African Activist Archive

The article "THE WAR IN NATAL" discusses the apartheid homeland KwaZulu, Chief Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, Inkatha, the United Democratic Front, State President F. W. de Klerk, the African National Congress (ANC), and ANC Deputy President Nelson Mandela. The newsletter says Buthelezi was warmly welcomed by Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Margaret Thatcher. The newsletter reports that three of Pretoria's four 'independent republics' - Ciskei, Transkei, and Venda - have undergone coups and the military now in control in each have indicated support for the ANC and for 'reunion' with South Africa. The newsletter includes information on the UDF (United Democratic Front) and COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions). It discusses the Thor Chemical toxic waste plant. The newsletter says State President De Klerk has sent 2,000 Defence Force troops into the Natal war zone. One battalion is stationed in the occupied Namibian enclave of Walvis Bay; the other is 32 battalion, a force of Angolans with a history of ferocity against Angolan government troops, terrorizing the Namibian people, and supporting UNITA. The newsletter includes a press release by the South African Council of Churches, CHURCH LEADERS MEET THE ANC ON PIETERMARITZBURG VIOLENCE, with a statement by Reverend Dr. Frank Chikane. The newsletter includes a South African Council of Churches press release, PRESS STATEMENT ON MR DE KLERK'S SPEECH ON THE UNREST IN THE COUNTRY. It also includes information on Thor Chemicals, the import of toxic mercury waste, mercury pollution, American Cyanamid, and Rod Crompton of the Chemical Workers Industrial Union (CWIU). The newsletter includes several newspaper articles: "Death in the Zulu heartland" by John Carlin, "Inkatha unleashes its dogs of war on the pleasant green valleys of Natal" by John Carlin, "Natal's 'Valley of Death' Goes to War, Evidence Points to Zulu Group as Aggressor in S. Africa Fighting" by Allister Sparks, "Thunder at Thor," "British waste firm blamed for Zulu mercury poisoning" by Paul Brown, and "Unions join Greenpeace fight against waste dumps" by Eddie Koch.

African Activist Archive

ECSA Bulletin

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