Hidden under the reforms initiated by President de Klerk since February 2, 1990, human rights violations continue unabated in Bophuthatswana, one of South Africa's four so?called "independent" homelands. In the past 18 months political violence has resulted in the killing of 23 people, detention of 633 and injury of 481. Political organization and expression of dissent are not tolerated and are criminalized by a battery of security laws. 147 political prisoners continue to be detained, despite a 29?day hunger strike, a concerted national and international campaign and negative publicity that finally forced the de Klerk government to intervene for their release.
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