U.N.
report – Apartheid In South Africa.
4th
August 1965
It is my responsibility and duty to
report the unbearable and inadmissible situation that the Black South Africans
are experiencing. The conditions to
which ‘blacks’ have been forced to live by the Apartheid laws are by large a
violation of numerous articles of the U.D.H.R.[1]
25 million blacks are being revoked
of their rights by less than only 5 million whites who hold the power of
government. 317 laws have been established to maintain the economy and social
system favourable to the white community exclusively, consequently prohibiting
the development of the black society.
What was apparent to me at first
was the segregation between the two races. Barely extremely little property is
owned by the blacks here in Port Elizabeth: during daylight blacks will not be
seen around walking on the streets; they will only be met around midnight on
buses leading them backs to Glenmore (200 km from Port Elizabeth) where they
live in groups of a few families at times in houses with rotten wooden walls
that women and kids have to frequently fix with mud. Men are instead forced to
work 12 hours a day on average to gain an absolutely inadmissible wage.
Moreover, there are no regards to health and safety in the factories where
diseases menace the workers, who do not have the right of joining in trade
unions and therefore of assuring their families a future in case of death on
the work spot (the probability of such thing occurring is high).
Subjected to these inhuman working
conditions are a certain number of ‘Coloreds’ and a minority of ‘Whites’ as
well. However, these last get paid much more than the Blacks, sometimes even
double the wage to do the exact amount of work! This unjust situation
highlights a violation of the principles in articles 23,24 and 25 in the
U.H.D.R.
‘Everyone, without any
discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work’.[2] This
is obviously not happening. ‘Everyone has the right to form and join trade
unions for the protection of his interests’[3]. The
principle described in article 24 is also trespassed since the workers are not
given time to ‘rest and leisure, including a reasonable limitation of working
hours’ and they absolutely have no right ‘period holidays with pay’[4]
For what regards ‘Property’, The
Group Areas Act[5]
(1950) has divided the lands in which blacks and whites have residence into
distinct zones. This not only broke up
family nuclei and forced blacks away from their jobs and businesses but it
contrasted their development by setting aside the best urban and industrial and
agricultural areas for whites. Many blacks live in Bantustans[6] since
1951 and have been so completely isolated from the main developing centres;
moreover all their political rights are now restricted to their own homeland,
which means they have to impact or right to participate in their country’s
government.
Blacks from the Bantustans have
been deprived of their right to nationality, they have to hold a passport[7] to
show every time they enter a ‘South African’ region which is not their
homeland. The unity of families is once again affected by numerous shadings of
the laws: only blacks living in cities can enter these after gaining the
states’ permission; however if any other member of the family is found to stay
in the city overnight, all will be arrested. Also, the ‘Immorality Act of 1950’
and the ‘Mixed Marriages Act of 1949’ prohibited the formation of some
families, of relationships between people of different races: even love has
been deprived of freedom in South Africa! In the prisons are numerous Blacks,
Whites and also Coloreds with the fault of ‘having intended relationship with a
member of a different race’ and so trespassed the ‘Immorality Amendment Act of
1957’ which prohibits this intention exactly.
Too many rights are being violated
bringing the living conditions of the people to be of an unbearable and
dignity-deprived standard. Apartheid trespasses the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights through every one of its laws. It is inadmissible.
Word
Count: 512.
5
recommendations to force the South African government into ending the Apartheid
system:
1.
An embargo must be imposed on South Africa on all the products it
exports to other countries in order to block its economy. The embargo will be
lifted only when the UN will give consensus that the working conditions are
acceptable under health and safety measures. Moreover, the right to trade
unions will have to be given and all employs will have to be paid upon the work
done with no regards to differences in race.
2.
Essential supplies (energy) such as oil, carbon, electric sources which
are used to communicate, in industries will be prohibited to be imported to
South Africa until Apartheid is brought to an end.
3.
If Apartheid is not ended instantaneously, mistreated people through the
Apartheid laws may show evidence of this to the UN which will request to the
S.A government an economic refund to all the systems’ victims.
4.
The country of South Africa will not be recognized anymore in any
sport/cultural/artistic events/competitions worldwide. South African
productions, films will be banned (censored) around the world if Apartheid is
not brought to an end.
5.
All type of transport to and from South Africa will be prohibited if
Apartheid is not ended.
[1] Universal Declaration of Human Rights
[2] Article 23, Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
[3] IVI.
[4] Article 24, Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
[5] This law was passed to prevent blacks from
owning personal business enterprises in the white-zoned areas.
[6] Small homelands, areas of land set aside for
black residence. (usually away from ‘white’ urban centres)
[7] or passbook or dompas.
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