S. Africa Bans Arms, Except Spears, in Unrest Areas

After lengthy meetings with African National Congress leaders, President Frederik W. de Klerk moved part of the way toward meeting ANC demands on violence Thursday by ordering a ban on all dangerous weapons, except spears, in unrest areas.

The ANC had threatened to pull out of political talks with the government Thursday if De Klerk did not take immediate steps to stem factional fighting in black townships, which claimed an additional six lives Thursday.

But the ANC did not act on its ultimatum, key demands of which still were unmet. An ANC spokeswoman, Gill Marcus, said the ANC’s national executive committee will meet in the next few days to assess De Klerk’s actions and make a final decision on whether to break off talks with the government.

De Klerk and ANC Deputy President Nelson Mandela met for six hours Wednesday, and their advisers continued meetings Thursday. De Klerk said the two sides “achieved a broad consensus on most issues,” but he added that they also agreed that “some issues need to be discussed further on an urgent basis.”

The president excluded spears, or assegais, from the weapons ban because those are considered “traditional cultural weapons” by Zulus and the Zulu-based Inkatha Freedom Party. The violence has stemmed from clashes between supporters of Inkatha and the ANC, and more than 150 people have died in Johannesburg-area townships in the past nine days.

However, De Klerk said the government will review existing weapons laws and will “act without hesitation against the misuse of cultural weapons, such as spears, for criminal or non-cultural purposes.”

“The government is not prepared to act unilaterally in such a sensitive matter,” De Klerk said.

The ANC Women’s League criticized De Klerk for not banning spears, which it described as “instruments of death (that) must be destroyed.”

On Wednesday, Law and Order Minister Adriaan Vlok ordered a 14-day ban on all public gatherings in unrest areas, apparently to give the government time to determine whether political party rallies constitute a “cultural occasion” at which traditional weapons should be allowed.

Much of the violence has followed Inkatha party rallies, where thousands of men have been armed with spears, machetes and sharpened sticks that they contend are traditional Zulu weapons. Although the government banned dangerous weapons last month, police have only occasionally disarmed fighters.

The ANC demands included legislation banning the carrying of all weapons, including spears or knives. It also wants the government to close workingmen’s hostels, scene of much of the fighting; fire Cabinet ministers in charge of security forces, and dismantle counterinsurgency units.