The Joint Minister of Law and Order, Mr. Hilary Squires, has admitted in the Rhodesian House of Assembly that Miss Sesulelo, an African shop assistant whose death was reported in FOCUS 17, was shot by security forces. According to Mr. Lot Dewa, an African MP, Miss Sesulelo died in detention shortly after being arrested on 27 March 1978 and taken to Keyara Security forces base camp near West Nicholson.
On 30 June Mr. Squires told the House of Assembly that following her arrest Miss Sesulelo had been taken to a "hill feature" in Belingwe TTL as she was believed to know the site of a guerilla base camp. However, after making certain "indications", "she absconded and ignored calls to halt whereupon security forces opened fire with the result that she was killed". The body had not been returned to relatives "because the roads were impassable at the time through heavy rains and no refrigeration facilities existed".
Mr. Dewa has subsequently alleged that Keyara base camp is "degenerating into a forced labour camp where civilians are collected by the security forces and are forced to cut grass, chop down trees and perform various duties for no reward". This practice of holding large numbers of civilians for several days "under difficult conditions with regard to feeding, bedding and general security" was also known at other base camps, he said.
