Amnesty Hearings — Bloemfontein — 1999-05-27

TREVOR MASILO: I joined the PAC in 1990, that was after the conflict between the Inkatha and the communities. Because the Inkatha people were attacking members of the community, because I stayed near the hostel then. We were being attacked during the day and night. There were white people working together with the Inkatha people. They were assisting them with the Hippos transporting them into the township.
	Because we were under the oppression led by the white people, so I realised that sitting there knowing that African people are being oppressed. Then I decided to go and see Thebu and then we met Bongani Moyo through Thebu. And then Mutsapa said to me on that day he will see me after some days. Thereafter ...(intervention)

ADV GCABASHE: Sorry, can you just stop there. You're going to fast, number one, but secondly, Thebu, who is Thebu?

TREVOR MASILO: He is the person that I went to when I joined the PAC at the Vosloorus branch.

ADV GCABASHE: You don't have his full names, Thebu, you don't have his full names or do you just know him as Thebu?

TREVOR MASILO: That's correct.

ADV GCABASHE: And then Thebu took you to Bongani and then another name came up that I missed completely. So you met Bongani?

TREVOR MASILO: They were calling him Mutsapa Bongani, the name which was used was Mutsapa. He was Swazi that's his name, Bongani Moyo. He was known as Mutsapa.

ADV GCABASHE: Okay. Yes. Thank you. Please use Bongani. It's easier for us, it is the name we are familiar with. Okay, so you, Thebu took you to Bongani and continue from that point, please.

TREVOR MASILO: We met Bongani and then Bongani said to me he'll meet me after some days thereafter.

ADV GCABASHE: Yes?

TREVOR MASILO: Then he came to me after three days, three to four days, I don't remember where and then he asked me whether I know how to use a gun. I said to him the only gun that I am able use is the small gun, that is the 9 mm, and I know how it works. Then he asked me whether I know how to use AK47. Then I said to him no I have never used AK47. Then he said to me he'll come and fetch me anytime.
	Then he said he'll come to me after some days because he want to ask me some questions. He came to me after two days with Thebu. It was around 9 o'clock in the evening. I stayed on the last street and from there it was an open place. They took me to that open place and then when we arrived there, Bongani took out a 9 mm and then he asked me to use it. He wanted to see whether I can use it. Then I took that 9 mm and then I shot with it. He then said to me he could see that I can use 9 mm and then he took out AK47 and he showed me how it was used. 
	He shot with that AK47 and then he gave it to me, and asked me to operate it the way he showed me. Because I had already seen how it is operated, I managed to use it that day. And then he said to me I am brave if I am able to use a gun like that one. 
	And then he said to me he'll to me and explain to me the reasons why the Africans were fighting and why the Inkatha people are coming to the township to attack people. So they took me home and they left.

ADV GCABASHE: Now this occurred in 1990?

TREVOR MASILO: Yes, 1990.

ADV GCABASHE: When is the next time you saw Bongani? After this?

TREVOR MASILO: I met him after two weeks at the place of Chipape(?).

ADV GCABASHE: And was there anything in particular that you discussed that's relating to Apla and your unit? Or was it just a social meeting?

TREVOR MASILO: It was not just an ordinary meeting. That day he arrived at home and I was not there and then he told my mother that when I come I shouldn't leave because he will come back at seven to see me. So when I arrived at home at around 5 o'clock I got that message. Then I remained at home until he came around seven to eight and then we left to the place of for Chipape. And then they explained to me that they want me to meet some comrades that I have to work with in patrolling in the township.

ADV GCABASHE: And this, in fact, happen? Did you meet the comrades?

TREVOR MASILO: I met with other comrades that day. They introduced me to Chipape in Section 10 in Vosloorus. There was another house again in Natalspruit belonging to Chipape and then while we were there another comrade arrived and he took us to Natalspruit and then I met Simelane, Thembi Ngubeni and Clive Majola at that house.

ADV GCABASHE: You met, sorry, you met who? Ngubeni?

TREVOR MASILO: Clive Majola, and Freddie Makwe.

ADV GCABASHE: When did you meet Simelane?

TREVOR MASILO: I met him the day when umAfrica Matsapa took me to them and introduced me to them.

ADV GCABASHE: Was this on a different occasion? After you had met Ngubeni, Majola and Makwe?

TREVOR MASILO: Simelane was also there.

ADV GCABASHE: Is this when you started operating as the unit? From this point?

TREVOR MASILO: That's correct.

ADV GCABASHE: Just tell us a couple of things that you did as a unit. Now, all of you together.

TREVOR MASILO: He told us that we should go and patrol because they've got information that the Inkatha people were intending to come and attack people in Tokoza. And then he said we should be near the hostel so that when he, when they move from the hostel into the township, we should be able to block them. We went there that day, but nothing happened. We patrolled until the early hours of the morning. In the morning before we went to our places, he told us that we should meet again that evening at the same house of Chipape, because that was our meeting place.

ADV GCABASHE: Are you saying that until September of 1991, this is the only activity that you were involved in with your comrades who formed part of your unit?

TREVOR MASILO: Yes.

ADV GCABASHE: Then the night before the incident, this is September '91, the Thursday night, Bongani briefed you. What did he say your task was going to be on that Friday?

TREVOR MASILO: He explained to me, he told me that my task will be to escort Thembi, because he was driving the car that we were travelling in. I will be the escort so that when people like police come, I should be able to lead the way through.

ADV GCABASHE: Were you armed?

TREVOR MASILO: That's correct.

ADV GCABASHE: What were you armed with?

TREVOR MASILO: I had 9 mm.

ADV GCABASHE: Did you have occasion to use it on that day?

TREVOR MASILO: I did not use it that day because I remained in the car with Thembi.

ADV GCABASHE: From where you were sitting in the car, were you able to see exactly what happened in the van in front of you?

TREVOR MASILO: I was unable to see because that was a two way round. That Fidelity Guard vehicle was on the left hand side, we were on the right hand side. We just parked behind them. They came out to our car. Matsapa was in the front and the others were following behind, that is, Simelane, because he was supposed to drive this car used by the Fidelity Guards after the operation. Then I heard the gun shots and then I saw the driver coming out bleeding. He fell on the ground and then he ran passing our car and Simelane came and then I escorted them till we arrived at the dumping place in Natalspruit.

ADV GCABASHE: Just describe this T-junction to me. It was a T-junction and there were traffic lights at this T-junction.

TREVOR MASILO: It was a T-junction. The robots were closed. There was no other car in front of the Fidelity Guard vehicle, but there were other cars which were coming in.

ADV GCABASHE: You say other cars, there were other cars which were coming in from where?

TREVOR MASILO: That is from the left. They were driving past us. We were supposed to drive in to the left.

ADV GCABASHE: So these cars that were passing you were coming from the opposite direction. They were in the other lane, driving past and away from you. Is that right?

TREVOR MASILO: Others were turning like I'm indicating. We were supposed to turn left from the robots and then we drove with the freeway.