SPIRIT LIVES ON
The Frankfurt trial of Nazi gas-chamber and concentration=camp sadists, with its reminders of the bestiality of the Hitler regime, has served as an occasion for appeals to conscience in the press of the capitalist West under such headings as "Lest We Forget..."
‘This Ls well and good, The horrors of Nazism should not be forgotten. Yet these same journals seem only too ready to forget, or to overlook, what is happening right now in South Africa where the Ver-=woerd government is conducting a savage witch-hunt against everyone suspected of harboring dangerous thoughts against its racist apartheid policy. a
The methods of the South African police are conceived in the spirit of Nazism, as is shown by facts about what goes on in the police stations and jails that have filtered into the South African press through the revelations of victims, In a recent case the police were incautious enough to leave enough evidence to place themselves in difficulty.
This involved the death of a prisoner named Izak Magaise and the alleged attempted murder of his friend Philemon Makhetla., The charges on which.the victims were arrested are not reported; they may have related to investigation of a reportéd:small theft. The press aocount, however, gives an idea of what is going on in the police stations all over South Africa. We suggest that you compare it with the ‘coverage in your local press of the South African witch-hunt and South African police-state methods, especially with regard to the moral lessons that are now being drawn about not forgetting the Nazi crimes against humanity. .
Pi
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v From the "Cape Argus" of February 26:
"A native clerk today told the Supreme Court here [Bloemfontein] that he was handcuffed, blindfolded and whipped with a 3 Jambok [heavy leather whip] in the Bultfontein police station while wires placed behind his ears 'tjerked! and suffocated him.
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"Philemon Makhetla said this when Constables Jacob Barend Maree (25), Gert Hendrik Coetzee (19), Johannes Martinus van Wyk (18), Warrant Officer Gert Adriaan Rossouw (34) and Johannes Theodorus dé Bruin (21), Clerk of Court, appeared before Mr, Justice Smit and two assessors charged with murder and assault with intent to murder,
"Rossouw was alternatively charged with attempting to defeat the ends" of justice. oo,
"The State alleged that the mon murdered Izak Magaise at the Bultfontein police station on December 3 and assaulted Philemon with intent to murder him...
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[Philemon Makhetla and two others were arrested at work, ]
"“Bhe Africans. were taken to-the police station where he said the policeman asked where the 'goods!t were. He was then made .to sit’ on the floor, His hands were handcuffed and pulled over his knecs which were drawn against his chest,
"a broomstick was then forced over his arms and past the back of his knees, While in this position, Maree hit Philemon on his hands: and knuckles with a 8 jambok and said ‘start. talking.!
“Maree called Van Wyk. in and ‘told him to blindfold. Philemon, <A piece of cloth was tied over his eyes and he felt something like wire being placed behind his ears. He heard Maree tell him again to start talking and felt the wire Jerk his whole body.
"We was whipped with a s jambok on. ‘his body. as ‘the wires Jorkcea and suffocated him, .
"Philemon said he was unable to scream because. of the suffocation.
"Maree told Van Wyk to take the blindfold off. Philemon saw | Maree sitting witha. tapered sjambok in his hand. Maree pullcd the . Stick out and removed the handcuffs." os a From the nape Argus" of February an:
"In reply to Mr. C.E.L.Beck. ... Philemon said’ he was very frightened at the police station, The more the police assaulted him, the more frightened he became. -
"He could not remember certain details because so many things happened from the morning until late that night,
"He denied that Coetzee made as though’ he was "going to hit nin, but never did, just to work on his nerves,
"Philemon also deniod that Native Constable Cadebe whipped him with a sjambok in the washroom while Coetzee looked on, The witness said he saw Coetzee handling the s Jambok,
"He denied that he was only whipped - with a - 8 Jambok and not kicked with a booted foot and hit,
"Philemon said he was alone in a police office when he heard Izak being assaulted, Izak's groan, then silence,
"all tho mon that were assaulting him had left the room by this time, He heard shuffling, thuds on the floor, then Izak groaned tas if he folt pain,! a
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“Then everything was silent, The witness said he heard. slapping " sounds and somebody calling {zak!'s name repeatedly,"