South Africa Lifts Sanctions on Rev. Boesak

A magistrate today lifted speech restrictions on dissident clergyman Allan Boesak, allowing him to be interviewed and to address public meetings.

Boesak, 39, founder of the anti-government United Democratic Front and president of the Geneva-based World Alliance of Reformed Churches, faces trial next month for subversion linked to calls for school and economic boycotts.

The magistrate today called Boesak “a man of high political morals” and granted an appeal against some of the restrictions on Boesak’s speech.

“Praise the Lord,” Boesak said after the hearing. “The struggle goes on.”

Interview Breaks Law

In a related development, a leading local newspaper openly broke the law by publishing an interview with banned guerrilla leader Oliver Tambo.

The Cape Times today published an interview with the African National Congress leader, who under South Africa’s system of banning political opponents cannot be quoted legally in the country.

The newspaper said the interview, conducted in London, was published “as a contribution to peaceful solutions in South Africa in a matter of overwhelming public importance.”

A spokesman for Law and Order Minister Louis le Grange said it was too early to say if the newspaper will be prosecuted. The offense carries a jail term of up to three years.