f-<AV | t £ c\ 3. b SOUTH AFRICAN CONGRESS OF DEMOCRATS TBE FACTS Few organisations have incurred the wrath of the Nationlists as have the Congress of Democrats. But few organisations have made such an important contribution to South African political life in such a short time. WHAT SORT OF AN ORGANISATION IS THE CONGRESS OF DEMOCRATS? WHAT IS THE COD? A n organisation pledged to uphold dem ocratic ideals and to extend them to all fields of South A frica n life, so that all people, black and white, can live as human beings in their home land. WHEN WAS IT FOUNDED? The cornerstones of C O D policy a r e : • The U nited Nations U n iversal D e claration of H um an Rights. • The Freedom C harter — a detailed application of the U N O D eclaration to South A frica , drawn up in 1956. • joined in a m ulti-racial alliance — w ith the A frica n N ational Congress, S.A. In dian Congress, S.A. Coloured Peoples O rganisation and the S.A. Congress of T rade U n io n s; Both are enshrined in its constitu tion. WHY WAS IT FOUNDED? T o provide a home for all E u ro peans — regardless of p olitical a ffilia tion — who believe in a m ulti racial South A frica n dem ocracy based on equal rights and opportunities. The C O D is not, how ever a political party. It does not compete w ith any of the existing political parties — or ask voters to entrust the future of -the country to it. B ut its m embers are free — and encouraged — to p a rtici pate actively in the political p arty of their choice. D u ring the 1952 Defiance Campaign, A frica n and In d ia n leaders repeatedly urged Europeans to break through the iron curtain of silent approval of N a tionalist race policies. A European o r ganisation, they said, w hich rejected white suprem acy would prove that not all whites were solidly organised for the oppression of non-w hites — and so counter the grow ing a.nti-white feeling among the country’s 9,000,000 non-whites. Since then, the CO D has — • co-operated w ith them as an equal partner in campaigns against apart heid and race discrim inatio n; • been the only real lin k between white and non-white democrats — and a livin g proof that all races can w ork together for the common good. WHO CAN JOIN IT? A ll people who oppose the jJresent S.A. policies of race and colour d is crim ination are welcome to CO D , r e gardless of the beliefs they hold or the parties they belong to. T he C O D likes its members to take an active part in all its public cam paigns — but does not make this a condition of membership. “ Im p a rtia lity is either a delusion of the simple minded, a banner for the opportunist, or a boast of the dishonest.” — P rof. Salvem ini. T h e issues on w hich the C O D crosses swords w ith the N ationalists are m atters of life and death for all w ho live in South A frica . T he building o f real bridges of trust between the white and non-w hite peoples and the preparation for a m ulti-racial dem ocracy based on equal rights and o p p o r t u n ity — are vital insurance for the future o f all w ho call this country ‘home , uWw u u u u i.> A t a time w hen the w ildest fanatics of apartheid are d rivin g us towards fearful racial strife, there can be no room for im partiality. EACH OF US MUST MAKE OUR STAND. AND WE MUST DO IT NOW. TIME IS RUNNING OUT. The Congress of Democrats publishes statem ents o f its p o licy fro m tim e to tim e . The fo llo w in g publications are available: ** AFRICAN POLL TAX A critique of the new tax laws for A frica n s w hich come into effect in 1959- ** CHIEF LUTHULI SPEAKS A public address by the G eneral of the A .N .C. President A pam phlet explaining how democracy can be won in South A frica. **THE STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY ** THE FREEDOM CHARTER COUNTER ATTACK A m onthly bulletin giving news and views of C.O.D. and its branches. FIGHTING TALK A n independent m onthly jou rn al for democrats is also obtainable from our office. IF Y O U ARE INTERESTED IN L E A R N IN G M O RE A B O U T C .O .D . FILL IN THE FO R M BELO W To S .A .C .O .D ., P.O. Box 4088, Johannesburg. Please send me copies o f Name & Address ................ Issued by: $ P R O M P T — 1/ 5 9 S .A .C .O .D ., 8 Somerset House, I 10 Fox Street, Johannesburg. Collection Number: AD1137 FEDERATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN 1954-1963 PUBLISHER: Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive Location:- Johannesburg ©2013 LEGAL NOTICES: Copyright Notice: All materials on the Historical Papers website are protected by South African copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published in any format, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein, you may download material (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal and/or educational non-commercial use only. People using these records relating to the archives of Historical Papers, The Library, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, are reminded that such records sometimes contain material which is uncorroborated, inaccurate, distorted or untrue. 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