South Africa Cracking Down in Alexandra

For the 172 accredited foreign journalists in South Africa, it did not seem possible that life could get more frustrating. Since early November, photographers and television crews have been barred by the government of State President P.W. Botha from recording any public disturbances or police actions in declared emergency areas. Print journalists have been required to have police escorts in turbulent townships. Despite the restraints, reporters have managed at times to slip undetected into restricted areas. But when racial violence erupted last week in Alexandra, a black township near Johannesburg, the police and army clamped down on both print and broadcast journalists with new ferocity.

Even as local officers issued polite messages to news organizations requesting that "journalists please refrain from entering Alexandra township," police and army forces were throwing up an impenetrable cordon around Alexandra. Several journalists climbed to hills overlooking the township to monitor and film the violence. The ruse, however, only provoked the authorities, who quickly issued new regulations banning reporters and photographers not only from Alexandra but from all surrounding areas.

Cameras were forbidden "within telephoto range" of the township, and correspondents were barred from taking notes within the same radius. To enforce the restrictions, police were dispatched to round up uncooperative members of the press. In all, more than 20 journalists were arrested and then released. Many had cameras and film confiscated. Others, including a TIME correspondent and photographer, were threatened with further investigation and prosecution.

Several factors seemed to be behind the crackdown. To begin with, Alexandra lies just six miles north of downtown Johannesburg, where most news organizations are headquartered, giving reporters easy access to the story. Officials did not want Alexandra swarming with journalists who would upset the picture of relative calm that for no apparent reason other than simple exhaustion on the part of protesters, seems to have settled over South Africa in recent weeks. Moreover, the mile-square township is hemmed in on three sides by light industrial complexes and on the fourth by white suburbs. The outbreak of violence so close to white communities, which have remained largely untouched by 17 months of racial unrest, prompted the unusually heavy deployments of security forces that officials did not want scrutinized by the press.

Finally, the violence in Alexandra came on the eve of a meeting between South African officials and international bankers who have been demanding evidence of racial reforms before they would agree to reschedule part of South Africa's $24 billion foreign debt, which has been frozen since last September. Last week the two groups met in London and agreed to a short-term compromise that renews existing loans to South Africa.

The unrest in the traditionally quiet township began Saturday, Feb. 15, as thousands of mourners were returning from the funerals of two local blacks. It is uncertain how the disturbances began, but within moments blacks were hurling stones at police, who counterattacked with tear-gas canisters. The violence quickly escalated. By Monday the turbulence had spread to the outskirts of the township, where black youths peppered local factories with Molotov cocktails.