S. African Government Soothes Black Group’s Anger Over Raid : Negotiations: Pan-Africanist Congress had threatened to walk out of talks after members were detained.

The government patched up a dispute with a radical black group Friday, but wider negotiations on ending white rule made limited progress.

Two Cabinet ministers and senior officials of the Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) hammered out an agreement behind closed doors to soothe the black group’s anger over a police raid this week in which 75 PAC members were detained.

The PAC threatened to quit democracy talks over the raid, which police said was based on information linking PAC members to attacks on policemen and white civilians.

More than half the suspects were freed within 48 hours, and the government agreed Friday to release three of seven senior PAC officials still in custody. One of the seven was charged with illegal arms possession.

In turn, the PAC undertook to give “a clear, unambiguous” statement by Tuesday on whether it backs armed struggle and the low-level guerrilla war being waged by its armed wing.

Chief government negotiator Roelf Meyer called the agreement a victory for the democracy negotiations. “The process had an important test, and it passed well,” he said.

But his counterpart in the African National Congress, Cyril Ramaphosa, accused police of trying to sabotage talks with their PAC raid. “We have salvaged the process . . . but we have lost a full day,” Ramaphosa told a news conference.

The talks Friday failed to complete the scheduled agenda, with discussion of a key document on constitutional principles postponed to Tuesday.

Ramaphosa said it is essential to make progress Tuesday if negotiators are to meet their deadline Thursday for setting the date of South Africa’s first all-race elections.

Delegates have committed to holding the elections by the end of April next year, saying that delays in attaining democracy would fuel violence and deal further blows to the economy.

Meyer said that while he is concerned that no progress has been made on finding ways to end the violence, he believes it is still possible to meet the Thursday deadline.

“It’s getting more and more difficult, but from the government’s point of view it’s still attainable,” he said.

But the violence continued Friday as one policeman died and another was injured when unidentified attackers fired guns and hurled a grenade into their van.

The attack was similar to others by the military wing of the PAC.

The attack took place on the main highway between Johannesburg and the black township of Soweto. The identity of the attackers was unknown.