AMINA DESAI (57) who was sentenced to five years imprisonment in 1972 with Mohammed Essop, was released from prison in early January, and immediately placed under a five year banning and house arrest order.
Political prisoners in South Africa will "in general" no longer be allowed to study beyond matriculation while in prison, the chief liaison officer of the Department of Prisons, Brigadier H.J. Botha, announced at the end of November.
"Prisoners sentenced for offences against the security of the State will in general only be allowed to study to matric level. Prisoners who are at present busy with post matric studies will be given a reasonable period of time to complete their courses" he said. The Prisons Department refused to give any reasons for its decision, other than saying that further education was a privilege and not a right.
Brig. Botha referred to Prison Regulation 109, under the Prisons Act, which states that permission to study is subject to the discretion of the Commissioner of Police.
The new policy will not apparently affect detainees in preventive detention under the Internal Security Act.
It is understood that prisoners on Robben Island were told recently that no new study applications would be accepted, but that prisoners already doing post-matriculation courses would be allowed to complete them.
The Brigadier also claimed that plans were under way for political prisoners to be allowed radio bulletins and they would be allowed to receive more family letters. Time for family visits would also be extended, he claimed.
