Archive category
Published date
Related Collections from the Archive
Related content
From: South Africa's Radical Tradition, a documentary history, Volume One 1907 - 1950, by Allison Drew
CALL TO A NON-EUROPEAN UNITED FRONT! TO ALL ASIATICS, COWURED AND AFRICAN PEOPLE SEGREGATION THREATENS US
The Government proposes to drive Asiatic and Coloured people into locations! It proposes to push them into a set of special areas for residence and trade! It intends to allow European Landowners to vote for this removal from one area after another.
Already it allows Licensing Boards to refuse them Trading Licenses. They deceit- fully do this ON RACIAL GROUNDS but they are not compelled to state their reasons. The Law invites the Boards to cheat Asiatics in this manner and they do so!
In a few years time there will be no Coloured or Asiatic t r a d e r s unless all non-Europeans stand together and by PASSIVE RESISTANCE refuse to submit to these inroads.
At the same time Africans are being attacked in the FAGAN BILLS which aim at clearing them out of the "Black Spots" -the areas where they hold land individually; and in the "Native Taxation Bill," a scheme is started to force Africans into any employment that Commissioners direct IN ORDER TO TAKE THEIR WAGES FOR TAXES.
WE A RE ALL BEING ATTACKED AT THE SAME TIME
The Asiatics are banding together to offer PASSIVE RESISTANCE to these measures, to refuse to be hounded out, deprived of their living and degraded.
ALONE THEY CANNOT SUCCEED
The Coloured people must join with them in passive resistance -in a refusal to be segregated, residentially and industrially.
At the present time it is possible for some Coloured people to become skilled workers, we must fight to extend these opportunities and not allow all the Coloureds to be pushed down to the level of unskilled workers.
The Asiatics must lend aid to the Coloured people and the Africans. They must give them rent reductions and must give them skilled employment.
THE ASIA TIC AND COLOURED PEOPLE WERE CHEATED
When the Africans were being brutally segregated, Asiatics and Coloureds stood aside because they were promised that nothing of the kind would happen to them. The Government made insincere and dishonest statements that Coloureds must be absorbed into the European group, and the rights of Asiatics would be protected.
Now they see that they were being cheated! It was a manoeuvre to prevent united action by non-Europeans. Hofmeyer lent himself to this by urging them not to form a non-European United Front.
AFRICAN COMRADES
Do not make a mistake. YOU TOO need the strength that a non-European United Front will give you.
CO-OPERATE WITH THE ASIATICS AND COLOUREDS!
JOIN WITH THEM IN PASSIVE RESISTANCE. FIGHT THE COLOUR BAR. Withhold your support from Colour-Bar shops and businesses. Let the Asiatic supporters of the non-European United Front have your support; let them give you openings for skilled employment in exchange. Do not let the Government divide you into hostile groups and then deal with you piecemeal as it likes.
Under the new laws more Commissioners will be appointed who will force you to work on farms and then take the money you earn for taxes
DO NOT SUBMIT TO THIS! Join the non-European United Front and make your refusal effective. Do not wait till they force you with GAOL or FORCED LABOUR.
Let us unite now! We must make it known that as free men we shall choose Gaol every time. They cannot imprison us ALL. We have it in our power to call the Government bluff by UNITED ACTION.
AFRICANS! ASIATICS! COLOUREDS!
RALLY TO YOUR ORGANISATIONS! CALL YOUR MASS MEETINGS!
GET ALL YOUR GROUPS TO JOIN
THE NON-EUROPEAN UNITED FRONT.