Six men, apparently supporters of the ANC, re-appeared in court on 1 August for trial under the Terrorism Act. The men, who are being tried at a Springs Special Court, are charged with offences arising out of sabotage incidents and the explosion of a 'bomb factory' in a Soweto house. All pleaded not guilty.
The accused are: Mawidhi John Phala, 50, John Afheli Thako, 37, Letsie Ben Mashinini, 34, all messengers, Solomon Musi, a clerk, Bafana Vincent Nkosi, 20, a student, and Phillip Khoza, 55, a clerk.
The indictment alleges the discovery of a Soviet Tokarev machine pistol, ten blocks of TNT, 40 kg of explosives, plus handgrenades and bullets, and an ANC publication "The Story of Simon and Jane", said to be about how to manufacture time bombs. One of the six, John Thabo, is accused of telling a Mr. Thomas Dagada he was a member of the ANC, and had to carry on where Nelson Mandela left off, and also of being in possession of TNT.
Evidence was led of a bomb being planted on a railway bridge in January 1977, of a series of explosions at a Soweto house allegedly being used as a bomb training school, and of how one of the accused, Phillip Koza, and his wife tried to obtain passports to go to Mozambique after the blast. Another State witness told the court that a suitcase with a false bottom containing a Russian-made rifle was left at his house. He had only seen dresses in the suitcase.
