Determined House Guests

Six South African men walked into the British consulate in Durban last month and asked for sanctuary. The men-five Indians and a black--are outspoken opponents of apartheid, South Africa's system of racial separation, and had just received detention-without-trial orders from the Pretoria government. The Durban Six, as they became known, lived in a 24-ft. by 16-ft. office while British and South African officials exchanged impatient diplomatic notes. Negotiations soured when Pretoria refused to hand over four white South Africans due to stand trial in London this month on arms-smuggling charges.

Three of the Durban Six have since turned themselves in to South African authorities. The others have had their requests for sanctuary turned down by the U.S. and Dutch governments. Britain last week asked them to leave the consulate, but insists that they may remain if they wish. Meanwhile, South Africa put the official death toll at 80 in the past two months of unrest in black townships. The government also announced that regular army units will continue to play "a greater supporting role" in troubled areas.