With outdoor meetings banned since June 1976 under the Riotous Assemblies Act – extended in March for another year – resistance and opposition to apartheid have found expression in gatherings of various kinds that do not fall under the ban, and which may not be immediately political. They include funerals, commemorative church services, indoor rallies and the apparently unplanned gatherings of the kind seen in the recent protests against Coloured Education. Although not illegal, these occasions are marked by a heavy police presence and are at times subject to police attack. There have been many arrests and detentions.
In February the three men shot by the police during the Silverton bank seize were buried at funerals attended by thousands of people. The last to be buried, Fani Mafolo "was given a hero's burial by a crowd estimated at between 10,000 and 12,000, possibly one of the largest funerals since that of Steve Biko in 1977". Those in the funeral procession, and in that for Wilfred Madela a few days earlier, sang freedom songs and chanted "He was a hero! He was not a terrorist". Police were present in large numbers and used teargas on both occasions to break up crowds, who they said were attacking buses and had then turned on police.
Two funerals of former political activists in March attracted large numbers of mourners. 2000 attended the burial of Lilian Ngoyi, former member of the ANC Executive, and President of the South Africa Women's Federation. Many mourners wore ANC colours, which were also draped over the coffin. A contingent of police was on standby. Joseph Boo, former Robben Island prisoner and ANC member, was buried in the Ciskei with about 1000 mourners, many hundreds of whom signed the petition calling for the release of Nelson Mandela. The procession was joined by people in the streets as the mourners with clenched fists marched singing freedom songs. Black security policemen from the South African Police and from the Ciskei mingled with mourners while white members of the Security Branch watched the proceedings from a distance.
About 500 people went to a service at Atteridgeville cemetery to commemorate the death of Solomon Mahlangu on April 6. Freedom songs were sung at the service. Later in the month there was a ceremony to unveil a memorial stone, together with vigils in his honour. Representatives of various black organisations participated, including COSAS and AZAPO. On 4 April the ANC Secretary General issued a statement, saying that Solomon Mahlangu had sacrificed his life for the cause of "majority rule and a democratic system in our motherland as laid out in the people's Freedom Charter". Police arrested 32 students who were attempting to attend the ceremony. The students and two Johannesburg journalists Willie BOKALA and Willie NKOSI were later charged under the Riotous Assemblies Act.
Heroes Day on Sunday 23 March involved meetings all over the country in services at which thousands of people came together to commemorate those killed at Sharpeville 20 years ago, and those who had died since in pursuit of political ideals. The services were the climax of events over the weekend in which black organisations called on the black community to observe the day by refraining from sporting activities, drinking and parties. Organisations participating in the services included AZAPO, AZASO, COSAS and WASA amongst others.
The services were well-attended – 5000 at the Regina Mundi church in Soweto, and 2000 in St Stephen's Hall, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, for example. Newspaper reports of the meetings describe the speakers condemning police brutality, and urging those present "to pursue the course of those who died so that those who come after them shall enjoy freedom".
The police were in attendance at the services. In Lenasia they were reported to be outside the hall at Jizwe Centre where a service was taking place, noting car number plates and watching people enter and leave. In Port Elizabeth six white members of the Special Branch arrived at the hall where the service was being held and questioned the organisers. Two officials of the Uitenhage Black Civic Organisation, organisers of the service, were arrested and then charged and convicted for using a loudhailer to announce the service without permission.
A number of people whom police appear to believe to be connected with the organisation of these various meetings have been detained including Duke More, organiser of a meeting in KwaThema on the issue of rents and chairman of the Springs branch of AZAPO. In April the Minister of Police warned COSAS, AZASO and AZAPO for furthering the aims of banned movements. He named COSAS as an organiser of the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Sharpeville, which he connected to the Free Mandela campaign.
