As part of an attempt to suppress the continuing high level of resistance, the regime made greatly increased use of its powers to detain without trial. Figures compiled by the Detainees Parent Support Committee (DPSC) showed that by 14 November 1034 people had been detained during 1984 of whom 220 remained in detention.
In spite of the high number of reported detentions many others remained unconfirmed or unpublished. Official figures from the Minister of Law and Order were much lower than the DPSC total. He gave the figures as 434 detentions under the Internal Security Act (ISA) up to 15 November: 280 under Section 29; 129 under Section 50, and 25 under Section 28. Of these, eight were still held under Section 28 and 153 under Section 29. The Minister's figures excluded all those detained in the bantustans: at least 406 people had been held in the Transkei and 107 in the Ciskei.
The DPSC made representations on a number of matters. It was feared that some might have gone on hunger strike. Abuse of detainees was highlighted by a court injunction obtained by the mother of a young detainee, Solomon SAKOANE, whom it was alleged had been assaulted.
