S. Africa Gives Swede Choice: Jail or Leave

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — A Swedish-born civil rights worker said today that she had been detained for 46 days and released on condition that she leave South Africa.

“While I was being interrogated, I was told, ‘This country doesn’t need you here,’ ” said Annica van Gylswyk, an official of the Black Sash women’s anti-apartheid group.

She said she was given the choice of remaining in detention or leaving the country by Friday.

Van Gylswyk, 55, said she would leave for Sweden, along with her husband and grown children. She had lived in South Africa for 30 years and had permanent residence.

Thousands of people have been detained without trial and least 214 people have died in political violence since President Pieter W. Botha imposed the state of emergency June 12.

Asked to confirm the report about Van Gylswyk, police referred queries to the Bureau for Information, which had no immediate comment.

The bureau did say that there was less political violence on Sunday than on any day so far this year. There were only a handful of incidents and no deaths and only one person was injured, it added.