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From: South Africa's Radical Tradition, a documentary history, Volume Two 1943 - 1964, by Allison Drew
Document 7 - Draft declaration of unity provisionally adopted at Unity Conference, Bloemfontein, 17 December 1943
These organisations of the Non-European, which in themselves are not political parties dies embracing various political, economic and social organisations and parties of all shades of opinion from every walk of life, have met together in Conference upon 17 th December at Bloemfontein.
After frank and friendly deliberations on questions affecting all Non-Europeans in the conference has come to the following conclusions:-
Ӣ That ruler of South Africa, who wield the economic and political power in this are deliberately keeping the non-European people in political and economic oppression for the sake of their own selfish interests.
Ӣ That the entire constitutional and economic structure, the legislative, educational, fiscal and administrative policy, is designed to serve the interests of the ruling-class (the minority) and not the interests of the people of the country as a whole.
Ӣ That despite protestations to the contrary, it is the firm determination of this ruling-class the economic advance and upliftment of the Non-Europeans.
Ӣ That during the 33 years since the formation of the Union, the promises of the rulers? (who have assumed the self-appointed role of "trustees") that they would use the resources of the Union for the benefit of the underprivileged (those in trust been flagrantly broken. Instead of a process of civilisation, of reforms a greater share in self-government and government, to a greater share in al income, to a greater share in the material and cultural wealth of South a more equitable distribution of the land - these 33 years have been marked by a process of cumulative oppression, of more brutal dispossession of the Non European, of more crippling restrictions in every sphere.
Ӣ That not only the future wealth of the Non-Europeans in South Africa, but their very existence as a people demands the immediate abolition of "trusteeship", of all constitutional privileges based on skin-colour, privileges which are incompatible principles of democracy and justice.
6. That the continuation of the present system in South Africa, so similar to the Nazi Herrenvolk, although it may lead to temporary prosperity to the ruling race, must inevitably be at the expense of the Non-Europeans and lead to their ruination.
Ӣ That the economic prosperity and all-round advancement of South Africa, as of other countries, can only be achieved by the collaboration of free people: such ion can only be possible and fruitful as between people who enjoy the status citizenship, which is based on equality of civil and political rights.
8. The recognition that Segregation is an artificial device of the rulers, and an instrument for the domination of the Non-European, is at the same time a recognition that the division, strife and suspicion amongst the Non-European groups themselves is also artificially fostered by the ruling-class. From this it follows-
(a) That no effective fight against Segregation is possible by people who tacitly accept amongst themselves.
(b) That the acceptance of Segregation, in whatsoever form, serves only the interests of the oppressors.
(c) That our fight against Segregation must be directed against the segregationists within as well as without.
(d) That the Unity of all the Non-Europeans is a necessary pre-condition for this total fight against Segregation.
9. As representatives of the Non-European oppressed people, we have come together in the full recognition of the above, in order to lay the foundation for real unity amongst the Non-Europeans. As the purpose of this Unity is to fight against Segregation, discrimination and oppression of every kind and to fight for equality and freedom for all, such a Unity movement cannot and must not for one moment be considered as directed against the Europeans (an anti-European front). It is an anti-Segregation front and, therefore, all those European Organisations and SocieÂties which are genuinely willing to fight Segregation (as distinct from those who profess to be against Segregation but in reality are only instruments of the Ruling Class) are welcome to this anti-Segregation Unity movement.
10. In view of the heavy legacy of the past still in the ranks of the Non-Europeans, the task of this movement will be the breaking down of the artificial walls erected by the rulers, walls of distrust and suspicion between the Non-Europeans. This breaking down must start from the top and come down right to the bottom. This is the organisational task of Unity. Provincial Committees must follow, then ReÂgional Committees and finally local Committees, where this Unity will become a living reality.
11. Indeed, all Non-Europeans suffer under the same fundamental disabilities - the lack of political rights. This lack of political rights is the main cause of the poverty of the Non-Europeans, the main impediment to their progress and future. It is through lack of political rights that laws were passed. Land Acts were passed, depriving the Non-European of his land, prohibiting him from buying land and forcing him to stay on the land as a semi-labourer and semi-serf. It is through lack of political rights that laws were passed making it virtually impossible for a Non-European to become a skilled worker (the white labour policy Apprenticeship Acts, etc.) and keeping unskilled and semi-skilled labour on the very lowest plane and even below the minimum subsistence level. It is through lack of political rights -
(a) that his education is deliberately starved;
(b) that he is starved of medical facilities, hospitals, maternity homes and clinics;
(c) that he is forced to live in locations, bazaars, hovels and sheds;
(d) that he is forced to carry passes and cannot move freely;
(e) that the system of taxation is unjustly applied against him;
(f) that he is not allowed to form Trade Unions.
12. In view of the fact that all the above disabilities, economic, educational, social and cultural all flow from the lack of political rights, the struggle for full democratic rights must become the pivotal point of our struggle for freedom. But while recognising that our struggle is chiefly a political struggle, we must not neglect any other form of struggle so long as it serves the cause of liberation. Thus it is the duty of every organisation attached to this Unity movement to unfold to the people the meaning of the following programme, a programme not for bargaining but repreÂsenting the minimum demand and fundamental needs of all sections of the people.