WIDESPREAD REPRESSION CONTINUES IN SOUTH AFRICA from a South African reader
Ed, notes repression in South Africa. receives much publicity over such cases as the Rivonia Trial, however, it is difficult for us to apprecdiate the extent and depth of the political persecution. We are, therefore, grateful to our South African reader who has sent us press cutting which illustrate this persecution. We will publish a selection this week and another batch next week. "Red" Act used against all who oppose Nationalists from Sunday Times (30 sug)
"Mr. V. Berrange, the distinguished advocate whose name was published in the latest "communist" list.., said yesterday that "it was well known to the Minister of Justice and the Security Police that he had not taken part in Communist activities for many years." He said the Suppression of Communism Act in terms of which people were named as communists, was being used not only against communists but against all who opposed the Nationalist Government. Mr. Berrange spid that he was, and would remain, totally opposed to the Government's racial policies and discriminatory laws..."I joined the Communist Party in 1938 and was among the first six to be listed in 1950," he saids "In 1962 I replied to the Minister's invitation for listed people to apply to have their names removed from the list..I was asked how and why I joined the Communist Party. I told them that, in 1938, the Communist Party was an organisation which I thought expressed in practice those economic and social theories which appealed to me. Later ny views underwent a change in regard not only to the practice of communism but also to the theory leading to such practice. I pointed out thatec.e I had not taken part in communist activities for. many years,"
"Another question that Mr. Berrange said he was asked by the police was whether he would publicly denounce the Communist Party. He replied that he considered this a most improper question. "I sent this statement to the Minister and to the Security Police. More than a year elapsed before I was abruptly told by the Minister that my application to have my name removed from the list had been refused. Meanwhile no inquiries were made in order either to establish or to negate what I had said in ny statementecece® 90-Day man dies in jump from Grays window from the Mail (10/9/64)
A 32-year-old Indian attorney's clerk, Suliman Saloojee, who was detained under the 90-day clause 65 days ago, jumped to his death from the 7th floor of Johannesburg police headquarters at the Grays yesterday afternoon while he was being interrogated by Security Branch detectives....Mrs Julie Salajee, 28, said last night she would demand a judicial inquiry into her husband's death. She would also demand a post mortem by their own doctorse Mrs. Saloojee was told by a reporter of her husband's death nearly three hours after he died.e..She said she had been told by Security Branch detectives that her husband had jumped from the 7th flor of their -eheadquarters..."We searched from hospital to hospital trying to find out where he waceee" 90 days: attorney arrested at court: ‘The Mail (28/9/64) reports - Mr. L. Baker, a well-known Benoni attorney, was arrested at 10.00 a.m. yesterday under the 90-day detention clause while defending a client in..court." He was taken home and a large number of books were taken away with hin.