MANDELA AND OTHERS MOVED FROM ROBBEN ISLAND
ANC leaders Nelson MANDELA (63), Walter SISULU (70), Andrew MLANGENI (56) and Raymond MHLABA (62) who are serving life sentences were secretly transferred from Robben Island, where they had been since 1964, to Pollsmoor Prison near Retreat, Cape Town, at the beginning of April.
At first it was said that the four had been transferred for 'administrative reasons' but later it was said that the move was permanent. It was further stated that the moving had nothing to do with the planned closing of the Robben Island prison.
There has been speculation that Mandela and the others were moved in order to lessen their influence among the other prisoners. On Robben Island they had been organising a large-scale educational scheme. Letters had been written from the Island to raise funds for the prisoners' education.
POSSIBLE REMISSION FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS CONFIRMED
In the last issue of FOCUS it was announced that an Advisory Release Board was to be established to advise on the release of prisoners. The powers to give the new board do not exclude it from recommending remission for prisoners sentenced under the principal security laws.
Speaking during the Prisons Vote in Parliament in mid-May, the Minister of Justice, H J Coetsee, confirmed that such prisoners might in future qualify for remission and parole.
Although remission and parole may now become a possibility for these prisoners, the Minister of Law and Order would be able to overrule any recommendations for early release if the Internal Security Bill now before Parliament becomes law.
NUMBERS OF PRISONERS
The Annual report of the Department of Justice which was tabled in Parliament in May disclosed that the average daily prison population during the month of February 1981 was 104,622, the highest figure ever recorded in the country. The number of prisoners who could be accommodated in South African prisons in accordance with international standards was 75,576, 38.4% less than the actual figure. These figures give some indication of the gross overcrowding in South African prisons.
The Minister of Justice also announced that there were 386 political prisoners on Robben Island. This figure seems to be well below current estimates. In March Helen Suzman of the Progressive Federal Party said that according to her information there were 486 political prisoners on Robben Island. A report by the International Committee of the Red Cross reported that during August and September 1981 they had visited 505 'security prisoners'.
