There have been indications for several months of growing anger in the Western Cape at the prison sentences handed down to children and youths convicted of public violence. This anger was translated into organised public activity in a number of cases.
Campaigning on behalf of such youths began last year when Bradley VAN NIEKERK, an 18 year old Cape Town high school pupil, was jailed for one year after being convicted of throwing stones at a policeman. After his appeal to the Supreme Court was lost, a petition to the Chief Justice was launched by a 'Save Bradley from Prison Committee'.
In a passing reference to the campaign last November a Cape Town newspaper described it as 'successful'. When the appeal of another Cape Town school pupil, Gregory Harold ARTHUR (19), against a four year prison term for stoning a policeman resulted last October in a reduction of sentence to only 18 months, a similar campaign was organised around a petition to the Chief Justice. Twenty five thousand people signed but it was nevertheless rejected. Arthur began his sentence on 2 February, accompanied to the gates of Pollsmoor prison by his mother and teachers and pupils from his school.
Thirteen other Cape Town school pupils, one of them aged 12, appearing in three separate cases, were also given jail sentences for public violence arising from stone-throwing in 1985. The appeal of the youngest against conviction was upheld in the Supreme Court in February and the sentence on another was postponed indefinitely. However a two year sentence on a third pupil in the same case was upheld, along with one year sentences on six more. The press report described most of those whose appeals were rejected as 'boys and girls' rather than youths. By the end of February their parents had announced that they would be petitioning the Chief Justice about the sentences.
Michael CARSTENS (18), a Bonteheuwel pupil, was refused leave last December to appeal against his one year sentence but the Supreme Court granted him leave to petition the Chief Justice. Pending the result of this he was released on bail from Pollsmoor prison where he had served the first five days of his sentence.
An unnamed Belhar Senior Secondary School pupil aged 17 was also released on bail in February pending the submission of a petition to the Chief Justice. The Supreme Court had earlier upheld a one year sentence imposed last year in the Goodwood Magistrates' Court. The youth was found guilty of stoning police and passing cars in October 1985. The police said that even after he had been wounded by one of their bullets he had stood his ground and danced 'defiantly' in front of them.
