Amnesty Hearings — Welkom — 1998-11-19

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: Chairperson, we didn't want to climb through the fence.  We acted as quick as possible.  We placed the bomb and we immediately retreated.

MR TAKA: Why did you not put the bomb this side of the fence and not beyond the fence?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: If we placed it on our side of the fence it would have been closer to the field, the veld.

MR TAKA: An open veld?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: That's correct, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: And what was wrong in the bomb being closer to the veld?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: If it was in the open field it would have created less propaganda.

MR TAKA: So you put it closer to the shacks so that you could get maximum propaganda, am I right?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: That is correct, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: You realise that moving it closer to the shacks increases the risk of injury and even death at the explosion of the bomb?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: That is correct, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: And you consciously and deliberately moved away from the veld closer to the shack?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: It was not deliberate.

MR TAKA: That bomb in Viljoenskroon cost bodily injury to at least three people, Margaret Malinga who has lost her hearing, Steven Semelo and Andries Semelo.  Is it not possible that if you had placed the bomb further from the shacks it would have cause less injuries because it was then closer to the veld?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: That is correct, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: Were you also involved in the placing of a bomb in the street in Wesselsbron?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: That is correct, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: Who decided on the exact location of the bomb in Wesselsbron?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: We drove into the township, we placed the bomb outside the car in the street.  I can't remember who placed the bomb.

MR TAKA: That bomb also caused injury to Maria Bayo and also to a one and a half year old baby, Seipati Mokodutlo.

CHAIRPERSON: Could you just repeat that name please?

MR TAKA: Mr Chairperson, Seipati and the surname is Mokodutlo: M-O-K-O-D-U-T-L-O.
	Now it injured little Seipati on her left knee and also twisted the patella of her knee, were you aware of that?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: No, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: But that bomb also caused severe damage to at least six residential areas around the place from where it was located in Wesselsbron, were you aware of that?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: No, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: Could you foresee that placing such a bomb at such a place could have consequences like that, body injury and damage to property?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: The bomb could have caused great damage, yes Mr Chairman.

MR TAKA: You did foresee that?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: No, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: You acted only under strict orders from Labuschagne, is that correct?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: That is correct, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: And those orders were amongst other things to avoid injury and death, is that so?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: That is correct, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: Now if your actions caused severe injury for example, then they were not part of the order that was given to you, do you agree with me?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: Yes, Chairperson.

MR TAKA: Thank you, Mr Chairperson, I have no further questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR TAKA

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Mr Taka.  Mr Mapoma, do you have any questions to ask the witness?

MR MAPOMA: Thank you, Chairperson, I have no questions.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR MAPOMA

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Loubscher, do you have any re-examination?

MR LOUBSCHER: I have no re-examination, thank you, Chairperson.
NO RE-EXAMINATION BY MR LOUBSCHER

CHAIRPERSON: Doctor Tsotsi, do you have any questions?

DR TSOTSI: No questions.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Sibanyoni?

MR SIBANYONI: No questions, Mr Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr van der Watt, you get bombs and bombs.  You get some big bombs and you get smaller bombs, how would you describe the bomb that was placed, let's say at Viljoenskroon and the one at Wesselsbron?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: Chairperson, we never measured the explosives, we never knew how much explosive was actually put in the bomb.

CHAIRPERSON: Would you say that the bomb at Wesselsbron and the bomb at Viljoenskroon were the same size?  Did you use the same recipe as it were or was the one much larger than the other?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: Chairperson, according to the containers, Viljoenskroon's bomb was bigger than that of Wesselsbron. ...(end of tape)

CHAIRPERSON: Are you still a member of the AWB?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: No, Chairperson, it was that time when Mr Labuschagne joined the Volksfront and I did the same.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you mean when Mr Labuschagne stopped being a member of the AWB?  I was under the impression Mr Labuschagne at one stage was a member of the AWB and the Volksfront at the same time, or don't you know?

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: I do not know.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Loubscher, do you have any questions arising?

MR LOUBSCHER: None, Mr Chairman.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR LOUBSCHER

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Taka?

MR TAKA: None, Mr Chairman.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR TAKA

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Mapoma?

MR MAPOMA: None, Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Mr van der Watt, that concludes your testimony, you may stand down.

DANIEL WILHELM VAN DER WATT: Thank you, Chairperson.
WITNESS EXCUSED