The ban on outdoor meetings first imposed in June 1976 and renewed annually since then was again extended for a year on 1 April. Since 1985 the ban has also included indoor gatherings held to organise boycotts of educational institutions or industrial action which is not permitted under the Labour Relations Act. (This act prohibits strikes when a dispute is being dealt with by an industrial council or conciliation board).
The banning order also stated that special permission could be obtained from a magistrate or the Minister of Justice to hold a meeting. However in the weeks that followed the extension of the ban COSATU was refused permission for the holding of May Day rallies. As well as the general restrictions, bans can also be put on individual gatherings. This power was used to ban a rally to launch COSATU's living wage campaign.
A meeting at the University of Witwatersrand to protest at the holding of the whites-only elections in May was also banned. Those who defied the ban were violently dispersed by police using teargas and whips.
During 1986 a total of 1,124 people were arrested on charges of attending illegal gatherings, according to the Minister of Law and Order.
Powers under the emergency regulations have also been used to prevent or restrict meetings. Funerals of people killed by the police have been particularly affected. In March seven Natal townships were covered by regulations under the State of Emergency stating that no more than 200 people should attend funerals, and that they should not last more than three hours. The regulations banned joint funerals, and the use of public address systems, banners and posters.
Similar restrictions were imposed on specific funerals, including that of Benedict MASHOKE, who died in detention in March.
A thousand mourners who defied restrictions on the funeral in Soweto of two alleged ANC guerillas were subjected to attacks by the police using teargas and sjamboks. Officials of the Release Mandela Committee and Winnie Mandela were amongst those who attended the funeral of Andrew Modise MATABANE and Phillip Mpogi MATABANE who were killed by police in a shootout at a roadblock near Ventrersdorp in the Western Transvaal in April.
