According to official figures 252 teenagers under the age of 18 were detained in 1978 in terms of the Terrorism and Internal Security Acts.
These figures were given by the Minister of Police, Mr. J. T. Kruger in the House of Assembly in reply to a written question from Mrs. Helen Suzman, PFP MP for Houghton. Kruger stated that 227 were boys and 25 girls, but refused to disclose their periods of detention, or any further information. (RDM 22.2.79). (For a report on school pupils and teenagers in detention, see FOCUS 18 p.7).
Mrs. Suzman said it was necessary to ask how many of the young people who were charged were actually found guilty in the courts. "My information is that of the persons actually charged with sabotage, public violence and other crimes there was a 70% acquittal rate of those who were defended", (RDM 22.2.79)
