JOHANNESBURG: Ian Smith, the “Premier” of the illegal white-minority regime in Rhodesia will be meeting South Africa’s racist Prime Minister Balthazar Vorster in the next few days at a southern summit. It could mean bad news for the British Premier Mr Harold Wilson.

No date has yet been set for this meeting on the first known confrontation of southern Africa’s two racist leaders since Rhodesia whites’ unilateral declaration of independence.

Until now South Africa has been maintaining a facade of neutrality in its official dealings with Rhodesia while letting it be known that it will not take part in the UN sanctions against Rhodesia or anyone else. But now Mr Vorster is obviously looking for a firsthand account from Mr Smith of the effect of the sanctions on Rhodesia’s economy.

Mr Smith may also have another vital meeting this time with Mr Henry Ford II, who is in South Africa to try and improve relations between his company and the South African Government.

South Africa is angry because Mr Ford is not allowed to supply them with military vehicles and Mr Smith is angry because the United States Department will not allow Ford to supply Rhodesia with any vehicles at all. — Dawn-Express Service

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,] the Malawi Government was strongly criticised today [March 15] by the “All Africa Trade Union Federation” here for signing a trade [pact] with racist South Africa.

News that Malawi had become the first African State outside South Africa to sign an agreement with that country angered the Trade Union Federation, which accused the Central African country of aligning herself with racist South Africa.

In a statement it said, “This is an act in which Malawi not only approves of the apartheid policy pursued by the racist regime but enhances the oppression of our African brothers there by a settler minority.”

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2017