South West Time Bomb S1R,—In your issue of November 19,
1965. Mr. Arnold Beichman, in his article entitled 'The South West Time Bomb,' makes the amazing statement (or rather misstatement) that 'South West Africa has been curtained off from the rest of the continent and even from South Africa itself.' I have been wondering how long it would be before someone corrected this, but apparently in Great Britain any- thing is swallowed provided that it is anti-South African. I am no supporter of the South African govern- ment, but feel that 1 should put it on record that anyone already in South Africa can buy a ticket for air, rail or sea without producing passport, visa permit or any other document either at the time of booking or on passing the 'frontier' (if Mr. Beichman likes to call it that). The consular official he spoke to in London was clearly pulling his leg, when he evaded the question about entering South West Africa from Johannesburg. He did not say that Mr. Beichman could not enter the territory, but as a trusty servant of the South African government. he probably thought it wiser not to encourage a newspaperman to do so.
As regards the fishing industry, the 40 per cent profit he alleges is not high for a hazardous ven- ture, and no more than many a British company is making in foreign undertakings in many coun- tries, not excluding the Republic of South Africa itself. Mr. Beichman does not mention that the Russians, Japanese and Spaniards are also actively exploiting the South West African fishing grounds.
I would add that no one may enter either native reserves or diamondiferous areas, whether in South West Africa or South Africa, without a permit.
R. LEATHER
Clifford Cottage, Somerset 1Vest, South Africa
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