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Repressive Measures Against Opponents of Apartheid in South Africa - I

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Repressive Measures Against Opponents of Apartheid in South Africa - I Repressive Measures Against Opponents of Apartheid in South Africa - I http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.nuun1969_06 Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education. The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law. Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org Repressive Measures Against Opponents of Apartheid in South Africa -I Alternative title Notes and Documents - United Nations Centre Against ApartheidNo. 11/69 Author/Creator United Nations Centre against Apartheid Publisher Department of Political and Security Council Affairs Date 1969-07-00 Resource type Reports Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) South Africa Coverage (temporal) 1969 Source Northwestern University Libraries Description On 26 June 1969, the Rapporteur of the Special Committee on Apartheid made a statement drawing the attention of the Committee to a number of developments. At the next meeting on 7 July, the Committee requested the Unit on Apartheid to publicise the statement of the Rapporteur, as well as all other available information on these developments, including memoranda received by the Special Committee and by the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts established under resolution 2 (XXIII) of the Commission on Human Rights, from various organizations. This issue of "Notes and Documents" contains the text of the statement by the Rapporteur of the Special Committee and notes on some of the developments. Notes on the other related developments will be reproduced in a subsequent issue. Format extent 18 page(s) (length/size) http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.nuun1969_06 http://www.aluka.org UNIT ON APARTHEID UNIT ON APARTHEID DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AND SECURITY COUNCIL AFFAIRS No. 11/69 July 1969 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS* REPRESSIVE MEASURES AGAINST OPPONENTS OF APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA - I Statement by Mr. Olajide Alo (Nigeria), Rapporteur of the Special Committee on the Policies of Apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa on 26June1969 1 About forty persons detained under Terrorism Act 4 Death of Mr. Caleb Mayekiso in detention T Recent deaths of prisoners in police custody: Memoranda received by United Nations organs (a) Mr. George Houzcr, Executive Director, Awerican Comaittee on Africa 9 (b) The Rev. Canon L. John Collins, Chairman, World Campaign for the Release of South African Political Prisoners 11 SeizureofpassportofMr.JoelCarlson 14 Trial of twenty-four Africans at Grahamstown: Thirteen convicted of membership in Pogo 15 Restrictions on Mr. Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe 17 (Note: United Nations organs have expressed grave concern over recent reports concerning repression against opponents of apartheid in South Africa, and treatment of persons detained by the Security Police. On 26 June 1969, the Rapporteur of the Special Committee on Apartheid made a statement drawing the attention of the Committee to a number of developments. At the next meeting on 7 July, the Committee requested the Unit on -artheid to publiciZe the statement of the Rapporteur, as well as all other available information on these developments, including memoranda received by the Special Committee and by the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts established under resolution 2 (XXIII) of the Commission on Human Rights, from various organizations. This issue of "Notes and Documents" contains the text of the statement by the Rapporteur of the Special Committee and notes on some of the developments. Notes on the other related developments will be reproduced in a subsequent issue). *AII material in these notes and documents may be freely reprinted. Acknowledgement, together with a copy of the publication containing the reprint, would be appreciated. STATFaNT BY MR. OLAJIDE ALO (KIERIA), RAPPORTEUR OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE GN THF, POLICIES OF APARTIEID OF THE GOVERIMENT OF TE RRP'WBLIC OF SOUTh AFRICA ON P6 JUNE 19,9 On this South Africa Freedom Day, when we solemnly remember all the victims of the inhuman policy of ap&arheld, we cannot but again point out that the Government of the Republic of South Africa has constantly refused to heed appeals by the Securl .y Council and requests by the General Assembly calling for the release of all political prisoners and an end to the persecution of opponents of apartheid, A number of recent developments attest to the fact that the South African Government is increasingly using its ruthless repressive measures to harass and intimidate the opponents of apetheid. First I would like to refer to the case of Mr. James Lenkoe, who during his detention under the Terroztism Act, was reported to have hanged himself in his cell. A post-mortem has seriously aroused the suspicion that he might most probably have been tort,rcd and elcztrocuted. The Eenkoe inquest is still under- way in Pretoria. Incidentally the solicitor handling the case on behalf of Mrs. Julia Lenkoe, Mr. Joal Calson, Z/ has been notified that his passport had been withdrawn. Commenting on the Government's action, Mr. Carlson said: "... since no reason has been given for the removal of my passport, I can only conclude that I an being victimized for appearing for clients charged with political offences." 2/ At the present moment, the Snuth African Government is in the process of pushing through legislation establishing a Bureau of State Security, which is designed. to ensure that events of the nature of the Lenkoe inquiry will never again be open to public scrutiny. Under the draconian provisions of the bill, which is embodied in the General Law Amendment Act still being debated in the House of Assembly, the Government will be empowered to exclude from the public domain, and specifically from cnurt proceedings, any matter dealing with State Security. The term "State Security" is given nn definition whatsoever; the law, if Passed, will put the Bureau of State Security beyond the law altogether. The detention clause of the Criminal Procedure Amendment Act (the so-called 180-day Law) and the Terrorism Act have been invoked against many persons for their opposition to apartheid. I/ Mr. Carlson acts as the official observer of the International Commission of Jurists at trials in South frica. The Commission has called the Minister of Justice, Mr. Pelser, from its Geneva headquarters, asking his intervention to secure the return of the passport. (Cape Times, 19 June 1969). 2/ Cape Times, 19 June 1969. -2- The Minister of Police, Mr. Muller revealed in the Assembly / that 36 people from the Transvaal have been detained, 35 of them under the relevant section of the Terrorism Act which provides for unlimited detention, and one under the section permitting periods of 14-day detention, renewable under application to a Judge. He refused, however, to disclose the names of those who were being held or their place of detention. He said it would be in the interest of neither the public nor the people held to give this information. / On 12 May 1969, the security police made dawn arrests in Johannesburg and East London. At least 14 persons were arrested on that occasion, all of them nonWhites. They are: Mrs. Winnie Mandela, wife of the Robben Island prisoner who herself has continued to be subjected to many restrictive measures including banning orders; Miss Joyce Sikakane, a reporter on the Rd Daily Mail; Mr. Paulus Matshaba, and Mr. David Motau, both of whom are employed by South African Associated Newsprpers; Mr. Owen Vanqa, a reporter on the East London Daily DesPst-h; Mr. Cingo; Mr. Skosana; Mr. Mohp!e; Mr. Albert Mashamba; Miss Virginia Mngoma; Miss Joyce Motaung; Mr. Nvera; Mr. Elliot Tshabangu, who is subject to banning orders until 31 March 1971; and Miss Martha Dhlamini. 5/ In Cape Town on 13 May 1969, the Commissioner of Police, General J.P. Gous, stated that the Security Branch was again investigating the activities of persons suspected of some connexion with activities of the African National Congress. He stated: "At this sta~e we do not intend to release details. It might hamper the investigations to release the names or the number of people arrested in the swoop." General P.J. Venter, Chief of the Security Police in Pretoria, confirmed 'hat "a number" of non-Wh.-tes had been detained and added that tieir detention was in connexion with an investigation into alleged A.N.C. activities. He said that a comprehensive case was being investigated and that it would take some time for the matter to come before the Attorney-General. He could not say under what provision, if any, the Africans were being detained, but stated that the Security Branch was again investigating the activities of persons suspected of some connexion with A.N.C. activIties. Newspaper reports are also available on the trial in Grahamstown Supreme Court on 23 June, of twenty-four persons accused of being member of a terrorist organization that allegedly plotted to blow up vital installations, kill Whites and seize control of the town of Graaff-Reinet.
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