There are reported to be at least 11 former political prisoners banished or otherwise confined to the Qwa Qwa Bantustan. The most recent arrival there is Nkutsoeu Petrus MOTSAU (MATSAU) (26), who was released from Robben Island in April 1979, after serving a five-year sentence after conviction on Terrorism Act charges. He has been banished to the Qwa Qwa Bantustan for five years and the order will expire on 30 April 1984.
A Voice reporter visited him at 7155 Phuthaditjhaba location in Qwa Qwa in May. Voice reported that he was both banned and banished. Apparently his banishment order was signed while he was still on Robben Island, but the Qwa Qwa Government initially refused to accommodate him. Thus he had a week's respite at his Sharpeville home, but then the police arrived to transport him to Qwa Qwa. He is living alone in a four-roomed house and has employment with the local Ministry of Works at R50 per month.
The Voice report continues to say that like Dimbaza in the Eastern Cape, Qwa Qwa is becoming "the dumping ground" of ex-Robben Island prisoners, and that there are 11 of them in Qwa Qwa banned, banished or otherwise restricted there. The last arrival before Nkutsoeu Mutsau, was reported to be Phillip SELLO, who was released from Robben Island in 1978.
Two men who were detained in the Ciskei in January 1979, were banished from the Ciskei after release from 90 days'detention. They are Joseph KOBO, a newspaper editor, and Livingstone MALOTANA, a township councillor. Both are members of the ruling Ciskei National Independence Party, and were detained shortly after a strike by bus drivers.
It is not known whether the banishment orders have taken effect because the men were reported to be making representations to the Ciskei Cabinet through members of the Ciskei legislative assembly, on the grounds that they had taken out Ciskei citizenship and thus could not be banished from the Ciskei. They were also reported to be considering a court action if their representations were unsuccessful. The banishment orders reportedly referred to the men as Transkeians. The orders, signed by the Ciskei Minister of Justice Mr. Zolile Njokweni, forbid them "from entering, being in or remaining in any part of the Ciskei for eternity". The men were apparently served with the orders by a man from the Ciskei Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who gave them 48 hours to leave.
In a recent case brought by Mrs. Beauty Lolwane, the Grahamstown Supreme Court ruled that the Ciskei government could not banish its citizens from the Bantustan but could only remove persons from one area to another within it.
Durban sociologist Mrs. Fatima MEER, and her son-in-law Baptiste MARIE were sentenced to three months' imprisonment, suspended for three years, for contravening the terms of their banning orders. They were sentenced in the Durban Regional Court in June for attending a social gathering at the house of a friend in December 1978.
In passing sentence the magistrate said he took into account that both the accused were distinguished citizens and first offenders, and not criminals. There was the problem that they might again unwittingly contravene the terms of their banning orders, but the magistrate said, it was not necessary for a court to put a suspended sentence into operation. The courts could further suspend a sentence if there was good and sufficient reason, he said.
Sheila WEINBERG was sentenced in a Johannesburg Regional Court on 20 June to three months' imprisonment, suspended for three years, after being convicted of breaking her house-arrest order. The state alleged that she left her house for two hours on Sunday evening, May 13, when she went to visit a friend. (Ms Weinberg is under a 12-hour-per-day, 6pm to 6am, and weekend house-arrest order, when she may not leave her house). She told the court that she had been depressed and in a "very emotional state". Ms. Weinberg was finally acquitted on appeal of a previous contravention of her banning order on 29 March.
Robert WILCOX (41) was sentenced to one years' imprisonment, suspended for three years for contravening his banning order on 11 June in a Cape Town regional court. He pleaded guilty to failing to report to the police on the day he was meant to (the first Wednesday of every month). He said he had forgotten and had telephoned the police the next day.
A former political prisoner on Robben Island, he was banned for five years on his release in April 1978.
Aubrey MOKOENA appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates' Court on an allegation of contravening his banning order in April. It is alleged he failed to inform the police of his change of address. The case was postponed. Dr. Mokoena was banned for five years on his release from detention in December 1978.
Ilona Kleinschmidt (29) and Jackie Bosman have been granted further leave to appeal against their convictions and prison sentences imposed after they refused to answer questions on an alleged visit to a banned person - Winnie Mandela.
Kenny MATIME (24) an articled clerk, who was banned after release from detention in June 1978, had his house arrest order lifted in March 1979, and the Minister of Justice informed him that he could in future enter any court as an articled clerk. He remains banned and restricted to Pretoria.
Juby MAYET (43) a banned person and former journalist, had her application to resume her employment with The Voice newspaper turned down. Ms Mayet is a widowed mother with eight children.
Mandisa Patrick TITI (32), a banned social worker, who was banned along with other black consciousness leaders when he was released from detention in December 1978, was reported to have left the country in March. He apparently left shortly before he was due to appear in the Port Elizabeth Regional Court on a charge of contravening his banning order. Later it was reported that his wife had also left the country and was in Lesotho.
It was also reported that Mbuyiselo MADAKA, a former BPC member, had fled to Lesotho from Port Elizabeth. He was banned on his release from detention earlier this year.
