Plans to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday on 18 July were disrupted in South Africa by the detention of organisers and police intimidation, and prohibited by the imposition of emergency regulations. Celebrations were organised in many other countries focusing on the demand for the unconditional release of all political prisoners.
Police said an open-air Concert for Peace, organised in Soweto on 17 July by the Mandela 70 Committee, was an infringement of the Internal Security Act. The Chief Magistrate of Johannesburg and the Minister of Justice rejected an application for permission to hold the event.
On 8 July nine people associated with events organised by the Mandela Birthday Celebration Committee in the Western Cape, were detained for 11 days under emergency regulations. They included Zoli MALINDI, UDF Western Cape President, restricted in February; Veronica SIMMERS, UDF regional organiser; Jonathan SHAPIRO, a cartoonist; Rehana ROSSOUW, an Argus reporter; Omar BADSHA, a photo-journalist; Nabs WESSELS, a member of the Dependants' Conference; Salem MOWSER, of the National Education Crisis Committee; Monde BELFOUR, a KTC Peace Committee field worker; and Bulelani NGCUKA, a lawyer.
On 15 July 10 people involved with the celebrations were detained in Langa. They were: Peter HENDRICKS; Thabo LETLABIKA; Mr LUMPUNGELA; Tembesile MBOYI; Sicelo MKOSI; Xolile NDUNDEKENI; Nosipho NTWANAMBI; Laqwanda PHOKWANA; Tembile PLAATJIE; and Nontobeko ZIHLANGU.
The offices of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) in the Western Cape, the Cape Youth Congress, the UDF, and the Cape Area Housing Action Committee had documents and posters seized in a police raid on 13 July. A cultural festival, planned for 17 July at the University of the Western Cape, was prevented by a police ban on all celebrations in the region. A festival organised secretly at the University of Cape Town on 17 July was disrupted by police, shortly before the Supreme Court in Cape Town invalidated the blanket ban.
A 'freedom run' from Pollsmoor Prison to Guguletu stadium, as well as other sports events on 16 July, were moved to an alternative venue after road blocks were erected outside the prison and stadium entrance. Despite a police presence, almost 1,000 people attended a church service in Langa where messages from Oliver Tambo and imprisoned ANC members were read.
In Natal, armed vehicles prevented a concert at the University of Durban on 16 July, but an unadvertised concert at this venue took place on 18 July. Concerts in Pinetown and Pietermaritzburg were held on 17 July.
On 15 July the Mandelas' lawyer announced the family's refusal to accept an offer of a six hour visit with Mandela on his birthday. Their decision had been taken to focus attention 'on the tens of thousands' of prisoners 'who have never had the privilege of spending the day with their loved ones' and in protest at the clampdown on public celebrations.
On 18 July the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference and the SACC, amongst others, condemned the banning of birthday festivities and called for the unconditional release of political prisoners and detainees.
On 12 July the ANC conferred its highest honour, the Isithwalandwe/Seaparankoe Award, on Nelson Mandela and his co-defendants at the Rivonia trial - Raymond Mhlaba, Ahmed Kathrada, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni. Two other Rivonia trialists, Walter Sisulu and Govan Mbeki, had already had the award.
