During April five people died while being held by the police. Three had been detained in police operations to suppress resistance.
The deaths came in the same month as a report by Amnesty International of a massive increase in abuses by the police in South Africa. It stated that thousands had been tortured and that 'according to Amnesty's information, conditions of imprisonment are so harsh that in themselves they constitute mis-treatment'. (S 17.4.86)
- Lucky Makompo KUTUMELA (25) from Mahwelereng, Lebowa bantustan, died in police cells about 12 hours after being detained on 4 April by the Lebowa police. He was a journalist and a member of the Media Workers Association of South Africa (MWASA). He was also an official of AZAPO in Mahwelereng where, in common with other parts of the Lebowa bantustan, the community had been protesting against harassment by ostracising the police and army. In many areas police were being refused service in shops and transportation in taxis. (FOCUS 64 p.1; DD 8.4.86; DD 19.4.86)
- Peter NCHABELENG (59) from Apel, Lebowa bantustan - Detained from his home by the Lebowa police on April 10, he died in police cells the next day. Police say he died of a heart attack. Another detainee, Chief Nchabeleng, says he saw him being tortured.
Peter Nchabeleng was President of the UDF Northern Transvaal region, and a long time activist in the struggle for liberation. In the 1950s he was active in both ANC and SACTU. He was charged in 1962 with furthering the aims of the ANC and sentenced to eight years in prison. On his release from Robben Island he was banned and charged again in 1975 with harbouring and recruiting people for military training. He was acquitted but banned after the trial. (FOCUS 3, 4, 11, 12, 14, 16)
At the time of his detention resistance to the bantustan authorities in the area was strong and growing. The police claimed that on the day of his death, while in detention, Nchabeleng had signed a letter calling for an end to the campaign of social isolation of the armed forces. (SASPU April 1986; Star 19.4.86)
- Eric NGOMANE (22) a secondary school pupil from Hazyview, KaNgwane bantustan - He was held without charge for three weeks after being arrested by the police on 20 March for questioning about an incident of arson. Police claim he was taken out for an investigation on the night of 11 April and was shot while trying to escape. (Star 21/28.4.86)
- Another person died shortly after release from detention, apparently from injuries sustained while being held by the police. Segano Josephine MOSHOBANE (24) had been detained for three months under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act during 1985. She was a founder member of the University of the North Women's Club and a member of AZASO. After her release in November she was seriously ill and had to have an operation for bloodclots on her brain. Before her death she could hardly eat or speak. (FOCUS 62 p.7; City Press 13.4.86; SASPU National April)
- The two others who died in police custody during April were apparently not held in connection with polictical activities. Joel PHOSHOKHO (28) from Mabopane and Johannes MASHEGO (26) from Tumahole died on 1 April and 19 April respectively. According to the police they were being interrogated in connection with house-breaking. (S 9.5.86)
As soon as the State of Emergency was lifted in early March there was a sharp increase in the number of detentions under the Internal Security Act.
The names of people known to have been detained under Section 50 are not included in the list of detainees in this issue, for lack of space. It is possible however to give some idea of the way in which this power is exercised by describing some of the places and circum stances in which it was used during March, April and May. Section 50 allows the detention of people in 'situations of unrest' for up to 14 days.
Section 50, like the emergency regulations in force until March, has been used to detain large numbers of children and other young people.
In one case reported in the Johannesburg Star newspaper, the police arrested an 11 year old handicapped child, Isaac VAN ROOYEN and his mother Festina, apparently as hostages. The boy's father was told by the police that they would be held until his elder son handed himself over to the police. (WM 18.4.86)
Another example of children being detained occurred in Aliwal North. In March police broke into a school where there was a dispute over break times. Students stayed away from school in protest the following day, and the day after that many workers stayed away. On that day police shot dead seven people according to residents.
At least 34 children, some as young as 11, were detained on about 14 March. Representatives of the Aliwal North Youth Congress believed the action was taken to stop the children attending the funeral of a young woman who was shot dead, allegedly by police. In protest at the detentions there was a total stayaway from the 'white area' of the town for several days. Most of the children were released after a delegation of parents met senior police representatives. (WM 21/27.3.86)
Below are some other examples of the use of Section 50.
- Alexandra: Two members of the Alexandra Action Committee and a member of the Alexandra Youth Congress were detained on 23 April at a time of sustained resistance to and protests against police and troops in the town ship. They were arrested during an operation in which police and troops sealed off the township. This happened shortly after violent attacks on the homes of community activists which left at least three dead. In response residents had decided to form 'self-defence units to protect ourselves from the agents of the system'. (DN/Star 24.4.86; BBC 25.4.86)
- Carletonville: The National Union of Mine workers' organiser in Carletonville was held following an undergroun sit-in strike at the Blyvooruitzicht gold mine. He was one of many miners who appeared in court on charges of public violence, attending an illegal gathering and murder at the beginning of April. (See OTHER TRIALS; DD 7.4.86)
The president of the National Union of Mineworkers and at least three other NUM officials were detained at the beginning of May after attending a funeral. The police said that about 47 other mourners were also detained. The NUM president was released after three days, following threats of work stoppages by miners. (CT 9.5.86)
- Ginsberg: The entire executive of the Ginsberg branch AZAPO was detained a few days before the AZAPO national annual conference, together with a member of the Border regional executive. The President of the Ginsberg Youth Organisation was held at the same time. Around the same date AZAPO officials were being detained in other parts of the country under other laws (see list). (DD 27.3.86; BBC 28.3.86)
- Middelburg: Six men and a woman involved in the work of the Midlands Council of Churches in the Eastern Cape, were detained on 21 April. Their work particularly involved welfare assistance to the families of political prisoners and detainees. A worker sent by the Western Province Council of Churches to help in the area after the detentions was herself detained. (DD 22.4.86)
- Mohlakeng: At least 40 people were arrested and held after an operation in the night by 'security forces'. The arrests were made at the house of a local UDF official whose house had been attacked with a petrol bomb the week before. Those at the house were taken out and forced to lie in the street: 'For three hours we lay in the street with the security forces standing over us with guns', the UDF Chairman later told the press. (City Press 4,5,86)
- Port Alfred: A May Day Rally in Port Alfred ended with five young women workers being detained. In protest at this, as well as the release of a man reported to have raped a woman after the rally, women workers in Port Alfred staged a stayaway from work. When the stayaway had lasted 10 days police and army sealed off the township and detained at least ten people from the UDF and community organisations. (DD 7/8/14/15.16.5.86)
- Potchefstroom: Towards the end of April ten activits in Ikageng, near Potchefstroom, were detained. They included members of the Ikageng Civic Association, the local Students Representative Council and trade unionists. A one-day stayaway in protest at the deten tions was followed by the detention of another four community leaders and 'scores of youngsters' according to a press report. (City Press 27.4.86; Star 2.5.86)
There were more arrests on 22 May when three members of the Potchefstroom Crisis Committee were detained.
