THE British and United States governments have openly emerged once more as the main international supporters of the murderous apartheid regime in South Africa. Their decision veto a United Nations resolution calling for 'voluntary' sanctions against South Africa, and to abstain on the very mild French resolution calling for a halt to investment, shows clearly that they intend to continue to prop up the Botha regime.
The reasons for 11019 policy are not hard to find. Britain is the largest investor the South African - with the US the second largest. direct investments are worth an estimated t5 billion, with a futher £6 billion in loans shareholdings. Over half of the 2000 foreign-owned companies In ine apartheid state are coptrolled trom the UK.
With this economic weight the British ment has a major influence over the situation in South Africa. but tor brush imperialism, considerations of profit far outweigh any concern about the bloody repression that has been unleashed on the blacks in Between September last vear. when the recent struggles began, and the declaration of a state of emergency on 20 uv. more than 500 blacks were murdered by the security forces over 2,000 injured, and 3,000 arrested 20 July there have been more than 20 more deaths on official figures alone and over 1,200 arrests. The stand taken by Britain and the US gives the green light to yet more fearsome repression. Botha's threat to deport the 1.5 million black workers form neighbouring states is only made possible by British American complicity with apartheid.
Faced with policy, and South Africa's repression, Neil Kinnock's call for an end to new investment is totally inadequate ine recession case reduced levels of new pected Kinnock DrODOSCS only painless sacrifices for imperialism. Firms such a ICI, Plessey, Barclays and Standard Chartered Band will be free to draw their and give loans did capital to the regime.
Power The labour movement should instead build a campaign to break all links with apartheid campaign which will have to include winning me labour ment to action against both the Brush government and the companies that proit the South African regime. It means the labour movement also directly suppprting the black struggle in soul Alrica Itsel Against those who argue that TUne regime would hurt the black population, the South Atrican Congress of rade Unions gave the answer as long ago as 1963: 'It is some times argued even by wellif the world boycotts South Africa we, the working people, will suffer most. Even if this were true - • and we do not believe it — let us assure our well-wishers abroad that we ao not sarmk form an hardship cause treedom.
Socialists in Britain have special responsibility build mass campaign against Britain's complicity in apartheid. The labour movement should organise immediately to send delegations meet with the leaders of the black masses South Africa. It should link this move to demands June chaing diplomatic links, for boycott of trade with the regime and of all South African goods - and for a boycott of firms which sustain the South African Southampton dockers gave a magnificent lead on Tuesday in the struggle to break all links with apar machine tools bound tor the South Africa fron Atlas Aircraft Corporation which contravened the arms embargo on sales to South Africa.
NUS er eneral secretary Jim Slater rightly said, government is not going to stop arms equipment going to South Africa, it's up iu trade unions to take action."
The action is also clearly in defiance of the 1982 anti-union laws which ban secondary boycouts.
ACTiON