Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- July–August 1984 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 newsletter (multi-page, printed text)
Context area
Name of creator
Repository
Archival history
Preserved within the IDAF Focus newsletter collection documenting the apartheid-era resistance and repression.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
South African History Archive (SAHA)
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Issue 53 details unequal prison conditions between male and female political prisoners, focusing on the treatment of Barbara Hogan and Dorothy Nyembe. It reports detentions, including youth activists, trade unionists, and ANC affiliates; describes major political trials involving ANC members and community leaders; and explores repression in Transkei, Venda, and the Ciskei. Also covered are education protests, the election boycott campaign, censorship battles over the Freedom Charter, and the release of Namibian political prisoners from Robben Island. The issue also includes coverage of SWAPO harassment, student resistance, and university unrest.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Retained permanently for historical research on Southern African political repression and human rights violations.
Accruals
No further accruals expected.
System of arrangement
Chronological series within the Focus newsletter archive.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open for public and academic access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Reproduction allowed with proper citation of IDAF as source.
Language of material
English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
OCR scanned and machine-readable.
Finding aids
Uploaded finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Originals held by the South African History Archives.
Existence and location of copies
Digital copy available through the PWP projects and other Archives.
Related units of description
Issues 1–52, Hogan v. Prison authorities case file, Cradock education protests, UDF election boycott campaign, SWAPO Namibian detentions.
Publication note
Focus', Issue No. 53. International Defence and Aid Fund, July–August 1984.
Notes area
Note
Includes detailed political detainee list, trial reports, educational resistance, SWAPO monitoring, and gendered analysis of political imprisonment.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Barbara Hogan (Subject)
- Dorothy Nyembe (Subject)
- Nelson Mandela (Subject)
- Walter Sisulu (Subject)
- Raymond Mhlaba (Subject)
- Andrew Mlangeni (Subject)
- Fort Calata (Subject)
- Matthew Goniwe (Subject)
- Rufus Nzo (Subject)
- Sipho Hina (Subject)
- Derek Hanekom (Subject)
- Patricia Hanekom (Subject)
- Roland Hunter (Subject)
- Frank Rashaka Ratshitanga (Subject)
- Robert Ratshitanga (Subject)
- Gwen Lister (Subject)
- Hendrik Witbooi (Subject)
- Herman Toivo ja Toivo (Subject)
- Patrick Lekota (Subject)
- Allister Sparks (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description, Second Edition
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
A landmark issue spotlighting gendered prison conditions, systemic torture, educational uprisings, SWAPO harassment, and election resistance.