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So. African Justice Minister Refuses to Act Against British Immigrant Spreading

May 20, 1949
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The question of the admission of J.L. Batters- by, a British fascist, to South Africa was again raised on the floor of Parliament yesterday when Justice Minister C.R. Swart was asked why his department permitted a known fascist to enter the country.

Swart declared that he knew nothing about Battersby, adding that “if he acts in any way dangerous to the state I will deal with him,” Battersby, a Mosleyite who was interned in Britain during the war, has established a fascist newspaper and a “Hitlerian Center” in Natal. During the debate an M.P. offered to forward a copy of Batteraby’s paper to Swart to prove that his actions were dangerous to the country, but the Minister dismissed the suggestion with the remark: “That is the sheerest nonsense, why do you take notice of it?”

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