Descom Bulletin

Digital Innovation South Africa

In 1982, Neil Aggett, a Trade Unionist and Medical Doctor became the first white political prisoner to die in the detention under the custody of the security police. It was after his death that with the increase of political prisoners that David Webster (Social Anthropology Lecturer at Wits University) amongst others was responsible for organizing the Detainees Parents Support Committee (DPSC) and Detainees Support Committee (Descom). These organizations tried to support those that were detained without trial by the government. Due to the conditions under which the detainees were held in prison, the Detainees Support Committee demanded that they have access to doctors of their own choice or of their own family's choice. The Johannesburg committee set up an independent panel of doctors and requested that they be allowed to see detainees. This request was turned down by the State.