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I discussed the nfbl with Nelson Botile, former mayor of Soweto and member of the Transvaal delegation to the National Forum. ‘It is open to all blacks,’ he said. ‘Any leader who wants to contribute to the process of negotiation can come in. We are not going to allow anybody to interfere with this development. We cannot take into consideration statements by certain black leaders who say they will not come in if so and so is in or unless first this or that is done. We will be negotiating, and are doing so already, as I am talking to you now, for the unbanning of all banned political organisations. We will continue our Forum negotiations with the government. We told the leader of the np, Mr FW de Klerk, and Minister Chris Heunis that we would like also other ministers to give us a hearing so that we could discuss other matters pertaining to their department: for instance, with the Minister of Justice, with whom we will discuss the release of political prisoners and detainees. And not only Nelson Mandela either. They must be released and some will participate in the Forum.’
‘We are representatives of urban blacks, who have not had a chance of representation with the government,’ continued Botile. ‘We are bringing our case to the government. We are going to discuss this National Statutary Council, but we will not join it. There will be discussions first prior to consider our joining. What we want is to negotiate full political participation for blacks. The nfbl is not going to be disbanded, because certain black leaders are against us. No.’
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