Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1998-10-21

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Mbandazayo?

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you Mr Chairperson, my next applicant is Mr Mgengo, Ndoda Mgengo.

NDODA MGENGO: (sworn states)

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  	Mr Mgengo, the two applicants testified before this Committee and told the Committee that you brought to them Vuyani Namba.  Now I want you to tell the Committee how come did you bring Vuyani Namba to them and why was he brought to Durban?

NDODA MGENGO: I'll start off by saying even though I was a student in Durban, I was also a member of APLA.  Secondly, I was able to communicate with structures and members of APLA when they wanted me to do so.  I received a message or I can say instructions specifically from one of the commanders of APLA that I should go from Durban to Umtata with the aim and purpose to finalise the arrangements which were already at an advanced stage that members of APLA should carry out an attack on one of the police stations that is in Durban.  I went to Umtata as per instruction.  I was given further instructions to the effect that I should go back to Durban.
	I went back to Durban.  Per his instruction I phoned back in Umtata.  I received an instruction or was notified that Vuyani had been sent to Durban and I had to go pick him up.  I went to pick Vuyani up.  As we had already arranged before, I took him to my place.  That is where I was living with Xolani Cuba and Mfundi Seyisi.  There isn't much that I had to discuss with Mfundi and Xolani with regard to the matter but I introduced Vuyani as a member of APLA as it was so.  He was on a special mission.  I think I am through.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Can you tell the Committee who was this commander who called you to Umtata you talked to?

NDODA MGENGO: It was Comrade Sikumiso Ngonumba.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Where in Durban did you pick up Vuyani Namba?

NDODA MGENGO: At the station.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Now can you tell the Committee what happened thereafter, after you have arrived at where you were staying with the other two applicants, what did you do with the exception of introducing him to them and them to him?

NDODA MGENGO: As we were not staying in our own place it was -or the owner of the house instructed us that whenever we have visitors we should bring them to him and introduce them so that whenever were not within his premises he should know that whoever was there was permitted to be there because he was with us.  After I had introduced Xolani I went to speak to the owners of the house, that is the landlord as well as the landlady.  I explained to them that we have a visitor.  It was imperative that I did not tell him as to why the visitor was there.  I explained that the visitor was going to stay for quite a while because he had come to look for a school for the following academic year.  I told them his name.  There was no problem thereafter, he remained with us.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Did you know that Vuyani, did he bring any weapons with him when he came to Durban?

NDODA MGENGO: Yes he did bring some weapons.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Did you know what type of weapons, can you tell the Committee if you know about them?

NDODA MGENGO: Yes there were explosives or limpet mines or a limpet mine.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Was that the only weapon that he had?

NDODA MGENGO: Yes, according to my knowledge he had one limpet mine.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Now can you tell the Committee about the planting of the limpet mine at Umbilo Police Station or the other police station, did you know about those plans and how did you know about it, were you part of that planning and what role did you play?

NDODA MGENGO: Yes, the planting of the limpet mines was not my job description.  I think the person who was going to plant it was responsible for it and he knew where and how to plant it but my duty ...[intervention]

CHAIRPERSON: Sorry, Mr Mgengo, I think the question was, that Mr Mbandazayo put to you was were you aware of the plan that the limpet mine would be placed at the Umbilo Police Station.  Were you aware of that operation?

NDODA MGENGO: Yes I was.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Were you part of the plan of the placing of the limpet mine at Umbilo Police Station?

NDODA MGENGO: Yes I did have a role that I had to play because I had to ensure that Vuyani Namba is a soldier or an APLA cadre and any other soldier who was going to be brought would be welcomed or received without any disturbance with regards I could say there had to be sufficient security and to ensure that the atmosphere was conducive for him to be able to carry out the mission successfully.  There were people who knew as to where he stayed but at the same time I had to ensure and see to it that whatever he needed was within reach.  I also had to see that he gets all the information that was necessary for him to be able to carry out the mission either from the commanders or from the structures of the PAC.
	With regard to finance I had to ensure that I carried out all those duties.  If he wanted any assistance that I could myself render, I had to see to it that he does receive such assistance.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Mr Mgengo, did you know that on the 30th November 1993 Mr Namba was going to plant a limpet mine at  Umbilo Police Station and how did you know about it?

NDODA MGENGO: Yes I knew, I had earlier pointed out that.  Vuyani and myself were constantly communicating.

MR MBANDAZAYO: How did you communicate?

NDODA MGENGO: Per phone.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Now it is known to this Committee that at the time of this incident you were not around Durban.  Now when did you last communicate with him with regard to the planting of this limpet mine at Umbilo Police Station?

NDODA MGENGO: I last spoke to him a day before the planting or the intended planting of the limpet mine, that is the day the member of APLA and Mfundi were on their way to Umbilo.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Did he tell you - what did you talk about by telephone?

NDODA MGENGO: We didn't say much to each other except for him to inform me that the preparations were at an advanced stage and he promised to phone me the following day to fill me in as to how the operation went and he stated that the following day they were going to go out to carry the mission.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Did he phone you the following day?

NDODA MGENGO: He was not able to because he died.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you Mr Chairperson, that is all.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR MBANDAZAYO

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Mbandazayo.  Mr Nel do you have any questions to ask the witness?

MR NEL: Thank you Mr Chairperson.
	Mr Mgengo, this person who died in the incident, was he from Durban or was he situated in Umtata?

NDODA MGENGO: He was from an area called Xala but we met in Durban.

MR NEL: Did he know Durban at all?

NDODA MGENGO: I'm not sure as to whether he did, I cannot confirm as to whether he had come to Durban before or not.

MR NEL: Why was it necessary for you to introduce him to your fellow applicants who have testified here today?

NDODA MGENGO: So that if I was not present or I was not within reach, the other people that I had introduced him to would help him whenever he needed any help.  Even besides that it's part of humanity to introduce a person to others who you work with.

MR NEL: Do I understand you correctly that in your absence these two gentlemen could assist them in carrying out the operation, for instance a simple matter like how to get to Umbilo on a bus?

NDODA MGENGO: I said the help that he could have required he would have received from the two that I introduced him to.

MR NEL: You did say that when you introduced Vuyani to Mr Seyisi and Mr Cuba you did not have much to discuss.  What did you discuss?

NDODA MGENGO: Mfundi and Xolani, I think the relationship between us comes a long way.  We've been together in PASO and there was nothing that I had to discuss with them with regard to an APLA operation because they were not APLA members.