Contrasts on Display at Show in Johannesburg : Reality Fair: Cars and Bombs in S. Africa

Cpl. Tobie van Rensburg scanned the eager crowd of black children.

“We’ve got some land mines planted here,” said the sandy-haired young man wearing the brown togs of the South African Defense Force. “And we want one of you to come in here and see if you can find them.”

A brave 11-year-old boy ventured gingerly onto the path, where imitation land mines were hidden beneath clods of dirt. A second boy followed, and a third. Then a tiny blue tennis shoe detonated a “mine,” touching off a plume of thick, green smoke and giggles from the youngsters.

The imitation mine field was meant to add entertainment value to an exhibit that was much more grim--a display of real anti-personnel mines, capable of maiming soldiers. And it was all part of the many attractions at the Rand Show, a state fair South African-style.

This year’s version of the show gave thousands of South Africans an unvarnished look at the contrasts in their country--from finely appointed living room suites and Mercedes-Benzes to burning townships and exploding car bombs. An elaborate South African police display even showed two “terrorists”--black mannequins--toting AK-47 rifles and planting a Soviet-made, saucer-shaped mine.

In fact, in the week before the show ended Monday, two real limpet mines exploded at railroad stations in South Africa, one mine exploded in front of the Johannesburg City Hall and two mines exploded near a crowded cinema complex in Pretoria, killing one person.

During the Rand Show’s three-week run, large multiracial crowds roamed through the sprawling exhibition center.

In many ways, it resembled an American fair, with a roller coaster, hot dogs, new car raffles and mobile home booths. In other ways, though, it didn’t. The army sold T-shirts and pencils, with proceeds going, a saleswoman said, “to the boys on the border,” who are stationed there to protect farmers from guerrilla attacks.

The exhibit selected as the best this year was sponsored by South Africa’s national police force. Visitors there were able to gaze at Casspirs, the armor-plated, mine-resistant vehicles the police regularly use to patrol black townships, and water cannon, often used to disperse demonstrators.

The exhibit also featured the results of a car bomb--an actual mangled car that was bombed and a mural depicting the scene that followed the explosion, including two bodies lying face down in the street surrounded by pools of blood.

Bombings Blamed on ANC

Last week’s bombings were believed to have been carried out by the outlawed African National Congress, which has waged a 25-year guerrilla war against South Africa’s white-led government.

Similar attacks directed against the ANC have occurred outside the country, and they have been stepped up in recent weeks. A car bomb in neighboring Mozambique seriously injured a white ANC member, and the head of the ANC office in Paris was shot to death by what police called a “professional” assassin. South Africa has denied responsibility for those attacks. It has acknowledged carrying out other recent raids on the rebels inside and outside the country, however, that have left 10 dead. The government says those killed were terrorists.

The Rand Show also dealt with township violence. A mural at the police exhibit showed a riot in a township resembling Soweto, which is only a mile from the show.

Such township scenes were common in the years 1984-86, but they have been rare since the government declared a state of emergency in June, 1986.

Visitors to the Rand Show had mixed reactions.

Lloyd Conway, a black teacher who brought several dozen 12- and 13-year-olds here Friday, complained that the police exhibit was “very racialistic. All the good guys are white and all the bad guys are black. You look at the terrorist over there--he’s black. They (the government) are trying to create an atmosphere here.

“It’s good for the kids to see these things,” Conway added. “But when we get back to school, we’ll see what they say and tell them what the situation really is.”

Nearly half of South African police officers are black, while the South African Defense Force is mostly white. While the defense force has black units, only whites are required to perform military service. Only about 15% of South Africa’s 34 million people are white, but the black majority has no vote in national political affairs under the apartheid system.

Zelpha Mtongana, a black teacher who brought 60 youngsters to the show, said she thought it helped bridge the gap between the authorities and black youth.

“My kids are used to seeing them (police) on the road in the townships, and they see them as enemies,” she said as she watched Cpl. Van Rensburg and his white colleagues hand out paper visors to her pupils. “Now at least they see these men can be friends. They do like children.”

Said Cpl. Van Rensburg: “You bring kids here and show them the reality. Because this is the reality.”