Last week’s speaker was myself, speaking on the “Apartheid Years”. The presentation started with the initial landing of ‘white settlers’ from Holland in 1652. They started a base at what is now Cape Town for fresh food and water, on their long journey as part of the East India Company trade route to the East.
In the beginning, although the local Khoi and the Dutch settlers had a good relationship with each other, suspicion and attempts to enslave the locals caused a break in the amicable relationship.
However, the Nationalist Government, under Hendrik Verwoerd, only officially declared apartheid in 1948. Race laws touched every aspect of social life, including a prohibition of marriage between non-whites and whites, and the reservation of jobs for ``whites-only’’. In 1950, the law required that all South Africans be racially classified into one of three categories: white, black (African), or colored (of mixed decent). The coloured category included major subgroups of Indians and Asians. Classification into these categories was based on appearance, social acceptance, and descent.
In 1951, the Government created ethnic government in African reserves, known as ``homelands.'' These homelands were independent states to which each African was assigned by the government according to the record of origin. All political rights, including voting, held by an African were restricted to the designated homeland. The idea was that they would be citizens of the homeland, and lose their citizenship in South Africa and any right of involvement with the South African Parliament, which held complete hegemony over the homelands.
Many ‘non-white’ people were forcibly moved to the homelands or to suburbs newly declared as non-white, on the edge of large ‘white’ cities e.g. Johannesburg and SOWETO (the largest of these ‘non-white’ suburbs.
All non-whites had to carry a passbook with their photo and personal details, all white citizens had to register at age 16 and carry a special card with their photo, and registration number. This number became the army number for white males who were called up for military conscription.
Examples were shown of the various street and general signs seen during apartheid. They clearly indicated how white and non-white citizens were segregated in all aspects of daily life.
The Black Sash (originally called the Women's Defence of the Constitution League) was founded in 1955 as an organization of white women to promote respect for the constitution and protest the loss of voting rights for Coloureds. Some of my parents’ friends were active members of this organisation.
In 1964 (passed in 1963) the 90-Day Act was passed which, provided for any person to be detained, without trial, for 90 days. Then, on the expiration and release, the person could be re-arrested under the same law for another 90 days, a process that could be repeated indefinitely
It was because a friend’s mother was detained under this law, for providing aid to African women with families with no form of income because their husbands had been jailed; plus other friends being watched by the Security Police and our family being watched for ‘entertaining’ Chinese people at our home, that my parents decided to leave South Africa in 1966.
All of the above is my recollection of some aspects of apartheid during our years there. The following saying encapsulates the way in which those who fought to change apartheid must have behaved.
President’s thought for the week: “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is the way great spiritual giants are produced.” Swami Vivekananda
"Members of your Partner Rotary Club Bogota Suba and students of the Program of Scholarships for Technical and Technological studies art SENA, send you our greetings and best wishes for your success in all the projects and activities you develop with a special spirit of solidarity.
Dear Angus, I tell you, we had our meeting with the students last Sunday April 30, 17. Ten students with some parents. I invited parents of students in order to explain them about ROTARY and special, about our Partner Rotary Club of Adelaide Light. Also, I took the opportunity to talk to the young students, important aspect of the life in family. You know that one of the most serious problems of the communities with vulnerability are the continuous conflicts at the interior of the families. For that reason, I think, it is necessary to explain to our young students how to live without any difficulties.
At the same time I took through a questionnaire a profile of the students who have these scholarships. A synthesis of it:
All are single, average of age: 19, some work in little familial business. Six students are studying Administration, others study: Graphic Design (2), Accounting and Mechanic, their childhood and youth were spent at home with some economic difficulties. All of them have the confidence of going to the University as soon as they finish at SENA. At the end of the studies, all of them want to have a good position as professionals or to organize their own company.
Concerning the benefits of their Scholarships, students answer that it has been an excellent help since not all have the help of their own families. The most of the resources that they receive quarterly are destined to the payment of urban transport, stationery, some food and photocopies".
Catherine House will be ‘Charity of the Day’. Bruce is a big supporter of the Homeless particularly Hutt Street.
2. D9500 Rotary Leadership Institute Course
Presidents & Secretaries are asked to encourage Club members to attend D9500 Rotary Leadership Institute Course to be held at St Michael’s College on June 3 & 4 2017.
Undertaking an RLI Course gives participants
broader knowledge about Rotary, its current status and activities in the world
increased understanding of the importance of every club having a vision for what Rotary can be in the future
leadership skills to contribute to the success of clubs.
Cost is $100.00, including Morning Tea, Lunch and all materials.
The Adelaide Rotary Club are organizing wine dinners at the Caledonian Hotel North Adelaide.
They have scheduled 2 events:
1. Woodstock wine dinner on Thursday 8th June 7.00 for 7.30
2. Heartland wine lunch Sunday August 20th 12.00 for 12.30
The cost is $90 a head of which each club makes $20 from each ticket sold.
There are generally up to 6 courses and 12 different wines served. and there is also an opportunity to purchase wines at very good savings from which each club also gets a small return.
4. The Voice of Rotary
Broadcast on 1197AM 5RPH Adelaide each Tuesday 7.30-8.00 pm. From each Wednesday the broadcast program can be heard on-line at www.rphadelaide.org.au/Webcast.html
For the benefit of members, we will aim to give the Duty Roster a few weeks ahead - see below.
Responsibility
25 May 2017
1 June 2017
8 June 2017
Chairperson
John Wotherspoon
Angus Tuck
Yvette Reade
Attendance
John Karran
Di Lane
Phil Harding
Attendance
Carolyn Wigg
Deborah Wotherspoon
Di Casey
Hosting
Andrew Black
Di Lane
Katrina Ball
Furniture
Di Lane
David Rowe
John Karran
Furniture
Di Casey
Carolyn Wigg
David Riggall
Invocation
Angus Tuck
Yvette Reade
Di Lane
Bottles/cans
Andrew Black
Dean Sullivan
Fred Field
Rotaract roster
TBA
TBA
TBA
Bread roster
28/5 Carolyn Wigg/
David Rowe
4/6 Carolyn Wigg/
John Wotherspoon
11/6 Dean Sullivan/
David Riggall
Member's Corner
Chairman: Meet/greet speaker for the meeting; introduce and thank speaker. Preparation:- find details about the speaker prior to the meeting. Attendance: Set up reception table (attendance sheet; members list – re -payments; guest welcome sheet; money; wine raffle sheet); register member payments/ apologies/ guests. Hosting: Set up name badges display; welcome all at the door; ensure speaker and guests are introduced to appropriatepersons. Furniture: Flags; banner display; raffle balls; collection boxes; Rotary theme banner; gong and hammer; lectern position before and returned after the meeting. Computerset up – Connect to projector. Switch on. Hold function key & press F5 twice. Invocation: Recite Rotary or other invocation relating to Rotary and fellowship. Bottles/cans: Collect bags of bottles/cans at meeting and take to recycle centre for refund, pass refund and empty bags to David Rowe at next meeting. Members’ Corner: write for the Newsletter on a topic of your choice, particularly during the 3 weeks you appear here on the roster, but also anytime you have something to say. Rotaract, Bread roster: Roster is for the Sunday/Monday after the meeting date. Rotaract: Meets alternate Mondays at 6pm (for a 630pm start) at the General HavelockHotel in Hutt Street. Bread: Sundays, meet outside Romeo's, North Adelaide at 4:55pm
Members rostered for Thursday morning duty are asked to be in attendance by 6.45am
For good food, for good fellowship and the opportunity to serve through Rotary, we give thanks
Rotary Club of Adelaide Light Mission Statement
To be recognised as the Service Club of Choice in the Eastern Precinct of Adelaide because we are a Friendly Breakfast Club that appeals to a broad range of busy people who want to make a difference to local and international communities.
