In a recent article, the Johannesburg weekly "The Voice", points to a new trend in the Government's policy of restricting its opponents. This policy is where Africans are "moved" far from their homes without being officially banned or banished, but are forced to remain in the new area through being confined there by pass and influx control laws. (Voice 5.8.79)
According to a recent article in the *Sunday Post*, there are still ex-political prisoners in Ilingwe, a resettlement camp in the Transkei which came into existence in the mid-1960's partly as a camp for ex-political prisoners. The *Sunday Post* interviewed former Robben Island prisoners Albert BEFILE and Henry MAGQZA (65) in the camp, which the newspaper described as poverty-stricken and desolate. Both men were unemployed. Mr Befile was released in 1971 and was served with a two-year banning order to Ilingwe, but has been unable to leave since then. He said his parents and relatives were in Port Elizabeth and he was going to write to the Minister of Justice to allow him to go back to Port Elizabeth. (S Post 15.7.79)
Two other recent examples of this are of two men recently released from Robben Island, Shummie Ntutu and Diliza Matshoba.
- Shummie Wellington NTUTU (46), who was released from Robben Island in early July, has been effectively restricted to Mdantsane, East London, even though he is not officially banished there. His former home was Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, and his wife and three children now live in Orlando, Soweto. He was released after serving a 15-year sentence for taking part in the activities of the banned ANC. A police spokesman said Ntutu was neither banished nor banned, yet effectively he is restricted to Mdantsane through influx control laws. He was reportedly given a four-roomed house which he shares with another former Robben Island prisoner, Diliza Matshoba, also released in July. Later in July it was reported that Shummie Ntutu had been given permission to visit his family, and was in Johannesburg for a week.
Ntutu earlier told a newspaper reporter: "I do not understand why I was dumped at this place where I don't have a single relative. The authorities here have told me that my family can come to live with me, but every time I go up to visit them in Orlando, I will have to apply for permission from the local magistrate". (POST 12.7.79; RDM 15.7.79)
- Diliza MATSHOBA was released from Robben Island a few weeks after Mr. Ntutu, and he is sharing the same house with him in Mdantsane. Mr. Matshoba is also from Johannesburg, and his family in Orlando West had reportedly been told by the Security Police that he would return home. Both men reportedly spent a short period in East London's Fort Glamorgan prison before being released. Mr. Matshoba, a former member of the South African Students' Organisation (SASO), was sentenced in 1978 to two years' imprisonment, one year suspended for five years, under the Internal Security Act. (Post 27.7.79)
