African Activist Archive

The press release quotes New York Judge William Booth, President of the American Committee on Africa, condemning the arrests of leaders of the United Democratic Front (UDF), a 600 organization-strong anti-apartheid coalition spearheading a country-wide boycott of the elections for a new "reformed" Parliament in South Africa. At least 24 executive members have been detained under the Internal Security Act. Shortly before the arrests, more than 3000 black and white protestors in Johannesburg and 6000 in Cape Town had attended UDF rallies opposing the elections. The South African regime has touted the new Parliament as a major reform of apartheid and the Reagan administration has welcomed its establishment as "a reason for hope for peaceful change." Among those known to have been arrested are seventy-year-old Archie Gumede, one of three National UDF Presidents, Mewa Ramgobin, UDF Treasurer, and Patrick Lekota, Publicity Secretary. Several of those arrested, including Lekota and Billy Nair, already have spent long terms in prison on Robben Island.

African Activist Archive

South African Election Arrests Condemned

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