Although formal UN sanctions have been imposed against the Rhodesian regime since UDI in 1965, it is not economic problems which have brought on the present crisis. The entire international capitalist class — their banking institutions, oil and transportation companies, etc. — have provided sanctions, as was so graphically revealed in une wake of tne recent Lonre ret.
This does not mean, of course, that all is well with the Rhodesian economy. Naturally, as a segment of world capitalism, it has been affected by the recession from mid1974 onwards, especially by the decline in commodity prices. Nevertheless, the central proDiems acme me oman rewime are no! economic but political and military, stemmine arcy om une new suzuon m southern Africa following the Portuguese withdrawal from Angola and Mozambique. These events most notably affected the South African attitude to Rhodesia in the following way. The war by black guerillas against the Smith regime in Rhodesia is hotting up. The white troops are suffering regular and serious casualties, particularly in the border areas. Last week the settler regime took revenge in the only way it knows, with the cold-blooded massacre of 618 people in the refugee camp of Nhagomia in Mozambique. But such murderous actions will only harden the determination of the resistance to finish once and for all with the white racist oppressors. In a special report below, JOHN BLAIR outlines the crisis of the regime and analyses the state of the opposition.
1. As early as 1974, Vorster's need to avoid a direct confrontation with the new KELIMO Government in Mozambique -which supplied vital mine labour, electricity (Ca bora Bassa), and port facilities for South Africa — was certainly a factor in the decision to withdraw South African "police from the anti-guerilla "operational zone' in Rhodesia. Since this force at one time numbered 3.000, and Rhodesian regula troops amount to only just over 4,000, this nas ica to a conslactable weakening orenal country's defences. 2. The South African Government has while never openly espousing black majority rule in Rhodesia, consistently aligned itself with attempts to produce a settlement' placing leadership in the hands of the petty bourgeois black nationalist leaders.
The high point of these attempts was the September 1975 meeting at Victoria Falls where Vorster and his ally in these attempts, Kaunda of Zambia, sponsored a meeting of Smith and the ANC leaders.