Five Africans were charged in Umtata Supreme Court under the South African Suppression of Communism Act in October. They are: Dumisa NTSEBEZA (27) a schoolteacher from Tsolo. Lungisile NTSEBEZA (22) a clerk, brother of Dumisa. Meluxolo SILINGA (23) a clerk from Umtata. Michael GOBIZI (22) a former bank clerk. Matthew GONIWE (30) a teacher from Umtata.
All were arrested on 19 July by South African Security Police and held under Proclamation R.400.
The indictment stated that between January 1974 and June 1976 the accused set up 'secret Marxist cells' in the Transkei. They were alleged to have received money for this and to have set up a poultry farm at Cala to raise funds. In addition they are accused of inciting 16 named people to "undergo training in political instruction or indoctrination in communist ideology by means of studying or reading communist literature."
One witness was Hector Ncokazi, leader of the Transkei Democratic Party, detained in July who told the court he had been questioned exclusively about the accused, although they are not members of the Democratic Party. Although arrested by the Transkei police, Mr Ncokazi said he had been questioned only by SA Security Police. Another witness was Frank Ngandi, who said none of the accused knew anything about poultry, and most of the hens had died.
