SOUTH AFRICA: Critic in Exile

A silent man no longer

A government crackdown against political dissenters last October transformed South African Journalist Donald Woods into one of his country's silent men. In retaliation for his antigovernment editorials. Woods, 44, was "banned" for five years—which means that his movements were severely restricted, he was prohibited from returning to his job as editor of the East London Daily Dispatch and prevented from speaking with more than one person (except for family members) at a time. Government agents read his mail, bugged his home and phone, and kept him under general—if irregular —surveillance.

All that ended suddenly last week...