1987

From Greenlevel.org

The Politics

12 March National Detainees Day - Meeting held in Jammie, hosted by SCAG and addressed by Chris Nissen, Kim van Deventer and SANSCO. Ian McKenzie in detention since 12 December 1986.

17 March Chris Nissen detained.

20 March Joint NUSAS/SANSCO memorial service for Sharpeville Day. Burning of "passes" on Chancellor's Walk. Meeting runs into following lecture time. Later lectures are disrupted by some students (but not organised by NUSAS/SANSCO).

31 March Ian McKenzie released.

9 April Archbishop Tutu speaks at meeting hosted by AngSoc. Meeting banner set on fire at 7am by motorcyclist.

24 April SANSCO/NUSAS lunch time meeting in Jammie to protest againsty the dismisal of 16000 SATS (transport) workers and the murder of 6 SAHRWU (union) members. (13h40) Those present at meeting decide that "further action should be taken" in the formof a march to the grass alongside De Waal Drive. During the afternoon, protesting students are teargassed and a break-off group burn the cab of an SAB truck.

27 April Morning meeting in Rhodes Room. Group present decides to go to lecture theatres to promote idea of class boycott.
Lunch time meeting to protest against the 16000 dismissed & 6 murdered in SAHRWU strike; police action on campus; and SA raid into Zambia. At meeting decision "to take further action".

March to De Waal Drive - group gathers on grass verge.
After a while a yellow sedan police car passes. Stones are thrown towards the car and it draws to the side and then continues in the direction of Claremont. Police vans and helicopter soon appear. Teargas is used. Marshals suggest we regroup on Plazza. Group disperses and regroups on Plazza. Teargas is fired from the helicopter into "dustbowl" (near Sports Centre). I try to guide those who have been affected by gas. Group moves up steps above Plazza. Police vans arrive via Claremont side of Chancellor's Walk. Told to disperse. PJ tells them that they are an illegal gathering. Policeman with loudhailer has stones thrown at him. Large number of police with quirts gather at van. Police slowly move forward. Students start running to either side of Jammie Hall, the Union and the Library. Hear quirt and see it next to me. Continue up stairs faster. Police return to vans and turn on Plaza. Students cheer and stones are thrown at van. Suddenly large number of police appear walking up Jammie steps. Teargas fired all over. I follow Geordie into Student Affairs office at ground floor of Student Union building. We watch and hide. Geordie has walkie-talkie. Police have dogs. Recognise plainclothes policeman from Friday. Police make way towards Green Level. We go downstairs to Yellow Level and hide in girls toilets. We go into Molly Blackburn. Plainclothes policeman with dark glasses enters. He removes his glasses. We pretend to be "ordinary" students. He leaves. We go back to Green Level. I go to SRC Office. Stones still thrown. Police all over. 5 arrested. I go to see who. I run as fast as I can to Sports Centre roof but I arrive after 4 already in vans. Police only visible at vans, one van empty. Students come down Sport Centre ramp. 3 police appear from behind bushes and open fire with buckshot. Andrew detained. I write affidavit. On the way home I meet Paul Stober who has been released with a warning. - DPR diary entry

28 April Boycott in progress. Meeting at lunch held in Jammie Hall.

Decide to hold totally peaceful protest. Toi-toi along University Avenue to Plaza, down Jammie steps, along Rugby Road to grass. We sit with placards and sing.
Police block off trafic along De Waal Drive, divert traffic. We sing and decide to wait till rush hour. Report that traffic is blocked off at Groote Schuur (Hospital Bend) and that traffic jamb is very long. Helicopter hovers and films. Saunders speaks to police at Woolsack side of De Waal Drive. Van Gent and Van Eck present. We request permission to march a short distance along De Waal Drive then back onto campus.
Van arrives. Policeman with loudhailer says we have 3-minutes to disperse, but not loud enough to be heard by all and helicopter makes it impossible. When the van arrived many panicked and ran but returned when nothing happenned and they couldn't hear the 3-minute warning. I go to Sports Centre and tell "spectators" that a warning has been given. While I am speaking to them, a police van appears from nowhere in the parking area, cutting off the students from behind. I join scramble for (Sport Centre) door but it is locked - go to other door, enter easily. Meet Sally Field who has been hit with quirt on the backside. Walk with her through Sport Centre towards Rugby Road door. People panic and rumour that police are in gallery above. Try to hide my camera. I go out upper exit. Hide with guy who has been been hit with quirt on the leg. Try to head back to Students' Union but police chase us. 5 of us enter private garden and climb pergola of Smuts Residence. Some climb down drain pipe. Student helps me through 2nd-storey window. Meet TV crew who are looking for friends. Meet Viv who was held back by police and hit with quirt on lower leg. We talk to TV crew about getting their films out. 16 detained. - DPR diary entry

29 April Boycott in progress. Alternative programme poorly attended. Lunchtime meeting held by NAMSO (Namibian Student Org) to commemorate the massacre at Kassinga. After Kassinga Day meeting group decides to march...

30 April May Day Meeting.

At lunchtime meeting decide to extend boycott to Mon, Tues and Wed. Students march down to Admin (Bremner Building) and are met by riot police. Saunders asks police to leave campus and leads students back onto Campus. In Jammie Hall, Saunders and Leatt hear the proposal and ask for time to decide. - DPR diary entry

1 May "May Day" - University closed

6 May (White) Election Day - University closed.

14 May ECC lunchtime meeting in Molly Blackburn to mark International Conscientious Objectors' Day (15 May)

15 May SASPU concert

5-9 July NUSAS "July Festival" at Wits

18 July Ashley Kriel's funeral

23 July Mass Meeting: Alex Boraine/Phillip Vester/Mike Savage

29 July Trial of UCT sutdents

29 July "ANC Direct from Dakar" meeting in Jammie Hall, marshalls search bags (fear of right wing attack/bomb scares)

4 Aug UDF "Dakar Report Back" meeting (Claremont Civic Hall), NUSAS provides marshalls

7 Aug Emergency OW (Organisational Workshop) 9am-10am.

7 Aug SANSCO Mass Meeting 10am.

SANSCO/BISCO/FAWU speakers. NUSAS statement. NUSAS not allowed to speak. Demands drawn up by BISCO/SANSCO: expulsions/suspensions, Saunders must resign. Announcement of 4 police vans at Bremner and doors locked. SANSCO/BISCO march down to Admin (Bremner) with demands (50 people). - DPR diary entry

11 Aug Emergency OW 6pm.

Danie Pretorius (Wages Comm) revealed to an Academic that he has been acting as a police spy for about 1.5 years. He has been promoted twice and was expecting a pay rise from R400/month to R700/month and academic fees. Why pull out: SRC candidate (may not want to be a Craig Williamson); relationships (e.g. S. and Justin); convinced by NUSAS arguments; aware of States dirty tactics. Danie said the State's aim was to allienate Saunders and attack the non-racial alliance. Why did he throw stones, 28 April 1987? Told Carla/Renee that Thomas had seen Danie throw stones at police. - DPR diary entry

12 Aug Alternative Programme, 10am. March down to Admin to take demands (students follow behind Workers and Academics). Approx. 20 police with teargas and shields march in formation. They say they will not take action if students leave.

17 Aug OW 7-9:30pm re: de Klerk document.

3 Sep SANSCO meeting. March to De Waal Drive. Police warning. Few police arrive. Protesters disperse.

9 Sep SASPU Multimedia Mindblast

10 Sep SASPU Multimedia Mindblast - seminar on the implications of de Klerk's threats, by Renee.

18 Sep SCAG "Jive for Justice" concert from 6pm-1am.

19 Sep FAWU-COSATU-UDF Concert at UWC. NUSAS to provide marshalls.

26 Sep Funeral for Kenny Mfeketo (YCS and Western Cape Ed Charter Campaign).

5 Oct Andrew Brown's Trial, Wynberg Magistrates Court.

Pleaded guilty to 2 accounts of public violence regarding Fri 24 & Mon 27 April. Sentence to be given in Nov 1987 but Magistrate has requested a community service "study" which will probably be given. - DPR diary entry

7 Oct ECC "Angola" Meeting, approx. 400 people attend.

8 Oct Education Charter Campaign Mass Meeting - "Debating the Demands". Speaker: Curtis Nkondo (NEUSA National President).

21 Oct UCT Senate votes (unanimously) in favour of rejecting the de Klerk demands and suggests that the matter is taken to Court.

21 Oct Margaret Thatcher calls the ANC a terrorist organisation.

28 Oct Academic Freedom Assembly held in Jammie Hall. Formal academic procession down Jammie steps along Rugby Road past Sports Centre, up Woolsack along University Ave to Jammie. 2 police vans - one above subway, second at Woolsack/De Waal Drive.

6 Nov OW at 4pm. Present include Pete Cranko & Steve Kromberg.

Justin suspected of being an informer. A NUSAS member studying in Sea Point noticed Justin walking along Main Road. Justin made an 8-10minute phone call after which he went to sit on a bench. A while later a red BMW drew up alongside him and he got inside. (The NUSAS member who saw him notified another member and) they saw him return walking along. The NUSAS member asked a photographer if he had seen Justin and he said he had but did not see him get into the car. Later (approx. 2-hours) Justin returned home (appearing calm) he then went outside and came back in saying a police car went past.
Some time (Friday 6th?) Justin was approached by NUSAS members (including Geordie). Justin said he was confused. The above episode was recounted, with the interpretation that the red car was Security Police and that he was later tipped off by the passing car - the photographer possibly being Security Police. Justin said that he had phoned his mother in Stellenbosch. A car drew up and he was called over. A gun was pulle on him and he was told to get in and put his head on his lap. He was taken to a parking garage where the driver pulle out a file and looked through Justin's past. He told Justin he should leave NUSAS. Later he was dropped off.
Problems with Justin's story: he seemed calm, prepared; housemates' opinions; calm when he arrived home; nervous when "cover blown".
Resolutions: He was suspended from NUSAS, after which he resigned. He denies being an informer. - DPR diary entry

12 Nov Ignatius from SANSCO knifed to death in a brawl.

13 Nov MOYCO (Mowbray Youth Congress) launch

25-26 Nov Pre-Congress

30 Nov - 4 Dec NUSAS Congress (Election of new Head Office, etc. starts 8pm and ends 5am!)

12 Dec Mbeki Rally - Mbeki restricted and meeting prohibited. Protest meeting planned for Monday.

14 Dec Protest Meeting (re: Mbeki restriction) that was to br held at Good Hope Centre is prohibited.

16 Dec Paula Hathorn detained, also Chris Giffard

The Publications

Varsity, 9 April 1987.

I seem to remember a debate about the militancy of the headline ("Freedom or Death, Victory is certain" being unlikely to win much sympathy in the Leslie). Stories inside include: charges against Tony Weaver under Police Act (for a story about a 1986 Guguletu shootout), launch of UCT ECC, police breaking up ECC sandcastle-making demonstration [anyone remember how that came about in the first place?], US military involvement in Africa (again, unlikely to win friends in the Leslie), arts focus on Hiddingh Hall campus and UCT's squash club "definitely not squashed"... [LB]