Rod Keller examines the state of Scientology in South Africa, where there’s as much pressure to create “Ideal Orgs” as anywhere else…
South African Scientologists feel a strong bond with founder L. Ron Hubbard and quotes from his writings are being used in promoting the next Ideal Org for South Africa, in Durban. Hubbard spent six months in Johannesburg from September 1960 to February 1961, and during that time offered the technology of Scientology to a government that had recently imprisoned Nelson Mandela and created faux homelands for blacks that prevented them from being citizens of South Africa.
Scientology’s plan for planetary expansion requires each continent to create Ideal Orgs and Durban is next, to join Johannesburg, Johannesburg North, and Pretoria in South Africa. Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Harare and Bulawayo will have to wait their turn. Durban has not yet purchased a building to replace the plans for a previous project that was abandoned, shown above. Contributions are coming in from local Scientologists and other South African orgs, but not yet from the big money donors in Clearwater. Members are organizing the Central Files, a key step before opening but without a building this seems premature.
In October and November 1960 L. Ron Hubbard wrote to H. F. Verwoerd, the last prime minister of the Union of South Africa offering to help the public relations problems resulting from his policy of apartheid. (South Africa paid little attention to Hubbard until 1969 when it opened an investigation into Scientology’s activities there.)
To cope with those who could be swayed we work ceaselessly to secure communication lines to create an image closer to the fact. We are doing everything we can to change the complexion of the English language press and in a very few months we hope to have the means of completely altering this public image. Peace with strength can yet save, with your undaunted leadership, South Africa. Meanwhile we sincerely hope that vileness such as that in last week’s Sunday Times does nothing to dismay your dedication.
Having viewed slum clearance projects in most major cities of the world may I state that you have conceived and created in the Johannesburg townships what is probably the most impressive and adequate resettlement activity in existence. Any criticism of it could only be engaged upon by scoundrels or madmen and I know now your enemies to be both.
Today Scientology claims Hubbard was in favor of democracy and voting rights in South Africa. In reality he applauded the government’s policies, and seven years after departing the country offered a weapon to identify “terrorists,” the name given to any who would question or oppose apartheid.
In South Africa terrorism and its attendant dangers can be fought more effectively by E-Meters than by guns, since only Scientologists with meters could detect subversives.
[E-Meters Replace Guns, HCO Information Letter 16 October 1968]
And now more than 50 years after Hubbard left South Africa Scientologists invoke his name as they intend to open a new Ideal Org in Durban, a city which appears to have only a few dozen staffers and public.
The push for Ideal Orgs in South Africa comes at a difficult time for the country. White residents are emigrating at a higher rate than ever before as the country’s power system is on the verge of failure, the area around Cape Town is facing a dire water shortage, and the government is debating whether to redistribute agricultural land seized during apartheid to black farmers.
The active donor list includes more Johannesburg and Joburg North publics than from Durban. The lack of names from the U.S. seems to indicate they intend to rely on African donors, which was enough to open Joburg North last year. Whether they will remain to open Durban or emigrate as so many others have will largely determine the fate of this Ideal Org project.
— Rod Keller
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 26, 2018 at 07:00
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