Item PWPFOCI057 - Focus on Political Repression in Southern Africa - Issue 57

1 newsletter (multi-page, printed text)

Preserved in the IDAF 'Focus' archival series at human rights documentation centres.

South African History Archive (SAHA)

Issue 57 outlines the intensifying political repression in South Africa and Namibia during early 1985. It highlights escalating political trials, over 1,100 detentions in 1984, censorship and state raids on press agencies, the trial of SWAPO fighters under repressive conditions, and the growing use of the Internal Security Act. The issue reports on community resistance, school boycotts, labour union suppression, press censorship, and constitutional manipulation to preserve apartheid structures. It includes detailed trial summaries, prisoner lists, and coverage of Nelson Mandela’s conditional release rejection.

Retained permanently for historical research on Southern African political repression and human rights violations.

No further accruals expected.

Chronologically within the IDAF Focus series.

Open access for educational and historical use.

Reproduction allowed with proper citation of IDAF as source.

• inglês

OCR scanned and machine-readable.

Originals held by the South African History Archives.

Digital copy available through the PWP projects and other Archives.

Issues 1–56, SWAPO trials documentation, Nelson Mandela conditional release materials, UDF and COSAS trial records, censorship and detentions reports.

Focus', Issue No. 57. International Defence and Aid Fund, March–April 1985.

Includes one of the longest detainee lists and a detailed trial log, marking a significant escalation of political repression and legal resistance.

ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description, Second Edition

An important issue illustrating the escalation of state repression through judicial processes, torture, and censorship, while documenting widespread grassroots resistance.