SEATLHOLO and LOATE
Khotso Sydney SEATLHOLO (25) and Masa-bata Mary LOATE (23) were both found guilty on two charges under the Terrorism Act and sentenced on 11 March in the Vanderbijlpark Regional Court to ten years and five years imprisonment respectively.
The two were members of the South African Youth Revolutionary Council (SAYRCO), an organisation which was formed after the Soweto Students' Representative Council (SSRC) was disbanded in April 1979. Seatlholo was one of the founders of SAYRCO and its first President.
The magistrate found that they had both, or with other members of SAYRCO, conspired to: further the aims of SAYRCO; overthrow the South African government by violent means; recruit members in order to further the aims of SAYRCO; recruit youths to undergo military training; instigate people to revolt against the government; contact other organisations to further the aims of SAYRCO through these organisations and obtain South African passports for use by SAYRCO members.
In connection with the trial seven witnesses were jailed for refusing to give evidence. One of the witnesses, Thami MAZWAI, the news editor of the Sowetan, was sentenced on 12 February to 18 months imprisonment for refusing to give state evidence. He gave two reasons for his refusal: one that he had been detained in solitary confinement for nearly five months and was brutally assaulted by the police, and secondly because his image as a journalist would be harmed if he did so.
Six others who refused to give evidence were sentenced at the same time: Thabo NDABENI (25); Nkhutang 'Carter' SELEKA; Solomzi SELANE (27); Stephen SOMACELE (28); Innocentia Nonkululeka MAZIBUKO (20) and Elsie MATHIBEDI (22). All were sentenced to 18 months imprisonment except the last two who were sentenced to twelve and nine months respectively. The five who received 18 month sentences appealed against their sentences and applied for bail pending the outcome of the appeal. The application was turned down on 3 March.
An eighth witness who refused to testify for the State had charges withdrawn against her when she appeared later in court.
FOUR WITS STUDENTS
Four students from the University of the Witwatersrand, Benjamin David GREYLING (20), Elaine Rose MOHAMED (20), Michael Anthony O'DONOVAN (21) and Leslie LAX (23), were sentenced in the Johannesburg Regional Magistrates Court to 360 days in prison with 350 days suspended for five years - an effective 10 days in prison.
They had been charged with making posters and placards and displaying them to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), and with pursuing the aims of an unlawful organisation.
The defence of the four said that the evidence led by the State had not shown that they were members of the SACP or that any one of them was a ringleader. Their plea of not guilty had been changed to guilty in order to avoid a lengthy trial.
A defence attorney in the trial appeared in court on 10 March charged with attempting to take out of the Johannesburg Fort Prison, messages written by one of the accused. He is due to appear again on 10 May.
MFEKA and NKOSI
Two members of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), Lumkile MFEKA (17) and Mandla NKOSI (20), had charges under the Terrorism Act withdrawn in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on 1 February.
The two were detained on 25 June last year and were held in detention until 4 December when they first appeared in court and were then held in custody until their appearance in February.
