Amnesty Hearings — Ermelo — 1998-09-14

MR SWANEPOEL: The people who have since become deceased are Obed Nhlabathi, Pappa Mbonkane, Christopher Ngwenya and Martino Mgoko.  Mr Chairperson, furthermore, the person known as Mphume in the papers, in the application of Hlongwane, to which he refers to as his girlfriend, and a certain Mr Buthelezi did not get notice.  I have their notices with me, and they were not served on them by the implicated person on which the notices were served.  Thank you, Mr Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, thank you very much.  Mr Mpshe, perhaps we can see if you could take a look into this and see if those notices can be served, maybe even in terms of section thirty four (34).

MOKOTEDI MPSHE: Yes, Mr Chairman, I will do that, but according to my report from the investigator, a copy of which I have, it reflects to the effect that Mphume has been served.  But I don't want to take the matter any further.  I will take it up with the investigating officer.  Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Mr Wills?

MR WILLS: Yes, thank you.  I call Mr Hlongwane.

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: (Sworn States)

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.

MR WILLS: Thank you, Mr Chairperson.  Mr Hlongwane, you're an adult male present serving various long term prison sentences at Westville Prison in KwaZulu-Natal?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, that's correct.

MR WILLS: Sorry, Mr Chairperson, my equipment doesn't seem to be working.  I wonder if I can change it?

CHAIRPERSON: Certainly.

UNKNOWN: Mine either.  I think there's something wrong here.
[MACHINE SWITCHED OFF]
ON RESUMPTION

UNKNOWN: Mr Wills, can we just wait for mine to be attended to as well.
[

MACHINE SWITCHED OFF: ]
ON RESUMPTION

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, thank you.  You may proceed, Mr Wills.

MR WILLS: (cont)
	Thank you, Mr Chairperson.  Mr Hlongwane, you have testified before this Amnesty Committee in Richards Bay in Durban and in Hammarsdale in respect of incidents which you applied for amnesty for, and you are presently here to talk about your involvement in this area, ie in Wesselton and Davula?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, that's correct.

MR WILLS: I'm just going to briefly run through your background so members of the public understand where you come from.  You have testified extensively in this regard.  Mr Chairperson, I don't think there'll be a problem if I lead this evidence.  It is already on record.

CHAIRPERSON: If any of the legal representatives have a problem they can interject, Mr Wills.

MR WILLS: Mr Hlongwane, you come from an IFP supporting family.  You joined the IFP Youth in Hammarsdale at a relatively young age and you got involved in the activities of the IFP Youth in Hammarsdale when you were approximately sixteen (16) years of age?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, that's correct.

MR WILLS: You soon rose to the ranks of leading one of the units in Hammarsdale and you committed a number of offences as a result of your operations with the IFP in Hammarsdale?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, it's correct.

MR WILLS: You then were trained as a special constable in the South African Police and you were positioned in the Pietermaritzburg area and amongst other things, you used to guard the IFP person Mr David Ntombela?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, it is correct.

MR WILLS: During that time you continued with your activities and as a result of one such incident, you were sought by the South African Police which caused you to run away and hide in Ulundi?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: That's correct.

MR WILLS: You were given assistance in respect of attempting to evade the South African Police by various authorities in the IFP in Ulundi.  Those persons are detailed in your affidavit, and you eventually ended up at Mkuze camp?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, it is correct.

MR WILLS: It was at that stage where you first met the Black Cats?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, it is correct.

MR WILLS: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Perhaps if you could just put on record who the Black Cats were.

MR WILLS: Mr Hlongwane, can you tell us who the Black Cats were?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Black Cats were members, youth members of the Inkatha Freedom Party.

MR WILLS: And from where did they come?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: They were from Ermelo.

MR WILLS: And you met them at Mkuze.  Why did they end up in Mkuze?  Sorry, you met them - ja, you met them at Mkuze. Why did they come from Ermelo to Mkuze?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: They first went to Ulundi, to IFP offices, and when they arrived they were told that they should proceed to the camp, the Mkuze camp.  Therefore they arrived in two kombis at night.  One of the kombi was driven by Thomas Buthelezi, a Caprivian.  The second kombi was driven by Daluxolo Luthuli, if I'm not mistaken, and Daluxolo said they should be trained because they have been chased from their community in Ermelo and they can't go back to Ermelo because the ANC is killing them in Ermelo.  And he also give us an example of one Mkhwanazi, a young man who was killed at the time.

MR WILLS: Yes, thank you.  Mr Chairperson, for the benefit of the members of the Committee, I'm proceeding now from paragraph forty nine (49) of Hlongwane's affidavit.  It's page one hundred and fifety one (151) of Volume one (1).  Were you involved in the training of these persons?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, it is correct.

MR WILLS: You then yourself ended up in Ermelo.  Can you tell the members of the Committee how this came about, how you got to Ermelo and what was the purpose for you going to Ermelo?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: As the Black Cats from Ermelo were in the Mkuze camp, and they were members of the Inkatha Freedom Party, it became clear that after the training that I should be sent to Ermelo because some of them couldn't come back to their same areas.  Therefore I was deployed or sent to come and kill all ANC members who are against the Black Cats in Ermelo.

MR WILLS: Now, who sent you?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Daluxolo Luthuli, my commander.

MR WILLS: Who did you get the order through?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: I got the order from Peter Msane.

MR WILLS: And who was Peter Msane?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Peter is one of the Caprivians who was also involved in the Malan case.

MR WILLS: Yes.  What did Peter tell you that Mr Luthuli had told you you must do in Ermelo?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Peter told me that the Black Cats are not in control of the situation in the community in Ermelo, therefore I had to go and work in Ermelo, to kill the people at Ermelo who are against the IFP so that the trainees, when coming back from Mkuze camp, could be able to get into the community.

MR WILLS: Now, you've indicated in your affidavit, whilst the Black Cats were being trained in Mkuze they were visited by certain person from Ermelo.  Can you just tell us about those persons?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, they were visit by Noah Mqobakazi.

MR WILLS: And who was he?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Noah Mqobakazi was the chairperson of the IFP and also Mkhonza.  Mkhonza was the mayor of Davel.

MR WILLS: When you say Noah was the chairperson of the IFP, what area was he the chairperson of the IFP of?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: In Ermelo and the surrounding areas.

MR WILLS: Now, when you received your deployment orders, where did you have to go and who took you there?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: I left the Mkuze camp.  It was during the day on which Christopher Zwane and the gentleman you have just mentioned were attending a trial in Ermelo.  I came with them and they left me in Noah's car at the trial in court.  And another person whom I can't remember, he was in the company of Noah.

MR WILLS: And after the trial, where did you go?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: After the trial I went to stay with Noah at his place.

MR WILLS: Now, you've indicated in your affidavit that you had a meeting with Noah when you arrived at his house.  Can you tell us what was discussed at that meeting?