- PETRUS NCHABALENG, a former political prisoner, was found guilty under the Suppression of Communism Act of breaking his banning order. He had pleaded guilty to having written a letter to another banned person, Mr. Steven Dlamini, a former SA Congress of Trade Unions leader. The passing of sentence was postponed for 3 years.
- BETHUEL COKILE, 41, a ticket examiner on the railways, pleaded not guilty to a charge under the Official Secrets Act in the Johannesburg magistrates court on 26 March. But he was convicted of an offence and fined R300 (or 6 months' imprisonment).
The state alleged that Cokile took another man to a military base in Zeerust and a radar installation in Ottoshoop (both in the Western Transvaal) and ordered him to make sketches of them. The sketches which were later handed to a Zambian embassy official in Botswana, were described by the commanding officers of the two establishments as being reasonably accurate. Publication of the sketches, it was claimed, was prejudicial to the interests of the Republic.
The accused admitted procuring the sketches but said he had intended a bluff aimed at obtaining money from the Zambian officials; the scheme failed when they refused to accept the sketches. The court ruled, however, that Cokile had intended to get outside aid against S. African military installations.
- PATRICK MAISELA, 31, appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates court on 8 April charged with an offence under the Terrorism Act. No evidence was led and the case was adjourned to 20 May. The accused was granted bail of R1,000.
- DONALD J. WOODS, editor of the Daily Despatch in East London, pleaded not guilty to a charge under the Suppression of Communism Act of publishing an article by a banned person. He was reprimanded and discharged, and the publishing company was fined R200. The article, by Mr. Pumzile Majeke, was sent to the paper on October 7 last year. On 16 October Majeke was served with banning orders, and two days later the paper reported the fact. On 24 October the paper published Majeke's article, which criticised the government's "homeland" policies. At the time of publication notice of the ban had not yet appeared in the Government Gazette. An appeal is being noted.
