15 NOVEMBER 1963, Page 5

Randolph Vigne

SOUTH AFRICAN police on Monday arrested Randolph Vigne at his house in Cape Town. Whatever reason they may eventually offer for this, it is difficult to believe that his detention is unconnected with the courageous piece he wrote for the Spectator last week exposing the hollowness of the Transkei elections.

His arrest now reinforces what he was saying last week about the degree of police interference in the Transkei elections; it demonstrates once again that Verwoerd is prepared to use his draconian measures not only against saboteurs and Communists, but also against any opponents of his racialism, and it underlines the difficulties that are more and more to be expected in obtaining infor- mation from South Africa.