Independent BoardofInquiry intoInformal Repression -thattheSouth Af~ican policyhaveactively aidedandfannedtheviolence inthetownships surrounding Johannesburg whichthispastAugustclaimed morethan500lives. Nobody whoknows theactivities oftheSouthAfrican policewillbesurprised atthis,butIthink itisimportant tostressthatthisdisturbing behaviour continues despiteallthe conciliatory talk that wearehearing. Thus,asrecently aslastSunday, South African Council ofChurches leader, FrankChikane, saidagainthat"police are involved inkilling us". Inastatement on5September 24Anglican bishops fromthroughout southern Africadeclared that: "thepolice, ascurrently constituted andtrained, areoftenaforcewhich sparksoffviolence, ratherthankeepsthepeaceinsituations ofconflict." • r1I JSM/at A/SPC/44/PV.26 71. (Mrs.Davis) le :k Ll 'omthe 'oups .rising reated mine ,with n ng knows hink 1the th e rn :h :t...Thebishops issued acallofthegreatest urgency fortheStatePresident tobring thepolice andtheSouthAfrican defence forcesundercontrol. Inowturntothequestion ofthenegotiations climate. TheUnitedNations Declaration lastDecember calledforthecreation ofaclimate conducive to negotiations. Webelieve thatthisclimate hasnotyetbeencreated. TheAfrican National Congress ofSouthAfrica (ANC)hasagreedtoacease-fire, butasnoted above,theGovernment seemsunwilling todoitsparttohalttheviolence. TheDecember Declaration specifically calledfor:first,theunconditional release ofpolitical prisoners anddetainees; secondly, anendtothebanson political organizations andindividuals; thirdly, theremoval oftroops fromthe townships; fourthly, anendtothestateofemergency andrepealoflegislation designed tocircumscribe political activity; andfifthly, anendtopolitical trials andexecutions. TheSouthAfrican Government, asfaraswecansee,hascomplied fullywith onlyoneofthefiveconditions setoutbytheUnitedNations asnecessary forthe creation ofaclimate conducive tonegotiations: ~heyhaveunbanned political organizations. Thereisnotenough spaceheretoreviewprogress onmeeting allof theseconditions, butIshouldliketomaketwospecific points. Although agreement hasbeenreached fortherelease ofpolitical prisoners and detainees, thousands stillremainingaolandtheHumanRightsCentrereports that: "thecourtsareworking overtime tomanufacture anewstreamofpolitical prisoners". Theconsensus resolution alsocalledforthe1ifting ofthestateofemergency andtherepealofrepressive legislation. TheGovernment's lifting ofthe emergency inallareasbutNatallastJunewasa,nimportant ste]; ~butitwouldbea mistake towelcome thispartial measure whentheemergency remains ineffectin --f';;;;----JSMlat A/SPC/44/PV.26 8 (Mrs.Davis)\, Nataland,ineffect, mini-emergencies werereimposed through thedeclaration of so-called unrestareasin27townships and19magisterial districts around Johannesburg onlythisAugust. Furthermore, se~urity legislation, suchasthe Internal Security Actof1982,thePublicSafetyActof1953,orthePublicSafety Amendment Actof1986,andmanyothersuchpiecesoflegislation, remaininplace. I~ouldadd,purely fromourownpersonal experience withtheweeklytelevision newsprogramme SouthAfrica Now,whichwesponsor, thatwecanseetheSouth African Statecontinuing itscensorship bymanymeans Thus,this ~eekSouth African Now'sproducer wasrefused avisatovisitSouthAfrica. Sothecensorship continues. Withregardtothequestion ofevidence ofirreversible change, inourview, theothercritical partoftheDecember resolution wasthecallforthe intel'national community nottorelaxexisting sanctions measures until"thereis clearevidence ofprofound andirreversible change". Thereis,inourview,no evidence ofsuchchaugeinSouthAfricaatthisdate.Thisviewissupported by theSouthAfrican Council ofChurches inaresolution theyadopted inJulyattheir national conference. TheSouthAfrican Council ofChurches declared thatthedismantling of apartheid willbeirreversible onlywhenthefollowing conditions aremet:first, aConstituent Assembly ~sconstituted; secondly, sovereign powerisremoved f~om theexisting legislative structures andinvested eitherintheConstituent Assembly
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the political and social situation in South Africa, specifically the violence in townships surrounding Johannesburg and the government's response to it. It also touches on the topic of negotiations and the creation of a conducive climate for talks. The text mentions various human rights abuses, such as political trials and executions, and the lack of progress in meeting the conditions set out by the United Nations.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, International relations