This issue reports the mass banning of Black Consciousness organisations and individuals on 19 October 1977, including the SASO, BPC, and Soweto Students’ Representative Council. It details arrests, detentions, and police violence during student uprisings and protests, particularly in Soweto, Eastern Cape, and universities. Coverage includes Steve Biko’s death in detention, memorial actions, and international solidarity. Rhodesian repression, Namibian occupation, and emergency powers in Bophuthatswana and Ciskei are also covered. Political trials, such as the Pretoria Twelve and Springs Six, and inquests into deaths in detention are documented.

This issue highlights escalating political repression, including deaths in detention (notably Joseph Mdluli), torture under the Terrorism Act, and mass arrests in South Africa, Namibia, and Rhodesia. It covers the Namibian SWAPO trial, state violence against Black Consciousness members, demolitions in Windhoek, and rural forced removals in South Africa (Majeng case). Also includes updates on political trials and mass arrests in Zimbabwe.

This issue of FOCUS covers political trials and changes to the death penalty in South Africa, including the enactment of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, notable cases involving political prisoners, and judicial reforms. It details ongoing and recent trials of anti-apartheid activists, mass arrests, police and vigilante actions, and the evolving legal context for political offences. The issue also discusses the processes for pardon and indemnity for political prisoners and exiles, referencing key agreements between the ANC and the South African government. Includes reports on protests, police violence, and the legal status of detainees, as well as organizational information about IDAF and its international affiliates.

This issue of Focus (no. 92) covers political trials, detentions, and the struggle for the reincorporation of the Bophuthatswana bantustan in South Africa during late 1990 and early 1991. It documents ongoing legal repression, mass detentions, bail applications, prison sentences, and mass action against apartheid-era authorities. The issue includes case studies, named individuals, and references to legal and political developments, as well as coverage of campaigns for the release of political prisoners and the activities of anti-apartheid organizations.