A trial related to the two-day stayaway from work in November 1984 (see FOCUS 56 p.1), was postponed on 31 January in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court to 3 April after four of the five charged, who had all been released on bail, failed to appear at the hearing.
The accused are Thami MALI (26), chairperson of the Soweto area of the UDF; Moses MAYEKISO (36), of the Metal and Allied Workers Union; Themba NONTLANTLANE (30), of the Municipal and Allied Workers Union; Ephraim MONARENG (26), of the Soweto Youth Congress; and Peter MAKGOBA (21), of the Congress of South African Students. The first four were members of the Transvaal Stayaway Committee which organised the stayaway. Only Mayekiso appeared at the court hearing.
All were charged with 'subversion' under the Internal Security Act and the R2,000 bail was provisionally forfeited until the April hearing.
MORULE
France Kasinyane MORULE (24), pleaded not guilty to three counts of 'terrorism' when he appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on 24 October 1984. The trial was set to begin on 26 March.
The charges are that during 1979-83 he underwent military training and during the same period served in the 'ordinance department' of the military wing of the ANC, with the intent of overthrowing the state.
A third charge brought against him is not to be continued. This charge alleged that he brought explosives into South Africa from Lesotho.
NDLAKUHLOLO AND MFOBO
Two people appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on 21 December 1984 on a charge of 'subversion'.
Mpumelelo Shadrack NDLAKUHLOLO (28) and Margaret MFOBO (36), who were arrested on 2 November 1984, were not asked to plead and no evidence was led. They were remanded in custody.
NGQUMBA AND MDZE
Two people appeared in the Mdantsane Magistrate's Court on 10 December 1984 on a charge of furthering the aims of an unlawful organisation.
Phila NGQUMBA (26), a journalist, and Milton MDZE (34), a trade unionist, were not asked to plead and were remanded to 24 January.
The defence attorney challenged the bail refusal by asking the magistrate to note allegations of assault while the accused were in detention.
NGWENYA AND OTHERS
Fourteen people appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on 12 December 1984 in connection with allegations of high treason. The accused were not asked to plead and the hearing was postponed to 31 January.
The 14 are: Sipho Stanley NGWENYA (33), Joseph Boitomelo LEEPILE (26), Justice Mafa NGIDI (30), Jabu Marines NGABESI (23), Xolani NDUNA (33), Zanemvula MAPELA (24), Mathlare Albanus LESOTHO (26), Mathews Dime KEKANE (27), Kingsley Stephen SITHOLE (28), James DUBASI (25), Jongumzi SISULU (26), Happy Lumkele MKHEFA (20), David MATSOSE (24) and Joseph MAJA (25).
They are alternatively charged with 'terrorism'. All were refused bail.
Earlier Ngwenya and Leepile appeared separately but at the 12 December hearing they joined the others.
RADEBE AND RAMAKAU
Two men were charged with 'subversion' and 'sabotage' on 15 January in the Pretoria Regional Court.
No evidence was led and Mongezi Joseph RADEBE and Paulus Matsoso RAMAKAU were due to appear again on 6 March when they will be asked to plead. Ramakau was granted bail of R2,000 on condition that he reported to the police twice a week.
RAMGOBIN AND OTHERS
Seven members of the UDF appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court on 21 December 1984 in connection with allegations of treason or, alternatively, 'subversion' and furthering the aims of an illegal organisation (the ANC), under the Internal Security Act.
The seven were: Mewa RAMGOBIN (52), George SEWPERSADH (48), Essop JASSAT (52), Aubrey MQKOENA (52), Curtis NKONDO (56) and Paul DAVID (40). An eighth person, Archie GUMEDE (71), was unable to appear as he was in hospital with a diabetic complaint.
A bail application was to have been made but the Attorney-General forbade bail being granted. This was contested by the defence counsel who said that the trial might last between 12 and 18 months and involve about 150 witnesses. If the accused were acquitted at the end of the time, they would have been in prison for two and a half years. It was also stated that no charges had been put to the accused and that they should not be punished before they were convicted.
Replying, the magistrate said the State had been taken by surprise by the bail application and needed time to decide on it. The hearing was adjourned to 15 January.
Six of the eight appeared earlier on 10 December. No detailed charges were presented, but it was stated that the charges related to activities between 1981 and 1984. Since the UDF was formed in August 1983, the charges also related to the activities of the accused in the Anti-South African Indian Council campaign in 1981 and in the Release Mandela Campaign.
Five of the accused are of the group of six who took refuge in the British Consulate in Durban in September 1984 in order to avoid being served with 'preventive detention' orders.
SEBOTSA
Bobby SEBOTSA (23), appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on 19 December 1984 and pleaded not guilty to two charges under the Internal Security Act.
It is alleged that he returned to South Africa after receiving military training and blew up a railway line near Hamilton on 14 December 1983; and allegedly possessed a copy of a banned publication.
The case was postponed to 1 February and he was remanded in custody.
