Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1999-11-15

MR MAPOMA: Mr Nkwanyana, you said that in meetings the names of Mr Sibiya and Mr Mthembu used to feature.  What were those meetings all about?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: ANC meetings which we used to hold over the weekends and sometimes on Saturdays and sometimes on Wednesdays.

MR MAPOMA: You have said that there was conflict between the ANC and IFP, was this conflict discussed in those meetings?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes.

MR MAPOMA: And in those meetings were there some attacks that had to be launched by the ANC, discussed in some of those meetings?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes, sometimes.

MR MAPOMA: Now you have said that on some occasions you yourself used to participate in attacking the IFP, is that correct?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes, that's correct.

MR MAPOMA: And those attacks that you yourself used to participate in, were there some of those attacks discussed in the ANC meetings?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes, sometimes.

MR MAPOMA: So on this day when Sibiya and Mthembu attacked, you say you were not party to those who attacked there?  You were not involved physically, do I understand you correctly?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes.

MR MAPOMA: When the discussions were entered into in the meeting and when their names featured in those discussions before the attack, was there some resolution that they have to be attacked at some point or another in your presence?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes, I heard about this once because these were the people whom we all knew that they were a problem to us but as to when they were going to be attacked and how they were going to be attacked, I was never told and I was never in such a meeting.

MR MAPOMA: Now, those who attacked there, did you regard them as having carried the resolutions of the ANC by attacking Sibiya and Mthembu?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes.

MR MAPOMA: Now, do you regard yourself as having anything to blame yourself about, or on the death of Sibiya and Mthembu?  Is there something that you yourself find yourself guilty of regarding the death of those two gentlemen?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes and also because that I was sentenced because of this crime and it was partly because I knew all along that there was a possibility that they were going to be attacked, even though I didn't know exactly when.

MR MAPOMA: Now had you known that they were going to be attacked, were you going to be participating in that attack?

OSMOND BEKISISA NKWANYANA: Yes, I was going to participate in that attack but there was a problem, because my comrades didn't trust me very well when it comes to Sibiya's issues, because sometimes I would go to Sibiya's house and this was sort of betraying their trust.  I think the reason they didn't reveal this to me, or they didn't tell me of this planned attack, it was because they were scared that I may betray them.  They were scared that I was going to tell Sibiya, but this is what I'm thinking, I'm not sure.

MR MAPOMA: Thank you Mr Nkwanyana.  Thank you Chairperson, I've got no further questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR MAPOMA

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Mapoma.  Are there any questions from the Panel?

ADV BOSMAN: No questions from me.

CHAIRPERSON: Have you got any re-examination, Ms Loonat.

MS LOONAT: No Mr Chairperson, thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, Mr Nkwanyana, you're excused, thank you.
WITNESS EXCUSED

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, Ms Loonat, who's the next applicant?

MS LOONAT: Mr Chairperson, I'm representing Mr K M Khuzwayo.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.