James April was tried in the Pietermaritzburg Supreme Court in May 1971 on four counts under the Terrorism Act: 1. that as a member of the ANC and its armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) he underwent training overseas, 2. that in 1967 he entered Rhodesia bearing arms and took part in armed fighting with the Rhodesian security forces with the intention of getting through to and taking part in armed revolution in South Africa, 3. that he corresponded with a 'subversive organization' in Britain, 4. that between December 1970 and February 1971 he entered South Africa illegally in possession of materials to establish a system of secret communication.

April was convicted on counts 1, 2. And 4. And sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment which he is served on Robben Island.

Most of the State's evidence in the trial was given by a secret witness who claimed to have been a 'deserter' from the guerilla fighters. In a statement to the court April admitted the allegations against him because he believed that he was right in doing what he did . . . Whenever people are in despair they resort to violence.

'Violence becomes an act of hope'. He accused the Security Police of beating him up during interrogation. In passing sentence the presiding judge said that he could understand that Coloured people in South Africa had a sense of frustration in that they had lost the right to vote he expressed sympathy for April but said that he could not allow sympathy to overrule his duty to uphold law and order.

April was held in solitary confinement from the time of his arrest in February 1971 till his trial in May 1971.

James April was previously a student at the University of Cape Town.

References

• IDAF Prisoners of Apartheid: a biographical list of political prisoners and banned persons in South Africa, London, IDAF with UN Centre against Apartheid, 1978
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