Over 30 men have been sentenced to five years' imprisonment or more after being convicted of 'sabotage', usually in the form of setting fire to Bantu Education schools and other state institutions.
As with other cases arising out of the recent disturbances in view of the large numbers of people involved and the police methods of random arrest the identification of those responsible is doubtful. Charges under the Sabotage Act and the severe sentences imposed in selected cases appear to have been intended either as retributive or as warnings to others; in many other cases involving arson, lesser charges of public violence or malicious damage have been preferred, with correspondingly lighter sentences.
The following list gives details of those convicted of sabotage: 22 Sept. Bloemfontein. Ernest Sello MOENG (21), student at Strydom Teachers Training College, Thaba Nchu, accused of setting fire to the college on 23 July. Jailed for 5 years. 16 year-old-boy, accused of setting fire to Marang Primary School on 26 July. Jailed for 5 years. 26 Sept. Bloemfontein. Alfred QITHI (19) accused of setting fire to Ihobe School on 20 August. Jailed for 5 years. Four others accused with Qithi were sentenced to 15 months (6 conditionally suspended) 19 October. Springs. Johannes NDLOVU (24), Abner MKENZA (20), Sidney SENANCE (18), Campbell NGALO (19), Gilbert CHAWE (18) and Thomas MABUZA, all of Katlehong, Germiston, accused of setting fire to a shopping centre on 18 June. All jailed for 5 years. 2 November. Daveyton. Simon FANA (21), head boy of Mabuya High School, Sidwell PHATHEKILE (21) and Sidwell NMUNGUNI (22) both students at Mabuya High School; John SHIDOMO (26) and Ardinot SIPETHA (30), both clerks at the Bantu Administration Board, and a 17 year old boy, all accused of arson. All jailed for 5 years. 2 November. Bloemfontein. Jacob SEJAKE, accused of setting fire to Itemoheng trade school, Witsieshoek, which he attended. Jailed for 5 years. 8 November. Johannesburg. Ewart ZAKWE (18) accused of cutting a signal cable near Inhlanzane station in Soweto, where his companion was shot dead. Jailed for 10 years. In court Zakwe said he was avoiding a mob on the railway bridge when confronted by police. The court ruled that the proximity of Zakwe and his dead friend to the damaged cable was sufficient evidence. 9 November. Cape Town. Bertram Leon CONSALVES (18), post office worker and Rudolf Leonard KNIGHT (18), law student at University of the Western Cape, both accused of setting fire to a school and a post office on 9 and 11 August. Both jailed for 6 years. Frank Leo COUTRIES (18) and Lesley Ivan SELEKA (22) both theological students at UWC, accused of setting fire to the post office with Consalves and Knight. Both jailed for 5 years. In this case, evidence was given by an accomplice who turned State's witness, and by a police informer at UWC. Consalves and Knight were said to have spoken of the necessity of "we brown people" standing together with the blacks of Soweto and attacking state property. The following night they, with the informer, gave out leaflets affirming Coloured solidarity with the people of Soweto. 10 November. Springs. Samuel NTOMBELA, and a 16 year old boy, accused of burning a train carriage in August. Both jailed for 5 years. It was alleged that the carriage was gutted by fire on 1 August and the matter handed to the police for investigation. The two accused were arrested on 19 August while travelling with others on another train. In defence both said that their statements admitting the offence had been prepared for them and signed after assaults by two policemen. Ntombela said he had been at home on 1 August and knew nothing of the fire. 24 November. Pretoria. Arthur MKHWANAZI (38), clerk at Kalafong Hospital, and Patrick MOLALA (39), also a clerk at Kalafong Hospital and football player with Pretoria Callies African team, both accused of having petrol bombs in Atteridgeville on 24 October. Both jailed for 7 years. In court both claimed they had signed dated confessions following electric shock torture. 24 November. Johannesburg. Palos LEKHULA (19) and Ronald MKHIZE (22) both accused of setting fire to a railway ticket office in Soweto on 19 September. Both jailed for 5 years. 26 November. Springs. Elliott RADEBE (20), Karel MANAKA (19), Henry CONJWA (20) and a 17 year old boy, accused of setting fire to Katlehong High School in Germiston. Office and vehicles of East Rand Administration Board were also burnt. All jailed for 5 years. 3 December. Cape Town. Tom MOSES (23) pleaded guilty to setting fire to the paper section of a Bakke Industries factory near Paari where he worked as a quality inspector. Jailed for 12 years. At the trial, it was alleged that Moses had displayed placards urging workers to strike on the night before the fire, and had threatened that the factory would be set alight. Joseph PLAATJIES (21) and Owen Solomon STUURMAN (20) both students at the University of the Western Cape were accused of having placed petrol, a homemade time bomb and a candle on the roof of the UWC men's residence on 1 September. Both jailed for 5 years.
