Activists in South Africa are making plans to challenge the new government of F.W. de Klerk. (1) August 26/27: A Workers Summit called by COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) and NACTU (National Council of Trade Unions) to focus on opposition to the new Labor Relations Act and harassment of the trade union movement. (2) September 6: Although the state of emergency regulations ban public protests against the segregated elections, churches, trade unions and community groups are all organizing for an election boycott. (3) October 7/8: Community, trade union, business and other groups have scheduled a "Conference For a Democratic Future" about how to end apartheid. Authorities...
Activists in South Africa are making plans to challenge the new government of F.W. de Klerk. (1) August 26/27: A Workers Summit called by COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) and NACTU (National Council of Trade Unions) to focus on opposition to the new Labor Relations Act and harassment of the trade union movement. (2) September 6: Although the state of emergency regulations ban public protests against the segregated elections, churches, trade unions and community groups are all organizing for an election boycott. (3) October 7/8: Community, trade union, business and other groups have scheduled a "Conference For a Democratic Future" about how to end apartheid. Authorities in the northern Transvaal have detained student leaders at the segregated University of the North - Turfloop and closed the campus on August 18. The government detained United Democratic Front (UDF) General Secretary Mohammed Valli Moosa; other UDF leaders have been forced into hiding. Vigilante assassinations are escalating, such as the killing of Eric Nze Gumede. Max Coleman, a founder of the Detainees Parents' Support Committee, and Beyers Naude, a former head of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), recently received death threats. The Mass Democratic Movement has requested international messages of support for their defiance campaign. Protests against the government crackdown can be sent to F.W. de Klerk, State President's Office. Also, urge President Bush's Secretary of State James Baker to publicly condemn the crackdown.
