The five accused were members of the National Union of South African Students. They were charged with furthering the aims of communism and conspiring with various banned organisations. The files contain a list of the charges, as well as research material to inform the defence, but other than draft documents, there are no court documents. Press clippings relating to various aspects of apartheid policies and their effects are included.

The client worked as a gardener for a Johannesburg resident for ten years. This should have entitled him to a B2 endorsement in his pass book which would mean that he did not have to renew his contract of employment yearly in order to qualify to be in a white urban area. When he applied, it was refused. The LRC appealed against this decision, and was successful. Files contain apartheid era documents such as 'Licence to accommodate Bantus' and old service contracts for blacks in white urban areas.

The farm Mdukutshani is run by the Church Agricultural Project (CAP). It lies along the Tugela river, between Tugela Ferry and Weenen, on the boundary to KwaZulu Natal. The documents describe black-white conflicts around cattle theft and killing, and assault of black cattle owners by white farmers. It also describes the problematic situation of government pension payouts, which are refused in one area and then being paid in another, due to administrative incompetence in the Homelands. Included is an article by Sheena Duncan, describing the situation of Mdukutshani.

The client was a nurse who was employed by SAG Ceramics. During 1978 she was dismissed, she believed, because she was involved with the Building and Allied Workers Union. She thus claimed victimisation. She brought a private prosecution against Bailey, who was a manager at SAG Ceramics. In the original trial (Makhanya vs Bailey, A 610/79) the magistrate found against the client, stating that the client was not in fact entitled to so prosecute the defendant. The client then prepared an appeal against the decision. The documentation does not reflect the case number of the appeal, and it is not clear from the correspondence what the outcome was.

The client applied to the Department of the Interior to be reclassified from Xhosa to Coloured. She claimed that the original classification was incorrect as she had always lived in the coloured community. Representations to the Minister resulted in her reregistration as Coloured.

In 1980 B Mokotedi's husband died after being thrown from the compartment of a train when he was found in a whites-only section. The inquest determined that the ticket inspector, AJ O'Kelley was responsible for his death. The Attorney-General, however, declined to prosecute O'Kelley because there were no eye-witnesses, despite frequent applications by the LRC.

This is a case of assault on the client. The second accused assaulted the client, but claimed the client had provoked the attack and been the aggressor. The matter was settled out of court for R750.

Alice Soni belonged to the Zimele Association, a society that promised financial assistance inter alia when family members died. When client's son died, they refused to pay out, claiming she was late with payments. Referred to Legal Aid Board for assistance.