S. African Rebels Appeal for Support of Whites

Oliver Tambo, leader of the African National Congress, appealed Thursday for greater white support in the guerrilla movement’s campaign against white rule in South Africa.

Tambo, in a speech marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress, the most important armed group fighting apartheid, said the time has come when white South Africans must choose whether to go down with apartheid or to join the struggle against it.

“Beware of those who offer to guarantee you minority power, because these powers are nothing but privileges which neither we nor anybody else can tolerate,” he added.

At a news conference later, Tambo said he devoted so much of his anniversary speech to South African whites because congress members think that whites are being misled into believing there is a future for white-minority rule in the country.

‘Save Their Country’

“It is our duty to get it across to them, to tell them to save their country from possible ruin, and so we say it has always been the position of the ANC that all the people in South Africa should unite against a crime against humanity,” he said.

The ANC’s national executive committee, in an anniversary statement, made a parallel appeal for a multiracial assault on apartheid institutions.

“Let us all, young and old, black and white, political activist and armed combatant, unite in a concerted offensive,” the statement said.

Tambo, speaking at a ceremony attended by President Kenneth D. Kaunda of Zambia, where the congress has its headquarters in exile, also appealed for black unity in South Africa, apparently a reference to conflict between rival groups like the Azanian People’s Organization and the United Democratic Front.

Tambo said he welcomes the opportunity to meet Secretary of State George P. Shultz later this month in Washington, saying it means the United States recognizes that the movement is a force to be reckoned with.

‘Escalate Our Offensive’

The African National Congress statement said the organization’s principal task is to “continue and escalate our offensive to smash the organs of the apartheid state and power and construct organs of people’s power in their place.”

“Our objectives must be to create mass revolutionary bases in all black areas throughout the country and to mount a strategic offensive against the enemy in its strongholds in the towns and the cities,” it added.

The Pretoria government has rebuffed foreign mediators who have repeatedly tried to bring it into dialogue with the movement, insisting that the African National Congress should first renounce violence.

Military Aspect Stressed

But the congress’ statement emphasized the military aspect of the struggle against apartheid and said the movement should build up its guerrilla forces into a “people’s army.”

“We shall have to take the war to the enemy; we must attack the forces of apartheid in areas where their power is concentrated, striking powerful blows at the enemy’s military, economic and administrative structures and resources,” it added.

The African National Congress was founded in 1912 as the South African Native National Congress. It was banned by the South African government in 1960 after the Sharpeville massacre, in which police shot to death 67 Africans demonstrating as part of a campaign against pass laws.

Its leaders began to flee into exile, concluding that change through peaceful means was no longer possible.

Nelson Mandela, the congress leader who has become a symbol for the anti-apartheid movement worldwide, was imprisoned in 1964 on subversion charges and remains in jail today after turning down offers of release in exchange for a renunciation of violence.

Ads Urge Legalization

In South Africa, about 20 newspapers ran a full-page advertisement marking the ANC’s 75th anniversary and calling on the government to legalize the group. Authorities said they would investigate whether the ads, placed by anti-apartheid and church groups, violate the laws under the state of emergency barring publication of statements that the government deems subversive, the Associated Press reported. Early today, the government issued new rules making such ads illegal.

The Star newspaper in Johannesburg said the ad appeared in 22 newspapers. It was not carried by Afrikaans-language and many pro-government papers.

“There can be no solution to this country’s problems without the participation of the ANC,” the ad said. “We, the undersigned organizations, therefore say: Unban the ANC and other banned organizations.”

The anniversary ad was placed by the United Democratic Front anti-apartheid coalition, the South African Council of Churches and the National Education Crises Committee, the AP reported. The names of 15 other anti-apartheid groups, including the 650-member Congress of South African Trade Unions, were listed as supporters.