632
ANGUS WILSON
necessary. It was discontent with this inept United Party op–
position that produced the Progressive Party. This small parlia–
mentary Splinter party composed of some of the most intelli–
gent whites
o~
both races would give a limited, gradually ex–
tending,
franchi~,
based on education and/or property to Afri–
cans. They have
~ever
yet faced an election and, with the
present exclusively
~ite
electorate, may well lose their seats.
In any case it seems doubtful if such offers will any longer
satisfy the younger Mrican Nationalists. More valuable perhaps
in dissolving racial barriers are the activities of the non-racial,
non-parliamentary party, the Liberals, and of those stalwart
middle-class white women, whose emotional hostility to the
brutal effects of Apartheid have led them to form the Black
Sash movement, which in practice alleviates some of the worst
cruelties of Government logic. But both these groups are small
and ever liable to governmental suppression.
As
to a split in the Mrikaner ranks, I am not sanguine.
Many young Mrikaners, of course, are to be found in every
shade of opposition. Eleven prominent ministers of the Reformed
Church recently protested at the decision to include Cape Colour–
eds in the segregation. But ostracism was quickly their lot. For
the rest, one evening stands in my mind, when a group of
prominent, able, Mrikaners began to criticize the working of the
Apartheid policy. Some English-speaking South Africans took
this as a signal for cooperation. Instantly the Mrikaners round–
ed on them. "Don't think our criticism means that we
will
join
you," they cried. "We will never break the ranks of Mrikaner–
dam." I believe this is true. In the last resort the situation can
only be resolved by African strength. The failure of the pro–
posed great strike this year suggests that it will be some years
before this strength is sufficient to fight, unless assistance from
the new African states becomes a reality. And if a fight does
come it is difficult to believe that the Afrikaners will.not resist
to the death-though death, in view of the opposing numbers,
it must surely be.
