Grassroots, Vol. 9, No. 1
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Page 1 of 23 Alternative title Grassroots Author/Creator Grassroots Publications (Cape Town) Publisher Grassroots Publications (Cape Town) Date 1988-02 Resource type Journals (Periodicals) Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) South Africa Coverage (temporal) 1988 Source Digital Imaging South Africa (DISA) Format extent 8 page(s) (length/size) Page 2 of 23 NON - PROFIT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERgrassrootsTHE PAPER ABOUT YOU VOL. 9 NO. 1 FEBRUARY 1988 FREEANCCALLSFORUNITYTHE disunite that the apartheid regime generateamongst the oppressed people ensures that it gains alonger lease of life, the African National Congresssaid in a statement from Lusaka earlier this month.Responding to events in KTC, the ANC made aspecial appeal to the militant youth to "take the leadin ensuring that all hostilities amongst our peoplecease at once".The ANC further said: "It is against the colonialapartheid regime that we should direct our anger andaim our blows. The regimes' police, army, kitskonstabels and paid provocateurs are ceaselessly engagedin fermenting conflict and hostilities amongst theranks of our people.In these circumstances it is the primary task of alldemocratic and liberation forces in the townships tocreate the conditions in which the differencesamongst us are resolved peacefully and withoutresort to physical violence."The ANC said that "uniting in action for people'spower" will isolate the paid collaborators of the statewho instigate and promote "violence amongst andbetween people".Meanwhile the situation has been calm at KTCwith more and more individuals and organisationscalling for peace.ReleaseSection 29detaineesTHE 1987 Christmas season was an unhappy one formany people with relatives, friends and comrades indetention.While a large number of detainees are held in terms ofemergency regulations, more than 20 are detained underthe hated and vicious section 29.These detainees are held in isolation, have no access torelatives, doctors or lawyers and arc regularly interogated.Western Cape detainees who are being held underSection 29 are Gary Kruser, of Belgravia, MichaelLubamboof Guguletu, Jenny Schreiner of Rondebosch,Mthetheleli Titans of Paarl, Wellington Nkwandla,Alpheus Ndude of Guguletu, Mbutho Nduku of Guguletu,Bongani Jonas of Guguletu, Monwabisi Maqhogi ofGuguletu, Charles Mohlala of Guguletu, Z. Bola, ToniVengeni of Malunga Park, Mary Ngemntu of NewCrossroads, Caroline Makasi of New Crossroads ChrisGiffard of Observatory, Nyamaza Lumka of Worcester,Monte Hokolo, Patric Ndlumbiniof Worcester Xolile Magonta of Worcester, MhlothshanaRasmeni of Worcester, M Malungisa Tusha of Worcesterand Justice Dyabooi also of Worcester.Calls have been made by Progressive Organisations torelease all detainees and political prisoners. Applicationsfor the release of Emergency Detainees were heard inSupreme Courts all o%er the country. But the statecontinues to detain people without trial.Colleen Lombard, of Monte Video, isEE - BUT FOR W LONG?COLLEEN Lombardand Zurayah Abbas, released after five-and-ahalf months in detentionat the end of January, arenow preparing for thepossibility of going backto jail.The two appeared incourt charged in terms ofthe Internal Security Actand were released on bailof R3000. One of theconditions of their bail isthat they report to thenearest police station between 6 and 8 pm eachevening."I can't say I'm `notelated to be out;' saidColleen. "It gives me achance to spend sometime with my.. childrenand loved ones before Igo back to jail.Zurayah says site usedto fantasize about hertrial while she was indetention."I was going to askthem to allow me tospend dust one day with"Inkatha hasOVER 250 people have died in the strife tornarea of Pietermaritzburg as violence enters itsfifth month with no sign of an end in sight.The United bemocratic Front and theCongress of South African Trade Unions areunder constant attack by Inkatha vigilantes.The UDF and Cosatu claim that Inkatha hasa free reign in the area, while many of theUDF and Cosatu supporters are detained.The two anti-apartheid organisationsmy family before 1 wentto jail. Now 1 have thattime".Both feel a bit upsetabout leaving behindYasmina Pandy, detainedwith them. who is appearing in the Supreme Courton charges of terrorismnext month."1 visited Yasmina atPollsmoor two weeks agoand she is so happy thatZurayah and I were released on bail. I feel muchbetter now that I've seenher," said Colleen.The two were detainedunder Section 29 of theInternal Security Actwhich allows for six months in detention in solitaryconfinement."Section 29 can eitherstrengthen you or yougive up completely," said Zurayah."It notonly strengthened me, but my familyand friends as well," saidColleen.Islam was another facgreeted by her husband Rashid outside the Cape Town Magistrates Court last month.for which strengthenedthem in detention."Reading the Quranevery day was a strengthening experience. 1 started believing that my prayers would be answered,"said Colleen."I did a lot of soulsearching in detention,"said Zurayah. "I discovered a lot about myself.This newspaper hasbeen censored in termsof the emergencyregulationsBoth were consoled t,ythe fact that they I.iewtheir families were beingsupported by t1ie community while they were indetention."It was very traumaticknowing that the peopleoutside had to cope.withdaily living while were in,going to work and schoolevery day," said Colleen,who has three children."Everywhere in thecommunity, at school andfriends and relatives havebeen wonderful."All that's ahead nowis to prepare ourselvesmentally for our trial,"said Zurayah.The two are appearingin the Cape Town Magistrates Court in March.free reign inspeak of attacks by Inkatha officials, sometimes called warlords, who send gangs oftheir vigilantes to committ atrocities in thetwo townships.More than seven interim court interdictshave been granted against the warlordsstopping them from assaulting and killingpeople.But lawyers handling the interdicts, haveclaimed that the Inkatha members carry onMaritzburg"as usual, virtually ignoring the interdicts.Meanwhile the Detainees Parents SupportCommittee (DPSC) in Pietermaritzburg estimates that between 800 and 1 000 UDFsupporters are presently in detention. Although some Inkatha members are facingcriminal charges, not one of their membersare in detention. All evidence shows that theUDF and Cosatu is taking the full onslaughtof the state in the area. Page 3 of 23 Grassroots February 1988GRASSROOTSINVESTIGATEDCHARGES under the Mbeki, three editions-police act are being in-, of Learning Roots, avestigated against Grass- student Publication androots, the staff and three editions of Newexecutive learned late Era political magazine.last month. In addition, YouthExpress, a collection ofpoems, plays, graphics,posters and other artsubmitted in a Grass-roots competitionduring 1985, was alsobanned.Since its inception in1980, Grassroots hascome under constantattack, with severaleditions being banned,employees beingbanned, detained andharassed, and the Grass-roots office beinggutted by a mysteriousfire in October 1985.State repression isexpected to intensifythis year, as the Govern-ment is clearly showingits determination to actagainst the alternativemedia.The investigationarises from an article inthe September 1987edition of Grassroots inwhich a Graaff-Reinetresident writes aboutthe shooting of residentsin the area. In terms ofSection 27b of thePolice Act, it is anoffence for a publi-cation to publish in-'accurate or false reportsabout police action.A visit by two police-men came only a fewdays after the Grass-roots office reopenedfollowing the Decemberholidays. The Grass-roots full-time organiseris expected to receive asummons to appear incourt in the near future.During 1987, Grass-roots Publications wasthe victim of state re-pression with severalpublications being ban-ned for distribution.These included theDecember edition ofGrassroots newsletterwhich carried a bigfront page story onANC leader Govant Any action againstthe alternative media,will Nat go unnoticed,however. Already theeyes of the world areAfrica and curbs againstthe media was high onthe Agenda at a recentmeeting of the Com-monwealth.On October 19,became known as"Black October" thegovernment clampeddown on Black Con-sciousness organisationsand banned both theWorld and WeekendWorld. Qoboza was de-tained under Section 10of the Internal SecurityAct and held at Modder-bee Prison until his re-lease on March 10,1978. He was thenappointed editor of thePost and Sunday