SEGREGATED SHOWS UNDER ATTACK A crowd of about 100 teenagers protested against the segregated performances of a Coloured pop singer Richard Jon Smith in Kimberley on 24 May. Placards held by demonstrators read "Support RJS and you support apartheid." In common with all other entertainers in South Africa, Smith's appearances in public theatres are either "White Shows" or 'Non-White Shows' (i.e. for black audiences). Police attacked the demonstration using dogs, batons and teargas. Several young people were taken to hospital with injuries and dog bites. In Johannesburg posters advertising a new black 'tribal' musical called "Mma Thari" and aimed at white audiences were torn down and painted black, and sabotage was thought to have caused six blackouts during the first two performances on 11 and 12 June.
DETENTIONS The number of people who have been or are in detention in South Africa continues to rise. In April when the Christian Institute published its report Detention and Detente (30.4.76) the number of detainees was estimated to be 77. Since then the number of those charged or released has been more than balanced by new detainees, and by mid-June those held totalled over 90. Using the Christian Institute's lists and subsequent press information the following people are believed to be currently in police detention.
TRANSKEI DETENTIONS On 10 June the South African Security Police in Umtata detained eleven people, and the next day raided the offices of the Transkei Council of Churches, holding the secretary Mrs Nomonde Plaatjie for questioning for five hours. Those detained included the editor of an outspoken Xhosa newspaper, Mr V Mrwetyana, trainee Transkei diplomat Mr E. Mtshontshi, Mr S Mpendulo and Mr P Khumalo. At the time of the arrests both Chief Kaiser Matanzima and Chief Justice George Matanzima were in Europe. Later the SA Minister of Police said the SA Security Police had only assisted in the detentions: "It was an operation by the Transkei police. They have asked us to help them and we have been able to give them some assistance." The detainees were being held under Transkei Proclamation R 400 not the Terrorism Act as originally stated. Currently a total of 26 people are banished in terms of R 400 in the Transkei.
LIBRARIANS HELD Joel Sibusiso Ndebele, a librarian employed at the Swaziland campus of the University of Lesotho Botswana and Swaziland, was detained by South African security police at the border on 4 May and held under the Terrorism Act. Dean Ndaba, librarian at the University of Zululand and said to have known Mr Ndebele, was also in detention at the end of May.
