Amnesty Hearings — Bloemfontein — 2000-06-13

MR MBANDAZAYO: Chairperson, I will begin to read the affidavit.  The affidavit reads thus
"I, Samson Zongizile Tuis, c/o Groenpunt Correctional Services, Registration 93143109, do hereby state under oath and say
		I am the applicant in this matter.  I wish to state further to my application and in answer to a request for further particulars as follows:
		The people I killed were two elderly white females, whose names I now forget.  They were living in a farm in Brandfort, outside town, near a black man's township.  The person who identified and informed us that the victims were legitimate targets for operation was Commander Dlogodlo.  Commander Dlogodlo did not furnish us with these correct names, this name was just a code name or nickname for the organisation.  I did not know his physical address.  The person that I hope should know him is Lebohang ...(indistinct) of 6883, Extension 8,  Gamaneng, Bloemfontein.  I also hope that William, Willie Nkosana of 11269 Lebona Street, Mozoneng, Klumande Township, Bloemfontein, knows him.  He's now a soldier in Pretoria, but the exact address of employment is unknown to me.  
		The persons who were with me during the operation other than Dlogodlo who gave orders were Petros Peter Peleo who is in Groenpunt Correctional Services and Mulduran Mologwai, alias Thebogo, who is also in Groenpunt prison.  According to them they did apply for amnesty but they have not heard anything up to now.  
		The operation was planned firstly during the 10th of January, whilst I was still serving two years sentence in Ramkraal prison in Bloemfontein.  Dlogodlo came as a visitor and found me working outside at the white's homes.  When he came to me, I was going to be released on the 21st January 1993.  He ordered me not to go anywhere on the 3rd of January 1993 after my release.  On the 3rd of February, after my release.
		On the 3rd of February 1993, Dlogodlo came with Tabiso Makwala, Pitso Peleo and Macdonald Mologwai.  They arrived, driving in a private car.  They took me to Bloemfontein, near the ...(indistinct) bar.  We sat in the car outside on a parking.  It is where Dlogodlo gave us instructions to kill the whites in Free State, take the money if it is enough, bring guns and vehicles.  It was here that the operation was decided upon and Pitso also identified it as a farm he had knowledge about.
	   After these discussions, we returned to Bloemfontein.  I, Pitso and Macdonald proceeded to	this farm.  We left about 7 o'clock in the evening, each armed with a Rambo knife, dagger type.  We arrived at the farm about 11 in the evening.  We jumped over the fence and proceeded to the mielie plantation towards the house.  Pitso produced a handgun and I then realised that he had a firearm.  He led us until we found an open window through which we entered the house.  We searched through the rooms but did not find anyone.  On the extreme right we saw light and went to peep.  We saw a white woman in bed reading her Bible.  We entered, grabbed her, tied her hands, demanded for money.  She denied any money being in the house.  Pitso stabbed on her and instructed us to search in further rooms and kill whoever we find.  He suggested that the first female will produce the money.  He also produced a firearm for her as a threat.  We searched another room and found her mother.  We attacked and killed her.  After killing her, we brought her to her daughter so that she could see that we have killed her.  This victim cried and started to hand a firearm by telling us where we could find it.  The firearm was a revolver with 6 bullets.  She also pointed to a bank bag with some silver coins.  She also handed R30 and car keys.  She was also killed by stabbing her several times.  The old lady was also stabbed several times.  We dragged the old lady back into her room and let her down.  We took the items with us, got into an Isuzu van and I drove it away.  We left Pitso on the way, gave some share and I drove on with Macdonald.  
		I was arrested on the 18th of February with Thebogo.  Pitso was arrested subsequently.  The vehicle was left near a flat at Tempi, where Dlogodlo had instructed us to leave it.  I heard over the news on the 4th of February that the vehicle had been recovered.   We used the money that we got from the victim.  
		When I heard about this, I alerted Pitso who also informed me that he had heard about it.  He advised me to destroy a tape cassette that I had taken from the vehicle.  I did destroy it.  That is all I can say.  I know and I understand the contents of this statement.  I have no objection to taking the prescribed oath.  I consider the prescribed oath to be binding on my conscience."
Now Mr Tuis, I've read your statement for the record for the Commission.  Now I would like - do you want to add anything to this statement?

SAMSON ZONGIZILE TUIS: Yes.  There is something I want to add.  The people who arrived when I was at Stofberg after I received a document requiring further particulars was Mr Mbatha.  He was together with another one.  These people were speaking Zulu, they do not understand Sotho and some of the things here in the statement, they did not put them according to the way I wanted them to be put.  I was actually trying to explain to them in Xhosa, but I'm now becoming aware that in this statement there is somewhere where they wrote something not mentioned by me, even though it's not bad, but they did not put it straight as I told it to them.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Now, can you mention those things you think that they were not put the way you wanted them to be put?

SAMSON ZONGIZILE TUIS: You see I was here in Bloemfontein, I was never in Brandfort.  I was out on duty.  You see the situation is, you are taken as prisoners and you are taken to different places.  The white people will take you and they will make use of your services to cleaning town and so on, so I was working at Tempe, it was on the 10th of January 1993, between the 10th and the 16th of January.  Pitso arrived when I was at work in Tempe.  He was together with Tabiso and Dlogodlo.  He called me and I went ...(intervention)

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Tuis, just hold it for a second, let me address your legal representative.  Mr Mbandazayo, instead of getting how the story was told, let's get it paragraph for paragraph.  Does he agree with paragraph 1?  Just like that and where it's not clear, which paragraph it's not.  I think we will make better progress in that fashion.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you Chairperson.  Thank you.  Let me start, Chairperson, then at paragraph 2.1.
"The people I killed were two elderly white females whose names now I've forgotten.  They were living in a farm in Brandfort outside town, near a black township."
Is that correct?

SAMSON ZONGIZILE TUIS: Yes.
MR MBANDAZAYO
"The person who identified and informed us that the victims were legitimate targets for our operation was Commander Dlogodlo."
Is that correct?

SAMSON ZONGIZILE TUIS: No.  Dlogodlo told us that we should kill the farmers in the Free State and we were at 1910 when he told us this and Pitso said:  "Yes, there is a target that I know, we can start with that today".  That day was the 3rd of February 1993.

CHAIRPERSON: Perhaps let's put it in perspective.  To which political organisation did you belong?

SAMSON ZONGIZILE TUIS: I was a member of AZANYU.

CHAIRPERSON: Since when?

SAMSON ZONGIZILE TUIS: From 1990.

CHAIRPERSON: Where did you join AZANYU?

SAMSON ZONGIZILE TUIS: I joined AZANYU in 1990 here in Bloemfontein.

CHAIRPERSON: Bloemfontein is wide.  Where in Bloemfontein?

SAMSON ZONGIZILE TUIS: In an area called Tinpoint.

CHAIRPERSON: In your application form you speak of a Task Force, what were you saying - what were you referring to when you say, "Political organisation - Task Force"?  What did you want to convey by Task Force?