emergency - Computer Science

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- The South African Government is faced with the problern of trying to make the necessary modifications to apartheid to ensure their continued maintenance of control. They cannot seem to come up with the right formula. Prior to the <strong>emergency</strong>, resistance was growing rapidly. The housing and land shortages, unequal education and unemployment were being made more severe by the failing economy. And the system of local and national government was being challenged from all quarters. In the white community, 10 000 stuclents voted for NUSAS to speak to the ANC. The 'Call to Whites' Campaign drew much support for the UDF, and many people believed the troops should leave the townships. Today, in the black communities, and in the factories, people are not just defending themselves against their oppression and exploitation, - they are taking control of their own lives. The discredited Cornmunity Councils are being replaced with street and area committees which are democratically organising the running of their community. Trade Unions have organised themselves into effective structures that are able to challenge management to pay living wages, and they have lvon many victories. In the schools, the Bantu Education system is giving way to a people's education, devised and implemented by the pupils and parents themselves. It is in this context that the government had to act to stop the consolidation of democratic organisations, which are challenging apartheid's ability to work. The State of Emergency and the amendments to the Public Safety Act and the Internal Security Act are also attempts by the state to create the space to enforce their new reform packages. This sledgehammer approach to creating 'law and order' is not the right fonnula. It has not worked in the past and will not work now or in the future. It has been said before, and the point will be made again and again - until it is heard - when the real needs of South Africans are met, when power lies with the people, force will not be necessary to restore peace in South Africa. Our sources of information, the Bureau of Information and the inevitable rumours, should not be relied upon. With so litle access to news, we must not allow ourselves to be lulled into complacency by the information we do receive. This edition of Wits Student has been censored in order to make its contents 'legalt. Therefore what you are reading is not the full story. We believe that it is our right to say what we want - and be heard, and to allow a responsible readership to draw their own conclusions. Despite there beilg no news to send up these days, playing blankety-blark with this colum (though aesthetically rather a good idea) might be deemed subvenive by Die Mnister of demons, deerning and demonsf ations. Then again, while we are obviously a ghost" Phantom is nevertheless quite aghast, at the very thought of being labelied "a leetle white sheet". While on the subject, most townships in tlrese toubled times are reportedly haunted by what are ostensibly "friendly",. yet seemingly cowardly, ghosties. Residents have named them melio. yellos, but Die Mnister shall of course categoricaliy refer to them as Casspirs. T Ja well, no fine, as the speedcop said when I gave him a sixpack... As we have said, Fred, there isn't much to be said" sadly. Some will be pleased. Sonre may laugh. The same some as will be pleased that UCT's "Varsity" can't quote NUSAS - a case of "No NUSAS good news"? Any word of the U D Front will probably also be deemed an affront by Die Minister - back to front, that's S.A. for you. But then there's always the good old Sports Front, and the International Front, to which we now revert. After ali, news is merely a front for real events... On the Sports Front - Sports is usually on the back page - some iate news of the World Cup from Mehico Seedy. After Dago Madonna's controversial goal in the England-Argentina re-match, Falklands II, the English fans were a little disgruntled. Especially down in Port Stanley, where a squadron of RAF Phantoms (no relation) were armed with thermonuclear warheads, all set to "tallyho" at the blow of the frnal whistle. Some Engtishmen kept a stiff upper iip, though. Notably, Englishman Margaret Thatcher commented "I suppose you have to hand it to them, don't you see? Haw, haw." Naoually, for their part the Argies were entirely gruntled with little Daguito, as were the Italians. Madonna plays for Napoli at a million bucla per annum. Collection hats are being passed about at British pubs to secure a Mafia contact on Dago's head (make that hands). However, the Napoli coach denied rumours that Madonaa will shortly be axed from the side. That concludes the International wrap-up. As for local haps and mishaps, perhaps we should cail it a warp-up, I'm afraid. (Right now, "I'm afraid to say" means just that). - - - - Phantom observes drat the Bureau for Information (a rather unfortunate misnomer) has substituted a stewardess for its hot seat steward, at the daily briefings As any questions to tle stewardes tend to render her quite hot under the collar (she warms to her subject), perhaps the "hot-seat" is aptly named. Talk about founts of information. Words like "no comment" hiss as from a hot geyser. Anyways, the pioy of putting a woman at the mercy of a bunch of journalists (or vice versa), simply didn't work. Attendance at the briefings continues to drop off, while those who do pitch up usually nod offanyway.
,,33'r!r!r""imrir#!555#!!!i!ttiflffi The report "Perspectives on Wih,. POW!! was tabled in June . While the results were vastiy differing in opinion, the findings were - * Vast majority of informants perceived Wits as being dominated by big business, government and the whife community * Wits is isolated from the experience of black people * Whiie Wits opposes apartheid, it discriminates wi8rin the university * For many, Wits holds the promise ofliberai values. It should be seen to be in the forefront of opposition to apartheid- but the respondents, including the ANC, do not believe the university should be linked to any specific organi - sation, but rather accountable to society as a whole. * It was also recommended that these new constifuencies are more fairly represented in the decision making of the university. * Finally, to further and strength - en such relatjonships it was felt that structureshould be eskblished to establish Wits' presence in the community. These ideas also emerged from an international survey, with two further points- * The idea of modular and dis - tance teaching received wide support. * Wide concern for the small number of academic and admin - istrative staff employed. The major difference in the international survey was the position on the acadernic boycott. Three positions emerged, a min - ority felt that Wits inevitablv mirrors apartheid, and another group thought that Wits could be an agent for social change.The predominant view was that the university was contested terrain and had the potential space to restrucfure its role in a changing society. While the dominant position was in favour of the academic boycott, it was also felt that the university should take immediate action to work towards, alteriag ih social standing. Many of the ideas in the.community and. internationai surveys i!!#!i!!!!!!!!S!E!!!!!:iiiils!fiiiiiiii !!!! NEWS !ii!! Iffi were supported in the un_iversity survey. However, imporrant differences emerged between the university and the community about their perceptions- .*. 2!Vo.of the university Dlg buslness tJrought was over represented on tle University Council * 92Vo of the communities felt it served white communiries and bie business * 68Vo of the university agreed that Wits should openly defy apartheid laws where thev interfere with the university, whili 96.5Vof the communities feit this. Agreement existed on the university's need to publicize its admission policy and buisaries more widely. Support also exists for a "bridging" year after school, that matric should not be the only criterion for admission to Wits. The community was unanimous about the need for courses to make students more socialiy aware and the need for part-time courses on campus. Support exists fot the establishment of a procedure for invest - igating racial discrimination as well as for a committee of community leaders to advise Wits on its poiicv. Concernirig community relations there was wide agreement on the need for Wits to supply various community services. Differences between the university and the community were reflected inside the university.Black and white students predictably differed on vanous issues, The most important was the belief of the black students thar there is a need for the university to state its political alignment. However common agreement exists on the need to establish a grievance commjttee. Division also emerged between black and white non-academic staff. The black non-academic staff harbours resentment towards university management. The report concludes by calling for discussion on all levels. "We need not wait until we ha ve maior social change, we can start ihe process right now," said one interviewee. Disinvestment-vuho foses ? Sanctions have been given extensive media coverage over the last five years. Now that their implementation is more imminenr, people are beginning to realise what the consequences would be. After the Emminent Persons Group (EPG) published their report, pressure for sanctions to be imposed has increased. Margaret Thatcher is however, adamant that sanctions wili not work. Her convictions are based on the beliefthat 15 years ofsanctions did not work in old Rhodesia. Commentators claim that Rhodesia did not only survive sanctions, but benefitted from having to develop substihrtes for imports. The proposed visit ro SA by British Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe, is viewed as an attempt by Thatcher to stall the imposition of sanctions, Thatcher feels that pumping funds, to the tune of R300 million, into black education will do more to facillitate change. Howe is ser to meet PW Botha on the 23rd and 29th ofJuly, for talks. The Pretoria III in the interim has been hurling angry threats at the 'pro-sanctions' groupings. Migrant workers are threatened with 'repatriation' to their'homelands' in retaliation to sanotions, and the government has also threatened to default on foreign debts. Youe Aeooucrlvlr-f ts low.l wu Mu.tr wopk HApDtp. ./ .J oozt, I frt$ r cr ot E r*F stcrov .r //&P uS F/orJrt/,5l/yvrsfuetf ! Prominent white businessmen in Will blacks, and only blacks, South Africa dwell on the fact that bear the brunt?; sanctions will have a far greater Are they willing to make the effect on blacks, and would sacrifice ? increase the hardships of the people The answers to these questions it was ultimately trying to help. are not conclusive. This is the one opinion splashed Chief Mangosuthu Catsha across South Africa's daily Buthelezi, head of the Kwazulu newspapers. Once again, as always, Legislative Assembly and leader of little anention is given to *re views tnkatha, shares much the same vlews as white businessmen in South Africa. He claims that. Perhaps of those people who counr - black South Africans. Disinvestment raises a few questlons: 'disinvestment is championed soley by those who seek to establish a nnn-..^;i-l;^: -'-' ' of violence,' and that,'a majority of ordinary black South Africans reject it.' In sharp contrast, the African National Congress, which despire ris exlie marnra!ns a i support amongst biacks, insists that foreign cornpanies prop up aprtheid and that total disinvestment is essential. An opinion, which lies somewhat inbetween, is that conditional disinvestment directed against particular foreign companies that do nor comply with specific demands. made by their workers and do not fulfiil their community responsibilities, would be powerfu I enough tb be effective aeainst apartheid, while not harming black inierests. Recent research has shown that nearly three quarters of urban black South Africans actuaily favour some form o f disinvestment.. A black .iournalrst reported that:" disinvestment is thel
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: pageT - Where have all our leaders
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 and 16: [fi --r! I lrt m w.rur The state of
Page 17 and 18: Kiddie Kash K ll nsls For a long ti
Page 19 and 20: SPORTS Soccer triumph ffi:t3!!t't'!

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