Reactions in South Africa to President Ronald Reagan’s Sanctions (1985)

Late this afternoon, the Senate voted to sidetrack legislation imposing sanctions on South Africa, conservative senators who had been filibustering or blocking the sanctions bill since before the summer recess, today in an attempt to end that filibuster, failed by a vote of 53 to 34. - In South Africa, President Reagan's sanctions were attacked from both ends of the political spectrum. President P.W. Botha said they were regrettable, and Bishop Desmond Tutu said "he doesn't care two beans about Black people in South Africa." James Robinson of the BBC reports on the effect of the sanctions and some of the reaction in Johannesburg. - The enforcement of apartheid and the control of Blacks by police and the government relies increasingly on computers. Blacks regularly have their passbooks processed by computer to check on their movements and to grant them permission to live in a particular township and seek work. A ban on computer sales will have an effect, but won't prevent South Africa getting computers from other countries, particularly in the Far East. Krugerrands, gold coins minted in South Africa, will still be legally available for sale in the United States, at least for the time being.

If a ban is eventually imposed, it will hurt the gold industry, but America is only a small part of the market. The most painful of American sanctions may be the restriction on bank loans to the South African government, except for those loans designed to help Blacks. But in general, businessmen are relieved, they'd expected more. - Because these are very selective sanctions, which have been decided upon by President Reagan, and are hedged around with civil conditions, the impact on the private sector in South Africa will be minimal. - And that's a judgment shared by Bishop Desmond Tutu, who wanted much tougher action. His anger against apartheid is tonight directed towards President Reagan. - He doesn't care two beans about Black people in South Africa. I don't think he cares at all. And that is why I call him a cryptoracist. I think I should call him a racist, pure and simple. I mean, he thinks that Black people are expendable.