US embassy cable - 90JOHANNESBURG264

UNCLAS JOHANNESBURG 00264 
 
CAPE TOWN ALSO FOR EMBASSY 
 
E.O. 12356:  N/A 
TAGS:  PGOV, PINS, SF 
SUBJECT:  THOUSANDS IN JOHANNESBURG PEACEFULLY 
CELEBRATE MANDELA RELEASE 
 
1.  TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HAPPY REVELERS HAVE FILLED 
THE STREETS OF JOHANNESBURG AND SURROUNDING 
TOWNSHIPS SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF NELSON MANDELA'S 
RELEASE WAS MADE ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10.  CROWDS 
OF SEVERAL HUNDRED GATHERED IN SPONTANEOUS 
CELEBRATIONS IN THE CITY CENTER ON SATURDAY AND 
SUNDAY, MANY OF THEM MARCHING TO THE NEARBY "GRAY" 
ENTERTAINMENT AREA OF HILLBROW, WHERE A THRONG OF 
MORE THAN 5,000 FILLED THE STREETS BOTH DAYS. 
POLICE MAINTAINED A LOW PROFILE, OFFERING PROTECTIVE 
ASSISTANCE RATHER THAN DISRUPTING THE 
DEMONSTRATIONS.  THE MOOD HAS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY 
ONE OF JOY, WITH FEW REPORTS OF PROBLEMS AND NONE OF 
THE LOOTING REPORTED IN CAPE TOWN. 
 
2.  IN SOWETO THE CROWDS HAVE BEEN MUCH BIGGER BUT 
THE MOOD THE SAME.  THE STREETS ARE FILLED WITH 
HAPPY CELEBRATORS, AND THE SCHOOLS ARE EMPTY AS 
STUDENTS JOIN THE FESTIVITIES.  A LARGE CROWD 
GATHERED AT JABULANI AMPHITHEATER TO CELEBRATE ON 
SUNDAY, AND TENS OF THOUSANDS FILLED RICKETY ORLANDO 
STADIUM -- FAR EXCEEDING ITS CAPACITY -- ON MONDAY 
TO AWAIT THE EXPECTED ARRIVAL OF MANDELA.  (THE 
CROWD WAS DISAPPOINTED, HOWEVER, AS HIS RETURN TO 
SOWETO HAS BEEN DELAYED UNTIL TUESDAY.)  A HUGE 
CROWD CONTINUES TO WAIT OUTSIDE THE MANDELA HOME IN 
ORLANDO WEST, AND THOUSANDS OF OTEHRS ARE SCATTERED 
THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP IN PRIVATE CELEBRATION. 
POLICE PRESENCE IN NEGLIGIBLE, WITH "YOUNG COMRADES" 
TAKING OVER TRAFFIC DIRECTION RESPONSIBILITIES (WITH 
VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS).  SINGING, DANCING, 
HUGGING, CHANTING AND CLENCHED FIST SALUTES ARE THE 
ORDER OF THE DAY. 
 
3.  THE SCENE HAS BEEN SIMILAR IN OTHER TOWNSHIPS IN 
THE GREATER JOHANNESBURG AREA, WHERE HOMES HAVE BEEN 
EMPTIED AS THOUSANDS HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS.  THE 
MOOD HAS BEEN GENERALLY FRIENDLY, BUT A NUMBER OF 
INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE HAVE BEEN REPORTED.  THE 
CELEBRATIONS HAVE BEEN MARRED IN SOWETO BY DRUNKEN 
YOUTHS TRYING TO HIJACK CARS, APPROPRIATE FUEL FROM 
FILLING STATIONS, AND HARASS MOTORISTS.  AT LEAST 
ONE GRENADE ATTACK, AGAINST A CITY COUNCILLOR'S 
HOUSE, HAS BEEN REPORTED.  BLOODSHED OCCURRED OVER 
THE WEEKEND ON THE VOLATILE EAST RAND, AS FIVE WERE 
KILLED IN CONFRONTATIONS WITH POLICE IN KATLEHONG. 
FARTHER AFIELD, TWO DEATHS ALSO OCCURRED IN WELKOM, 
AS A POLICE VAN PLOWED INTO A CROWD OF CELEBRATORS, 
SENDING MORE THAN 20 OTHERS TO THE HOSPITAL.  BY AND 
LARGE, HOWEVER, THE POPULAR RESPONSE HAS BEEN 
OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.  GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE 
CROWDS AND THE UNIMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE 
NATIONAL RECEPTION COMMITTEE THUS FAR, NEGATIVE 
INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN MUCH FEWER THAN WE MIGHT HAVE 
EXPECTED.  IT IS LIKELY, IN FACT, THAT SOWETO'S 
NORMALLY HIGH RATE OF WEEKEND CRIME DROPPED 
PRECIPITOUSLY THIS PARTICULAR WEEKEND. 
 
4.  WHILE MOST OF THE CELEBRATORS ARE BLACK, WE HAVE 
SEEN VIRTUALLY NO EVIDENCE OF HOSTILITY TOWARDS 
WHITES.  SIMILARLY, WE HAVE HEARD OF NO INCIDENTS OF 
RIGHT-WING WHITE ATTACKS AGAINST BLACKS.  POLICE ARE 
LAYING LOW, PERMITTING THE CELEBRATIONS TO TAKE 
THEIR COURSE.  THE CELEBRATORS, EVEN THOUGH THEIR 
ACTIONS HAVE BEEN LARGELY SPONTANEOUS, ARE 
MAINTAINING CONTROL TO A LARGE EXTENT.  IT HAS BEEN 
AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY OF TOLERANCE AND HARMONY THUS 
FAR, BUT THE REAL TEST WILL OCCUR WHEN MANDELA 
HIMSELF ARRIVES IN SOWETO LATER TODAY (FEBRUARY 
13).  HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WILL BE WAITING FOR HIM, 
AND THE SHEER CRUSH OF HUMANITY WILL BE DIFFICULT TO 
CONTAIN. 
 
CHAVEAS