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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1964)
African Student Apartheid Victim SUM ZINDELA of South Africa By THORA WILLIAMS Emerald Feature Editor Slim Zahahlc Derrick Zindela came to the University the hard way—he was smuggled out of South Africa in the back of a truck. His return would be even more difficult, because it would require overthrow of the apartheid sys tem of racial discrimination But Zindela. who has been granted political asylum by Tanganyika, is determined to do all he can to end the white-supremacy laws of his homeland. A psychology major, he has de voted his energies to the work of the African National Congress, the leading organization working to end apartheid It is under ground in South Africa but has exile headquarters in Tanganyika. As Zindela quietly explained it, "I am 39 years old. I should be married and raising a family. But I am here because they asked me to come and prepare myself for reorganizing the educational system at home. What I will do depends on what the organization decides.” Zindela. who has been arrested and imprisoned several times be cause of his political activities in behalf of the non-whites in South Africa, said that “almost all" Afri cans and "quite a few” whites in his country belong to the African National Congress. Membership is considered a criminal offense there. Early in 1960, under instruc tions of the organization, Zindela left the country with 27 other students. Charged with illegal en try in Southern Rhodesia, and after two months in jail, they were sentenced to deportation to South Africa. However, on the train back, they were able to escape in the British protectorate Bechuana land. They made contact with the African National Congress offices in Tanganyika, which sent a char tered plane for them. Within a year, they all had scholarships. With help from the Afro-Ameri can Institute, Zindela entered OSU fall term, 1963. He trans ferred to the University winter term. "Are conditions in South Afri ca as bad as we hear?” This is the question Zindela is most frequent ly asked. Zindela says they are. The blacks have an inferior edu cational system, are faced with job restrictions, generally have a much lower standard of living, are required to carry passes or a "reference book,” need permis sion to travel, he said. They are not allowed to vote or participate in government. "They are often arrested for minor offenses, like walking at night, and sold to farmers for specified periods," he said. "These people arc treated like animals, and I don’t think they will ever be reconciled to the idea that whites arc human beings." Even so, the first job of the African National Congress, he said, will be to “teach the ordi nary man that the white person is not a beast.” He said the white rulers have waited too long "Now it's almost impossible for the whites and Africans to come to an understanding. "Now the white man has to hold on. He fears that if he gives the franchise to the Africans he will lose power and get killed— which he probably would," Zin dela said. Zindela has little confidence in the effectiveness of the United Nations in overthrowing apart heid. “The U.N. cannot do any thing unless all of the countries act together, but they never do,” he said. Still, Zindela has confidence that a solution will come, even though it may not be reached peacefully. “The English have a way of suppressing you without making you feel the pinch,” he said. “But since the boers have gained power there has been ac tive opposition.” He said he is only one of thou sands of Africans throughout the world who are dedicated to the overthrow of apartheid in South Africa. If they should succeed, how would the new African rulers look upon the Western powers? “Why should they be friendly to the West?" he questioned. He said the refusal of the United States, Britain and France to end trade with the ruling white su premacists has helped maintain apartheid. Typewriters Rent to Own APPLY RENTAL TO PURCHASE PRICE HERMES OLYMPIA ROYAL SMITH CORONA USED IBM OLIVETTI New Portable $5 per month Oregon Typewriter & Recorder Co. Phone 342-2463 1111 Willamette St. Eugene, Oregon 9 by: ★ Day’s ★ Haggar Tailored for comfort . . . styled to give you that trim-’n-slim look . . . from $6.95 to $14.95 by: ★ Towne & King if Jantzen if Lord Jeff in: if brushed mohair if lamb’s wool if Shetlands from $12.95 to $19.95 by: if Manhattan ir Holbrook if Enro if Pendleton from $5.95 to $13.95 And don’t forget to register in our big Back-to-School Contest. You may be tne lucky winner of the Honda C-50. Come take a look at it . . . it’s displayed in our window. 2 VISIT OUR 1022 SHOP COLLEGIANS Store for Men 1022 Willamette St. SUNDOG BOOKSTORE BUY SELL TRADE 1249 Alder USED BOOKS • Texts • T rade • Paperbacks (2 blocks from campus)