Winnie MANDELA was successful in the appeal against her conviction in February 1978 on two counts of breaking her banning order (see FOCUS 15 p.5). Two suspended sentences of six months were set aside by Bloemfontein Appeal Court in the third week of September (RDM 23.9.78)
More charges were laid against Mrs. Mandela, however, when on 16 August she was accused of breaking her ban by receiving visitors, and of obstructing the police. The case was heard in November when police alleged that Mrs. Mandela had received an unauthorised visitor, Mrs. Priscilla Jana, member of the legal firm which represents Mrs. Mandela, in Brandfort on 24 June. Mrs. Jana had previously visited Mrs. Mandela on legal business without special permission and on 7 November the charge was dismissed. The other charge, relating to Mrs. Mandela's intervention at Brandfort police station on 23 May when her daughter's boyfriend was being interrogated, was also dismissed on 8 November. A third charge, that of meeting Mrs. Helen Joseph, a listed person, the subject of a previous charge (see FOCUS 13 p.4) was dropped. (MS 18.8.78, 2.9.78, NW 7.11.78, CT 9.11.78)
