While there have been few reports recently of detentions except in the Eastern Cape, renewed concern about the health of detainees was raised with the news that another detainee had been admitted for psychiatric treatment.
In April it was reported that Modika TSAT-SA was being treated in the psychiatric ward of a Johannesburg hospital. Tsatsa has been held in custody since December 1979 and since March 1982 under the provision allowing preventive detention (see FOCUS 43 p.6).
Tsatsa's family visited him on Easter Monday and his father told the press of his very poorly condition: he walked bent over, like an old man; his hands shook so much he could not hold anything and 'his eyes were full of pain, with a wild look'. Lawyers for the family made urgent representations to the Minister of Law and Order, requesting Tsatsa's release. They reported that doctors had refused to supply them with Tsatsa's medical reports. On 16 May a spokesman for the Minister said Tsatsa was being treated successfully for 'manic depressive illness' and had been returned to detention (FOCUS 43 p.6; RDM 6.4.83; S 2.5.83, 11.5.83, 16.5.83).
Tsatsa and David NTOMBELA, are both detained under Section 28.
In an answer in Parliament on 30 March the Minister of Law and Order reported that three people were currently detained under Section 28. The three had been held for 366, 330 and 130 days respectively. The name of the third person detained has not been reported in the press (Star 6.1.83; Debates 30.3.83).
CISKEI BANTUSTAN
Police continued to detain trade unionists, particularly members of the African Food and Canning Workers Union (AFCWU) following a strike at the Eastern Cape Agricultural Cooperative Creamery. In addition, further evidence was provided of the close co-operation which exists between the regular South African police and the Ciskei Central Intelligence Services.
In two instances trade unionists arrested outside the boundaries of the Ciskei bantustan were reportedly handed over to the CCIS forces and then detained in the bantustan. Dlaki VANI and Linda NGODEKA, officials of the AFCWU, were taken from their homes in Mlungisi, near Queenstown, after the police had surrounded their houses. No more was reported about Ngodeka. However, the Minister of Law and Order told Parliament on 13 May that Vani had been handed over to the Ciskei police 'since he was a Ciskei citizen'. Ten days after Dlani had been apprehended no charges had been laid, although the Minister said he had been arrested in connection with an alleged offence committed 'within Ciskei and South African jurisdiction' which was being jointly investigated.
Another AFCWU trade unionist, Tandi MADIKANE, was also believed to be detained in the Ciskei. Madikane faced charges under the Intimidation Act following the strike in March. These charges were withdrawn but on 26 April he was one of a group of six workers arrested. They were due to appear in court on 27 April.
No reports appeared until May when it was said that he was detained in the Ciskei bantustan. The Minister of Law and Order did not confirm that Madikane had been handed over but said such an exchange was possible in terms of the normal process of law and in view of the good relations existing between the two police forces (FOCUS 46 p.7; RDM 27.4.83, 12/14.5.83; S 5.5.83; CT 6.5.83).
ARMED STRUGGLE
In early May the Minister of Law and Order announced that three alleged guerillas had been detained at a roadblock in April.
On 4 May police shot dead three men at a roadblock near the Botswana border. They claimed that the men were in possession of arms and ammunition and that two of them were highly trained ANC guerillas (BBC 2.5.83; RDM 7.5.83).
DIPALE INQUEST
On 1 June an inquest in the Johannesburg magistrates court found that no-one was criminally responsible for the death of Ernest Moabi DIPALE who died in detention in August 1982. The hearing lasted just a few hours (FOCUS 43 p.7, T 2.6.83).
RELEASES
- Mzwandile MSOKI was released from detention in the Ciskei bantustan on 12 April and charged with possessing banned literature (FOCUS 45 p. 3; DD 13.4.83).
