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1977: Steve Biko dies in custody

The leader of the black consciousness movement in South Africa, Steve Biko, has died in
police custody.

The 30-year-old's death was confirmed by the commissioner of police, General Gert
Prinsloo, today.

It is understood Mr Biko died in hospital in Pretoria. The government minister of Justice and
Police, James Kruger, stated that Mr Biko had been transferred 740 miles (1,191 km) from
Port Elizabeth to Pretoria for medical attention following a seven-day hunger strike.

Mr Biko had been in custody since 18 August when he was arrested and detained under the
Terrorism Act. He is the 20th person to die in custody during the past 18 months.

Medical student

Steve Biko was born in King William's Town in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in 1946.

He became active in the anti-apartheid movement in 1960s when he was studying medicine
at the University of Natal.

He initially joined the National Union of South African Students' (NUSAS) but resigned in
1969 because he felt it did not represent the needs of black students.

He set up the South African Students' Organisation (SASO) in 1968 and was elected its first
president the following year.

In 1972 Biko was expelled from medical school and began working full-time for the Black
Community Programmes (BCP). He also started writing regularly for the SASO newsletter
under the pen-name of Frank Talk.

By 1973 his work had come to the attention of the government who, in an attempt to curtail
his activities, imposed a banning order on him restricting him to his home town.

But he continued his work with the BCP which succeeded in building a clinic and a crèche in
King William's Town.

He was also instrumental in setting up several community groups including the Zimele Trust
Fund in 1975, which helped political prisoners and their families, and the Ginsberg
Educational Trust, to assist black students.

In January of this year he was made honorary president of the BCP.

An inquest into his death is not to be held for several months, according to the authorities.

Mr Biko leaves a wife and two children.