End Conscription Campaign - Troops Out of The Townships

Troops Out of The Townships

In 1985, the ECC held the "Troops out of the Townships" rally and were overwhelmingly successful in demonstrating the growing dissatisfaction within the white community, with the government of the day

The rally was preceded by a three-week fast by objectors Ivan Toms, Harold Winkler and Richard Steele.

It was announced in parliament that 7 589 conscripts failed to report for National Service in January 1985, as opposed to only 1 596 in the whole of 1984. As there were two intakes annually, in January and July, this would suggest a tenfold increase in non-reportees over the previous year. An estimated 7 000 "draft-dodgers" were also said to be living in Europe in 1985.

January 1985 and July 1985 were the first so-called "immigrant intakes" after the involuntary nationalisation of white immigrant men of a predetermined age group in November 1984. The high number of non-reportees was due to many of these immigrants opting to return to their countries of origin rather than do military service, since this opportunity was easily available to them because of their dual citizenship.