The leaflet says that, under apartheid, South Africa's cities were governed by elected white councils, while black townships were governed by white-appointed Black Local Authorities (BLAs). Civic associations recently have emerged in the townships, leading campaigns to discredit illegitimate BLAs. The De Klerk government is unilaterally restructuring local governments to preserve white influence and the still undemocratic BLAs. The leaflet discusses the Cathcart Residents' Association (CARA) and the Thembalethu Civic Association. The leaflet asks people to write South African President F.W. de Klerk and Minister of Local Government Leon Wessels and demand that they suspend the proclamation...
The leaflet says that, under apartheid, South Africa's cities were governed by elected white councils, while black townships were governed by white-appointed Black Local Authorities (BLAs). Civic associations recently have emerged in the townships, leading campaigns to discredit illegitimate BLAs. The De Klerk government is unilaterally restructuring local governments to preserve white influence and the still undemocratic BLAs. The leaflet discusses the Cathcart Residents' Association (CARA) and the Thembalethu Civic Association. The leaflet asks people to write South African President F.W. de Klerk and Minister of Local Government Leon Wessels and demand that they suspend the proclamation calling for united municipalities until national negotiations have decided how local governments should be constructed. It also asks people to write Acting Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger and urge him to press the South African government to stop restructuring local governments and agree to international standards of representative democracy.
