S. Africa Defies Sanctions Moves, Warns Neighbors

The South African government, declaring it is “prepared to make a sacrifice for what we believe in,” said Tuesday that international economic sanctions, however harsh and however long they last, will not force it into political concessions on the country’s future.

Foreign Minister Roelof F. (Pik) Botha, responding to new sanctions by members of the Commonwealth and to likely steps against it by the United States and the European Communities, made clear Pretoria’s determination to stand fast against mounting international pressure against apartheid.

In a press conference, Botha also warned South Africa’s neighbors that they will inevitably feel the effects of the international sanctions on Pretoria and this nation’s measures to cope with them.

Imports from Zimbabwe, a leading proponent of strong sanctions against South Africa, must now be licensed in advance by Pretoria, Botha said, and special customs duties will be levied soon on all goods passing in transit through South Africa to and from landlocked Zimbabwe and Zambia.

If sanctions succeed in substantially reducing South Africa’s exports, he added, the 2 million citizens of neighboring countries having jobs here are certain to be the first laid off and repatriated.

He challenged Zambia and Zimbabwe, both heavily dependent on South Africa for transportation and manufactured goods, to break off all trade with his country. “They owe it to the world and their own consciences to set an example,” Botha said. “We invite them to initiate total, comprehensive sanctions against this country.”

Botha told the press conference: “Our options are clear. Either we capitulate under pressure only to be confronted with more pressure until we are destroyed . . . or we say, ‘So far and no further.’ And this is what the South African government is saying. So, all right, do what you like. . . .

Prepared for Sacrifice

“We are convinced our people are prepared to make the sacrifice. It does not matter whether it takes 10 years, 20 years, 30 years or more, but eventually it will be South Africans who decide around a conference table the constitutional structures for this country. We are prepared to pay the price for our ideals.”

South Africa has more than two decades of experience in coping with international oil and arms embargoes and has already made extensive arrangements to get around many of the sanctions, Botha said.

“We are not going to take this lying down,” he declared. “There will be ways and means to circumvent some of the sanctions. But, even if we cannot, we are prepared to accept a lowering in our standards of living. We are prepared to make a sacrifice for what we believe in.”

Specifically, the international pressure on this nation is aimed at forcing Pretoria to take such steps toward ending apartheid as granting freedom to Nelson Mandela, the imprisoned black nationalist leader, and holding talks with the outlawed African National Congress.

On Monday, six Commonwealth countries, deciding that Pretoria’s white-led minority government was making little progress toward ending apartheid, agreed on a package of sanctions, including bans on imports of South African coal, iron, steel, uranium and agricultural produce, a prohibition on new bank loans to the country, the cutting of air links with it and an end to governmental trade assistance and issuance of visas.

Weakened by Britain

But the Commonwealth move was substantially weakened when Britain, South Africa’s major economic partner abroad, agreed only to voluntary bans on new investment and on the promotion of tourism. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a staunch opponent of sanctions, said Britain would also accept the prohibitions on iron, steel and coal imports if they are approved next month by the 12-nation European Communities.

Similar U.S. measures are contained in legislation now before the Senate; the House has already voted for a total break in American economic ties with South Africa.

President Reagan has repeatedly declared his opposition to sanctions as a means to force the pace of change in South Africa, but the Administration has indicated that, in cooperation with other major industrial nations, it might adopt further limited, “non-punitive” measures against South Africa.

South African businessmen, however, generally expressed relief Tuesday at the limited nature of the Commonwealth sanctions and at Britain’s decision to resist comprehensive mandatory measures.

Botha warned that even the limited measures adopted by Commonwealth countries or considered by the United States and Europe would probably become the minimum and that tougher measures may follow. “Unless this hysterical stampede is brought to a halt somehow, the cycle of sanctions will continue,” he said.

Questions Motives

“South Africa cannot understand why this action was taken against us,” Botha continued, suggesting that Australia and Canada, whose exports of coal, iron, fresh fruit and other products compete with those of South Africa, are cynically backing sanctions to gain trade advantages.

“We are told this action was taken to force us to end, dismantle, remove apartheid. The South African government is committed to do that and has, in fact, over the past few months repealed or amended dozens of laws, proclamations and regulations discriminating on the basis of race.”

Apartheid establishes by law and custom a racially segregated society in which the 25 million blacks have no vote in national affairs, while 5 million whites control the government, the economy and maintain for themselves separate, appreciably better residential neighborhoods, schools, medical facilities and other services.