ways. Firstly theY were hoping that a whole iot of students would come ramPaging uP to them after the ECC meeting so that theY could film "Wits Students go wild" and perhaps have this on SABC TV so that our beliefs in Peace and democracy would be totallY undermined. If theY succeed on portraying Wits Pro$essives in a bad way, then we will be alienatmg many peopie, both students and people off campus, and the effectiveness of our camPaigns would be limited. Secondly it was a traP so that the riot police could have an excuse to com-e onto carnPus and (hoPefullY) arrest a leader and in that waY hinder the struggle. (Well, the police goofed it badly because they didn't expect the kind of support we showed for the detained student the next day). There is no question of SMA links with the police and thel -butitis important to realise that the SMA are not lhe real anemy. If we ignored the SMA they would be small and insignificant (most students don't even bother looking at their iying propaganda). If we had just waiked past them, ignoring tlem totally, they would have been so amazed and their plan would have fallen on its nose. But instead students chose to confront them and they loved it! They stood on their tables desperately clutching their flags while being swarmed by angry students. (It iooked like a symbol of the last bastion of white rule). Now if that klnd of thing hits SABC-TV and (for example) the next day we are asking the community off campus to support us against police tenor on campus, even the liberal-inclined Derson will question whether we are really taking control of our lives or not. What kind of support will the democratic struggle have then? I say that if we are serlous about our struggle for democracy and freedom then we must behave that way. We must be sbategic about every move that we make and most importantly-listen to our leaders because they have experience and we must learn from them. Discipline is of uunost importance. But I'm not saying that if we decide to ignore the SMA on campus that we should just leave it at that. We must take some serious action against them like: 1) Challenge the university on allowing the SMA to exist at all on campus - they stand for alll - supposedly abhors 2) If they cannot be bamed fiom Wits then they should at least be barred from having displays on the same day as Nusas, BSS or ECC meetings. 3) They should be barred from flying the South African flag just as other students are barred from flying the ANC flag. Anybody got some more sugges - tions?? STUDENT Happy Birthday Karen I don't know if you have a message column in your campus sfudent newspaper, ;but anyway I want to ask you if it is possible to print a message from me to my friend in your next edition. She is studying computer science at your university. We met in December 8.and 'continued' in June/July last year. I visited the Wits campus a few times. We reaily had a wonderful time, but I had to go back to Holland, to fulfil rny duty in the Dutch army. That will last ;until November and I still doubt what I will do after that. I would be very pleased if you could publish this message for her: Karen Sarpers Good luck, take care and be aware of all the good things in lift. Happy Birthday Love: Hans ALSA upset The Executive of the Anti- American Leagueof South Africa (ALSA), on behalf of our thousands of members and affiliated organizations, would like to disscciate ourselves from the Vice-Chancellor's statement on recent events on campus (3 June 1986) On page 3 he claims to have consulted with a wide range of organizations on campus, including ALSA. We do not, as Yet, fully understand the sinister motives behind this claim, but we wish to state unequivocallY that we were never consulted! . We are not dissociating ourselves from his statement because he did not consult us, but because we do not like his statement. It is far too cautious and unsupportive of resistance to right-wing thuggery. In particuiar it says nothing of the role of imperialist America in the oppression and exploitation of Africa and indeed of the rest of the world! We cail for a sustained boycott of canteen food and the William Cullen library until the university has addressed our demands. These are that the university: l. Liven up the "Social" column inThe Star Classifieds, 2. distribute a book called "Freedom Songs for Beginners" to first year students, free of charge, during Orientarion Week, 3. liquidate the SMA, 4. make all those who oark in Senate House basement donite their spare tyres to the struggle, 5. abolish the Jan Smuts Internaiional Relations Dept, and replace it with the Guevara Institute for Urban Insurrection, sabotage and guerilla Warfare, in which courses such "Peasant Revolution and Rural Agitation" would be offered, 6. dismantle the homelands syslem 7. dismantle all securitv legislation, and remove -. from the townships, 8. abolish the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, f. impose mandatory sanctions on America, and disinvest, un_less they abolish all nuclear weapons and remove Ronald Reaean from office immediateiy. Viva AI^SA Vival! Long live Clifford E sidewinder* long live!! Foetsak America Foetsak! ! E Yours in the struggle Prof Karlos "The Jackal" Toblerone Austrian RePresentative AI,SA Executive. * A popular hero and martyr of the struggle. Solidarity! The students of Deakin University extend solidarity and supporto you and the fight against apartheid. We are outraged at the oppresive and violent tactics of the Botha llllagainst peaceful protest and free expression. Our thoughts are with. you in your struggle for human equality and freedom. We offer any support we can. J PATERSON PRESIDENT on behalf of Deakin University Students' Association. Capped, qowned 5nd ripped! Having recently graduated, I have finally realiseC that graduation, supposedly the ultimate in one's university career, is no more than a synonym for financial exploitation. The graduate is systematically "milked" from every direction. In particular I wish to mention the hiring of academic dress. This "service" is provided by Markhams (Ptll Ltd - a monopoly - charging R89,00 for gown and good. Once these items are returned, the individual should receive a R50,00 deposit back. BUT apparently at the discretion of any of the employees of the establishment, one may be "fined" for returning the goods late - an amount of R15,00 or more! This penalty is incurred regardless of the fact that on application for academic dress, neither a return date nor a penalty is specified. Can we affort to graduate? We obviously are not allowed the freedom of choice. And I wonder if these types of exploitations are supposed to initiate us into the "real" world. Do we leave behind our ideals and efforts to obtain equality and freedom for all within the walls of our microcosm - the university? E VARDAS(Ms) B,Sc HONOURS STUDEN T
Kiddie Kash K ll nsls For a long time, students and staff at the university fought for the right to have a creche which would enable working or student parents to be ensured of proper day-care for their young children. This year the university opened a creche which cares for children from ages 6 months to 3 years.The SRC, as well as certain other individuals and organisations rep resented on the creche management committee. believes- that the present creche fees (subsidized by the University Council) of Rl40 per month (with three subsidized places at R100) are above the affordable level for most university students, as well as workers and certain other members of staff. However, to continue our efforts to achieve lower creche fees, it is very important that students, academic and other university staff who would be interested using he creche faciiities contact us: We need to know whether you knew of this facility before reading this letter, whether you can afford the fees, whether you have transport to take your children to the creche, which is in Parktown, and whether you would like to make any additional comments or suggestions. For example, piuents may want to arrange a co-operative transport system, or may be willing to provide voluntary assistance to the creche to reduce costs. Please contact SRC Women's Pordoiio at 7l{-3101 or ar SRC Viva Wits As a disciple of the teachings of Jesus Christ, Gandhi and Martin Luther King, and as an ardent supporter of the Freedom Charter and the democratic struggle, I would like to add my opinions to thos already flying around concerning the even8 of May 30. -By adopting a non-violend Gandhian model of presenting ourselves, in waves of 30, for afiest we immediateiy attained an immense moral advantage over the oppressors. Our strength in the National shuggle, internationally, has always been our moral advantage over the Boer 4b We only maintain this advantage as long as we do not sink to their leve-. The strength of non-violent action lies in the refusal oi participants to retaliate even, in the extreme, to the point of death. This is perhaps the most difficult course to take, for it requires far more than just an emotional commitment to the cause, it requlres also a strong spiritual aspect. It also involves a. negation of the traditional methods of dehumanising one's opponents - something that Boer nationaiism has refined to an art - instead one must recognise the humanity of the enemy and thus refuse to commit against him the violence which he commits. Our strong moral foundation crumbled when we retaliated. in our anger, againsthese men. With the first stone all our justification was destroyed and a vital statement againstyranny made a mockery. R G DUNCAN . BA III Boo Wits Not being of your university, I felt it my dufy to comment on the activities on your c:rmpus which to say the least, I find disturbing. Reading the thoroughly biased and one-sided articles in the 3 June issue of Wits Student, I shall be very surprised if this letter appears in your publication, since I would presume that an editorial staff which presents such a unilateral, subjective and narrow viewpoint, would not be interested in aconcepts which we of the Western world call "Freedom of Soeech" - perhaps if I was a black student, who submitted a story about the police attacking me, you would print the ietter...? Having said that, I would also like to say I know apartheid is unjust, and I know the government is unjustified in some (and I say some - not all) of its actions. To speak plainly however, if students ask for shit, shit is what they'll get! Police beating students as a unique concept is most obviously wrong. Police beating students which are merely peacefully protesting is also most assuredly wrong. But police beating student which are (a) attacking the police, (b) holding illegal gatherings, (c) disturbing the normal life of other students, (d) inciting crowds and (e) obstructing traffic flow in Johannesburg streets maY not be totally unyustified" Some sort of resEaint must quite obviousiy be placed on these troublesome students, if only for the sake of keeping our civilisation intact. At our faculty of Veterinary <strong>Science</strong> we lay hold of a concept which seems to be fgreign to the Wits campus. Rather than playing foolish political games, whilst being sponsored by large imageseeking.companies and failing our exams we have a thing called woRK, (spelt w-o-R-K). This has to do with studying towards a worthwhile degree, and studying properly and continuously until we itaue titis degree. PerhaPs the students of Wits, which cause so much trouble, so often, should stoP worrying about issues which don't concern them and rather utilise their intelligence in an academic playground which the univenitY, I am led to believe, does offer to those who seek it. Anyone wishing to rePly to this letter should write to: The Editor onderstepoort students" Newspaper c/oBox 12409 ONDERSTEPOORT 0110 R KENNEDY-SMITH Bu rad knows best Your recent article on the "Crescent in Crisis" contains a number of inaccuracies and I would like to set the record sftaight. Burad Securities Limited has purchased "The Crescent" for R2 million and not R4 milion as stated in vour article. This is conditional on-the purchaser applying for and obtaining amendment of the Town Planning Scheme and the removai of any restrictive conditions ralating to "The Crescent" in order to change is zoning. The sale does not include the Wits" squash courts. The Crescent building requires extenslve repairs and would cost the university a considerable amount of money if renovations were to be undertaken. At the same time the university wishes to pursue the development of the Student Village in Parktown near the Ernest Oppenheimer Hall. Normally it is likely to be many years before the funds become available for this development. At the time the university received an offer for the "The Crescent" it appeared to be an oppoffunity to replace a dilapidated University residence with a modern exciting ventue in student housing. Shouid the saie be completed the proceeds from the sale will enable the university to rehouse ail the residents from "The Crescent" and a considerable number of other students in more satisfactory accommodation than at present. Under the circumstances the objections raised by you are not in the best interests of students. J C SKINNER Director Division of Information Public Affairs. We apologise for any factual inaccuracies in the report. We maintain however, that many students are opposed to the demolition of the Crescent. tGt f \rE l Et mffimffitFtinn & Gampus unity at stake Campus unity had been at its shongest point in a long time with a broad united base voicing joint opposition to a number of issues, including police presence on campus Then, the Muslim Students' Association $4SA) decided to hold an exlibition declaring their unity and solidarity with the Palestinian "oppressed" peoples of the Middle East. This display of what I consider to be violent and pernicious Anti/Semitism took place on the last day of the second term, June 6. it was claimed that the reason for the display occuring on this day was that this day was the International Palestinian Solidarity day, but I'would like o suggest that if any solidarity had really been wanted to be expressed, that another day would have been chosen, and lot the last day of tenn, a day which-I consider ,was chosen so as to provoke antagonism, more than to educate. I do not claim to be an exoerr on the Middle Easrern situation and I cherish the right of Freedom ;of Speech on campus, but at the same time, I think that any acts such as the issuing pf violentlyAnti/Semitic propaganda materials, and the painting of the Palestinian (?) flag on the graffiti wall, an act that the arbitration committee had not agreed to, are only designed to enflame the feelings of any Jewish srudent on campus. This, I feel is not the role of the university and it is a great pity, that in times of crises in South Africa that certain groups feel it necessary to stir naiscent hatreds and thereby split the campus into two distinct groups, something very unnecessarv. I would furthermore like to commend all the Jewish students involved in Friday's occurences, for I think that the way in which they were able to discuss a response and prevent any violence from erupting was commendable. Tensions were indeed running high, and the fact that the entire affair could be dealt with nonviolently should be taken as an example of successful student negotiations. WELL DONEI! I question the Palestinian flag being painted on the graffiti wall, for the flag that was painted, was NOT the Palestinian flag, which has some yellow in the black triangle, but the Jordanian flag (Well, never mind). FRANK SAMUELS . BA II
Page 1 and 2: Wits Volume 38 No g 24 July 1986 A
Page 3 and 4: Subsequent events on campus on that
Page 5 and 6: il IITU'P f Efif I T'I'58 E EFSEffi
Page 7 and 8: pageT - Where have all our leaders
Page 9 and 10: ,,33'r!r!r""imrir#!555#!!!i!ttiflff
Page 11 and 12: Communalactio rs inthe frontline an
Page 13 and 14: The view from t m r I r I I I I I I
Page 15: [fi --r! I lrt m w.rur The state of
Page 19 and 20: SPORTS Soccer triumph ffi:t3!!t't'!

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