S. Africa death doubts

Press, 15 January 1982, Page 6

S. Africa death doubts

NZPA-Reuter London Steven Kitson. a British engineer detained for six days in South Africa while visiting his imprisoned father, arrived home yesterday and soon afterwards learned that an aunt who had arranged the jail visits had been found dead in her Johannesburg home.

A family friend. David Reed, said the aunt. Mrs Joan Weinberg, was found in the bathroom of her home with her wrists slashed, and he described the circumstances of her death as “suspicious." Mr Reed said another aunt, Mrs Clarice Lockhitch, had telephoned the news of Mrs Weinberg's death to Mr Kitson's mother. Norma, a few hours after he had arrived in London alleging that he was beaten, shaken, and slammed against a wall by security police in Johannesburg.

Mr Reed said Mrs Weinberg had arranged visits fbr Steven Kitson to his father, David, in jail. “We have a tape of Joan on the phone to us saying that Steven was being freed and she was very happy about it," Mr Reed "said.

Steven Kitson, aged 25, who was released on Wednesday, made his allegations about police brutality at a news conference in London yesterday. A police spokesman in Pretoria said his allegations were “completey false.” The spokesman said that while in detention Steven Kitson was visited by the British Consul in Johannesburg, and by the chief and assistant district surgeons of Pretoria, and all found him in good health.

Mr Kitson's father, a 52-year-old former Oxford research fellow serving a 20year sentence for sabotage, is South Africa's longestserving white political prisoner. Steven Kitson was arrested on suspicion of plotting an escape after going to Pretoria Central Prison to visit his father last Friday. The police alleged that Steven Kitson had been acting under instructions from “certain people overseas" said to be involved in the 1979 escape of three whites convicted of Communist activity.

After his detention and allegations that he had sketches and photographs of the prison, three other white people were arrested, including Michael Jenkin, brother of one of the escapees. Timothy Jenkin.