Amnesty Hearings — Johannesburg — 1999-02-18

BRUNO SKHOSANA: We were patrolling with the other comrades at Slovo Section.  There was a place that was declared a no-go zone after Buthelezi Street.
	This woman came from another direction.  We were at Khumalo Street and then she came down Mdagani Street.  We had information previously that there was a person who was coming down the street, and we should monitor that particular person.
	When she came, she came down Buthelezi and she went up once again.

UNKNOWN: You said you got information that there was a person that you should monitor.  From who did you get this particular information?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: There were comrades who were stationed at Mdagani Street and they sent a boy to come and tell us that there was a person that was coming down Mdagani Street, who was about to take a turn at that particular point.
	We waited for her and she went, she took a turn.  She went up to the upper direction.  We decided to take a chance and walk through the no-go area to see where this person was actually going to.
	When we did that, going to that no-go area, when we were about to reach Khumalo Street, we took cover in another house.  We saw this person.  There was a group of Inkatha members with AK47's.  She talked to them and we saw her talking to these IFP members with AK47's.
	We saw these people pointing towards Mdagani Street as if they were going to walk down Mdagani Street, and to Buthelezi Street.  When she took another turn, we saw these people jumping over to Mdagani Street.

UNKNOWN: Then what happened thereafter?

ADV GCABASHE: You saw them pointing towards Mdagani Street and they entered Mdagani Street, is that where you were?  Is that correct?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: Yes, we were in Mdagani Street, in one of the circles.  Mdagani  Street was facing Khumalo and when we saw them, they came from the third house from where we were.
	When we went in there, we went back to Buthelezi Street.

ADV GCABASHE: Sorry, did they then enter Mdagani Street, these people?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: Yes, they went through Mdagani Street and they went towards another direction.

UNKNOWN: Where did this woman go?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: She took a turn, she went through Khumalo Street, to Buthelezi Street.	When she arrived next to Buthelezi, we were on the other side and prevented her from going further because we told them, we had told the other people that the woman was coming from those people who were our enemies.
	They captured her and we took her to Nhlapo Street and we questioned her.  She said she was looking for a church, Masango Church, Apostolic Church, the St John's Apostolic Church and we promised her that we were going to direct her to the church, but we raised our suspicions but we decided to direct, to give her directions to Masango.  We took her to Ngubeni Street and we directed her to go through Mavimbela Street and then we told her that when she reaches Mavimbela, she has to ask some people that would show her to the place.
	We decided that another group of people must go straight and check if this woman was really getting to this St John's Apostolic Church.  We decided to wait at a second house and we waited for these people to give us information about this woman.
	When she was about to reach the veld in front of the furrow, she took a turn again, she went towards Mapanzela School and now it looked like she was going to this group of people. 
	She was facing the Dube Street where the Inkatha people were staying.  She took another turn, going towards that direction and we decided to get out of that second house.   Basdi had a 7.65 pistol.  I grabbed that firearm and I went straight to this woman and she ran away.
	I called her and when she looked back, she saw us and she ran away.  In that process I shot her from behind.  She fell.  I came closer and I shot her for the second time.  I shot her on the head and I left the scene.

UNKNOWN: Okay, the fact that you saw this woman coming from the no-go area and the fact that you saw her talking to IFP people, what impression did that make in your mind?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: What came to my mind at that particular time, because we were watching her, we wanted to know what was happening, and when we found her talking to these people, and these people now were telling her where to go and they were going to take another direction, I told myself that this woman was a spy and she was sent down to check the situation and our base where we were.

UNKNOWN: In your application form, you mentioned on page 3 that all these people were killed and then burnt.  Were you present when the bodies were burnt?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: The other two people, the first one and - the males, the first one and the second one, when their bodies were set alight, I was not present, but this woman, after deciding to go back to Ngubeni Street, I met with the other comrades who had petrol and I went back to the scene and I saw them pouring petrol over her body and they set her alight.  I did not participate in setting her alight, I just stood there and watched them setting her body alight.

UNKNOWN: The last victim, you also do not know her name and particulars, is that correct?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: No, I know nothing about her.

UNKNOWN: Who were present when this incident took place, your fellow comrades?  Can you remember who was there?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: I remember that Mqunu was there, Basdi was also there and I cannot remember the other people who were there.

UNKNOWN: In our consultation you also mentioned Nkosana, is that correct?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: Nkosana is the one who is also called Basdi.

UNKNOWN: Thank you Mr Chairman, I have nothing further.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MS NHLAYISI

ADV STEENKAMP: No questions, thank you sir.
NO CROSS-EXAMINATION BY ADV STEENKAMP

MR SIBANYONI: In your application you also mention that Mpegeleli and Nqedesi were also there.  Is that correct?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: Yes, that is correct.

MR SIBANYONI: I am referring now to the boy you met who said he was going to Buyafuthi.  If he was not connected to the IFP, was it possible for him to stay at Buyafuthi Hostel?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: No ways, that was not possible for him to be there, because during the violence, the only people who would stay at Buyafuthi was the IFP members.  The people from the township wouldn't set their foot at Buyafuthi Hostel.

MR SIBANYONI: Where did he say he came from, where was his home?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: He said he was coming from kwaZulu Natal, Inhandla.

MR SIBANYONI: Thank you Mr Chairperson, no further questions.

ADV GCABASHE: Thank you Chair.  The same incident, the chap from Inhandla, where was he stabbed and assaulted, in Nhlapo Street or Nhlapo Section?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: He was not stabbed, he was shot.  The only one who was stabbed, was the one that used to be among the Inkatha members during the fight.

ADV GCABASHE: Oh, I beg your pardon, you are quite right.  It is the first incident I am looking at.  The chap who had been captured by the time you got there, that is the one i am talking about.  Where was it, at Nhlapo Section or Nhlapo Street?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: Nhlapo Street.

ADV GCABASHE: Street?  In respect of the chap from Inhandla this time, were you saying it was Bayo you were with, I was not sure of the name, was it Bayo?  You were with Bayo?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: Bayo, yes.

ADV GCABASHE: Okay, and then the last one is the woman, Mdagani Street and Buthelezi Street are very close?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: Yes, they are close.  They are in the form of a T-junction, Mdagani is going through.

ADV GCABASHE: Okay, then that solves my problem there.  Just give me a minute, and then finally the same woman, when they set her body light, was she still alive?

BRUNO SKHOSANA: No, she was already dead.

ADV GCABASHE: Thank you.  Thank you Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, you are excused.
WITNESS EXCUSED

UNKNOWN: Thank you Mr Chair, that concludes my roll.