The official ban on all public meetings which has been in force continuously since June 1976 has been extended for a further six months until 30 September 1978. During the first nine months of 1977 the Riotous Assemblies Act was invoked 43 times, according to the report of the Minister of Police tabled in Parliament in February. Nineteen meetings were dispersed by police in the Johannesburg area, seven in the Eastern Cape, five in Port Elizabeth and three in the Cape Peninsula. Police expenditure on equipment, arms and ammunition has been increased from R8.3 million to R10.2 million for the current financial year and according to the Minister of Police, will continue to rise every year, owing to the higher costs of equipment and the greater use of ammunition 'because of urban unrest'.
Issue 16 · article
South Africa: Ban on Meetings Extended
Report on the extension of the ban on public meetings.
