PRISONERS WIN ASSAULT CLAIM Nine Robben Island prisoners accepted an out-of-court settlement in May, for "a substantial amount of money" after suing the Minister of Police and Prisons for damages for an alleged assault by warders in Leeuwkop Prison in 1977.
At the time they were being detained, the nine said they had been assaulted by warders with batons on three separate occasions.
The nine, who were being assisted by a local church organisation were: Petrus MOTHLANTE (31); Isaac SEKO; Stanley NKOSI (34); Bongizipho GWAMANDA (27), who has completed his sentence; Hosea MOKANE (31); Ephraim BUTSHINGI (23), who was a juvenile at the time of the alleged assaults; Sibusiso NDEBELE (32); Tintswalo MASHAMBA (37); Cleopas SHUBANE (26).
RELEASED FROM PRISON Two former leaders of national youth organisations were released from prison in May, after serving five-year terms on Robben Island under the Suppression of Communism Act.
They are Nkosiyakhe MASONDO (28), a former national organiser of the banned South African Students' Movement (SASM), and Jabulani NHLAPO (31), a former executive member of the banned National Youth Organisation (NAYO).
They were convicted in the Pretoria Supreme Court in May 1976.
Also recently released is Themba GWEBANIM (53), who served 18 years for Pan Africanist Congress activities. On his release he was reunited with his family.
