The World - News from July 18, 1988

Scores of South African riot police stopped a music festival at the University of Cape Town to mark the 70th birthday today of jailed anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. As they left the hall, the festival crowd chanted “God bless Africa” in Zulu and released balloons carrying the colors of the outlawed African National Congress. Shortly after the event was halted, a sweeping police order banning birthday events was declared invalid by a Cape Town judge, who said police had acted in bad faith. Anti-apartheid lawyers, who had urgently challenged the ban, said the decision could allow some celebrations to be held today.