Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1998-04-17

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: I feel very sad about what happened, what I did, what I did to the people of eSikhawini and the surroundings, to the relatives of those whose next of kin were hurt or injured or died.  I would like to say I am very sorry about what I did.  I also know that my apology cannot bring back those whom I killed but I am prepared to do whatever in my power to help them, to console them to try and heal their bleeding hearts.
	My appearance before this Commission and my appearance before the other Commission last year and what I said in court in 1995, I said all this with very great regret.  It was not easy for me to come before this Commission because I know that by so doing I am placing my life in danger not only among the ANC members but also reference to the IFP members.  I have gone through a lot of intimidation and harassment because of the actions that I and my colleagues took, that was not done by the ANC members, but it was done by the IFP members together with their leaders because they were trying to stop us from coming here so that we could not divulge the truth and build reconciliation together with the ANC members, also the relatives of those next of kin died and suffered.
	We are also sad and feel sorry that the media has a different story about the IFP but when we were together behind closed doors they will just indicate that we should just completely destroy the ANC.
	I would just like say something here, to indicate that IFP leaders were completely committed to destroying the ANC and this I know will place myself and my family in danger but I am not scared of death because it is better than dying than live on, it is better to die and live on than live with the kind of conscience that I have, a painful conscience full of people's blood.  You see, often times Chief Mangosuto Buthelezi would, if there was a squabble between IFP and ANC leaders, if he for example once said that AmaZulu would get tired or AmaZulu would retaliate.  I am telling you today that that was an instruction that was directly indicated to us that we had to get together quickly and hit or attack the ANC to make sure that he is the righteous lips that spoketh the truth and each time he said those words, you would remember how many people who died thereafter, not only at eSikhawini also in other areas and therefore it is very hurting that himself being a leader of people is a distant away from the truth because we are trying a reconciliation between the ANC and the IFP because people who suffered here are honestly innocent people.  They were protected by ourselves as leaders, the people who were not protected were the ones who suffered because of them.  I am not afraid, I am prepared to die for what I am saying only if it is the truth that I stand for so that my conscience is clear.  I am very sorry to every community member present here and those who were directly affected by my operations.  
	We have tried, myself and colleagues, tried several things to build reconciliation with the ANC.  Dina has already explained that at Westville Prison, we have formed a reconciliation committee with the ANC members and this IFP Committee, all IFP members who were involved in the killing of people are involved are included here in this committee from places like Shawashabandi down to Natal Midlands up here in Northern Natal and the ANC is similarly represented because we have clearly indicated that we are now tired to be used by leaders and at the end they disown and deny knowledge of their activities.  I have been appointed chairman of this committee with my colleague Bononumbi who comes from Chief David Ndombela and within the ANC they have Supisi Sanbambo, leader of the ANC from Clermont and we also have Tom Mhlala a member of the ANC from the South Coast.  
	We have introduced this to the IFP and presented it to the ANC as well.  The ANC was given Willis Ntunu who is Deputy Speaker for the KwaZulu Natal government, so that he is the one who works hand in hand and co-operate with us and the IFP issued Dingele who comes from Indedwe, also a Member of Parliament in the KwaZulu Natal Government and we also have Captain Hleng who is implicated in these statements together with Nicky Britz, they come from the IFP office.  We have come together and formulated a manifesto which we sent to the IFP and ANC offices with an intention that the leader should come to us so that we could address them as to what should be done.  Presently, the leaders of the two organisations have started collaborating from thence. 
	I am trying to indicate how sorry we are about what we did and to show how much a distance we are prepared to travel to avoid a repeat of a similar situation in future.

MR WILLS: Yes thank you, Mr Mbambo, just a few points to close on.  Is it also not so that you have disclosed all of this information to the various police authorities that have interview you in respect of these matters and such includes organisations previously like the Goldstone Commission, the I.T.U. and other policemen who have come to see you from as far afield as the Attorney General in Pretoria, is that correct?