TOWNSHIP PROTESTS: As a result of nationwide township protests against rent hikes and public transport fare increases, many people have been appearing in court on charges of public violence and attending illegal gatherings. In Durban 38 people arrested during protests in Lamontville were brought to trial on 15 August on charges of public violence. They are alleged to have burnt houses, beerhalls and administrative offices as well as damaged buses. Earlier, on 9 July, 30 people were brought to trial to face charges of public violence following complaints from Lamontville and Chesterville residents of brick and fire attacks on their homes and vehicles, and other charges of arson and assault. In August 178 people appeared in a regional court held at the Mdantsane Prison on charges of public violence arising out of the bus boycott which began in July. Five men appeared in a Mdantsane court on 9 August on a charge of arson. The trial was postponed and bail of R400 was extended. In three separate trials on the same day, another four men and two women were charged in three separate trials with public violence. Bail of R400 was also extended. One hundred and seventy residents of the Paarl township, Mbekweni, were arrested on 1 September after a protest march against site and service charge increases. They were all charged under the Internal Security Act for 'attending an illegal gathering'. When they appeared in the Paarl magistrates court on 2 September more than 300 schoolchildren were arrested in the court as they tried to disrupt proceedings by singing. They were removed to the cells below the court. When they started to sing in the cells police fired teargas at them to make them stop. They were released on bail on 5 September, and appeared again in the Paarl Magistrates Court on 8 September when they pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial was postponed to 4 October. On the same day as the 170 were arrested the home of the vice-chairman of the Community Council was attacked by stone-throwers, one of whom was a member of the Community Council. Seven people appeared in the Paarl Magistrates Court on 12 September to face a charge of malicious damage to property. The case was postponed to 30 September. Three more residents from the area appeared in the Paarl Magistrates Court on 8 September for allegedly setting fire to the Mbekweni municipal beerhall on 4 September. They were released on bail and the trial was postponed.
MISCELLANEOUS TRIALS: The public violence case against 11 University of the North students was postponed on 31 August in the Mankweng Magistrates Court. The case is a sequel to disturbances on the campus on 17 June following a 16 June commemoration meeting. The students have been released on R100 bail. Joseph LIPHOLO (32) was fined R250 or 75 days imprisonment in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on 23 August after he was convicted on a charge of possession of banned literature. The fine and jail sentence were suspended for five years. The alleged production of T-shirts bearing the words 'Halt all apartheid tours' resulted in two people appearing in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on 31 August. Caroline Marjorie CULLINAN (30) and Haroon Mohamed BEHRA (21) are charged with producing undesirable publications in the form of T-shirts. They were not asked to plead and were due to appear again on 18 October. Five members of the Commercial, Catering and Allied Worker's Union were acquitted of charges under the Intimidation Act on 21 July. The five were Jacob RAFAPA (31), Josiah PODILE (55), Jack MANGWANE (45), Joyce MOKOLA (27), Victor DAMOIED (44). Stella MASHIGO (21) failed to appear and a warrant for her arrest has been issued. The union members, all employees of the electronics firm, Teltron, were alleged to have 'intimidated' fellow workers by compelling them to abstain from going to work and to participate in a strike, in November last year. Twenty-three out of 31 Vryburg school pupils who were arrested on 29 July for 'rioting' at a local school in protest at problems between teachers and the student body appeared in the Vryburg Magistrates Court on 4 August on charges of public violence. They were not asked to plead and the case was postponed to 24 August.
