A number of trials have been taking place in Pretoria as a result of the school boycotts in this area since the beginning of the year. Other trials of students are those which have arisen out of protests at black universities.
Sixteen pupils from various high schools in Atteridgeville, a Pretoria township, have appeared several times in court to face charges of public violence. The 16 were arrested on 13 February following disturbances at a school where a pupil was killed by the police. The school was subsequently closed indefinitely.
Four University of the North students charged with arson, public violence, house-breaking with intent to steal and theft, were acquitted by the Pietersburg Regional Court on 17 January. The four are Ian PETJE (21), Eric HLABAHLABA (22), Mangalani HLONGWANE (22) and Rhulani MAHLABA (22). Judgement in respect of a fifth accused, George KGOBE (23), was due to be given on 10 February.
Twenty five Fort Hare University students pleaded not guilty to public violence charges when they appeared in the Zwelitsha Regional Court on 31 January. They are alleged to have assembled on the campus in September 1983 with a common purpose of forcibly and seriously disturbing the peace and security of others by marching at the campus and creating a 'riot', damaging windows with sticks and stones, carrying placards, singing freedom songs and stoning the police. Two of the original 25 appeared separately on 3 February after they failed to appear at the start of the trial. They are Pumela BAARTMAN and Jerry REKHOTSO.
Forty former pupils of a secondary school in Atteridgeville appeared in the Pretoria Regional Court on 17 January to face four charges of public violence and malicious damage to property. The students, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges, are alleged to have attacked a number of teachers. They are also alleged to have attacked the homes of the teachers.
The State continues its repression of workers and trade unionists. A number of prominent unionists have been charged with holding illegal gatherings when they attempted to settle disputes between workers and managements.
An official of the Paper, Wood and Allied Workers' Union, Jeremy BASKIN, made a brief appearance in the Johannesburg Regional Court on 13 March charged with calling an illegal strike. His appearance follows a strike on 9 March at a factory where workers came out following the sacking of workers belonging to the union.
The chief shop steward of the Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers' Union at a large Johannesburg hotel, Robert MKHIZE, appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on 22 March on charges under the Intimidation Act. Mkhize was arrested following several work stoppages at the hotel.
'Skakes' SIKHAKANE was released from custody on R500 bail after he appeared in the Potchefstroom Magistrates Court on 24 February. He was arrested on 23 February after going to a Potchefstroom factory in an attempt to settle a dispute. He was held under the Internal Security Act for allegedly holding an illegal meeting. Sikhakane is the general secretary of the Food and Beverage Workers' Union. About 26 workers were also held by the police and were due to appear in court in the middle of March.
The trials reported below are two which have been reported in the press and arise out of the Ciskei bus boycott which began in July last year. An arson case involving two men and two 17 year old youths was due to be heard in the Mdantsane Regional Court on 24 April. Facing seven counts of arson are Mvuyo MALGAS (19), Mthuthuzeli HINTSA (18), Landile JONGILE and Tololo GEORGE. They were not asked to plead and no evidence was led when they appeared in the Mdantsane Magistrates Court on 24 February.
Two men charged with kidnapping 16 people aboard an East London municipal bus during the Ciskei bus boycott last year, appeared in the East London Magistrates Court on 2 February. The state alleges that Dewitnel DYANI (23) and Vumile RAYISE (20) unlawfully deprived 16 people of their liberty in November 1983 by forcibly taking control of the bus in which they were travelling.
