Amnesty Hearings — Bloemfontein — 1997-03-27

MR DE RU: I also appeared in court, the Supreme Court on this case and I was convicted because of murder, on the charge of murder.  I was convicted on a count of murder and I was sentenced to 13 years and then also four years with regard to defeating the ends of justice.  The deceased, in this case, was Mr Zachariah Mofokeng and his address is unknown to me and his next of kin is also unknown to me.
	As in the case with the shooting incident on Jonas Rampalile, I am now revealing these facts for the first time as regards myself and the same applies that I was never asked to give an explanation regarding these incidents.  I was also cognisant of that fact after this whole process was presented to me.  
	And, your Honour, I want to point to you that this was something that happened because of the instructions I got from Colonel Voigt.  After discussion between myself and the person leading evidence, I want to mention to you that these instructions also were valid for other cases and that people were not shot because of the circumstances.  I believed that the instructions of Colonel Voigt were correct.  I believed that Colonel Voigt in no way gave his instructions out of his own, but that he got it from somewhere, from a higher authority.  
	I also want to mention to you as it was mentioned by Commissioner de Jager to me, that I did an investigation into the Three Million activities and it was Colonel Voigt who gave me the instructions and that led me to believe that Colonel Voigt's instructions to me were correct because they were instructions to investigate these activities of the gang because there were allegations that police were involved, and what I want to present to you is that I believe that Voigt's instructions were correct and that all the people who were involved in the attacks and murders on farmers, that they were seen as I have presented it to you and that I experienced it in such a way, that it was politically motivated.  That saying "kill a farmer, kill a boer" and "one settler, one bullet" that that was an inspiration which led to these kinds of criminal acts.  
	I also want to mention that in the second case there was also a firearm, the squatter camp Enzamdela, in the black township of Sasolburg, is approximately four kilometres from this residential area, Kragbron, and it is known, your Honour, that this squatter camp was a breeding ground for most of the problems in the Vaal Triangle and that many of the activists and wanted people of Sebokeng, Sharpeville, Everton and those surrounding areas were in this squatter camp, hid in this squatter camp.  Your Honour, my motive was that with, I wanted to stop the attacks and murder of farmers and aged people especially in the Kroonstad district where I was working.  That was now from Kroonstad up to Heilbron and it included 13 police stations.  Colonel Voigt chose me because, as seen from the evidence in front of you, that it was very clear that I was his confidante and, as I already testified, that he said to Captain Marks to investigate the first shooting incident and in the second incident he asked Captain Simmington in investigate it.  Captain Simmington was just as Captain Marks, also confidante of Colonel Voigt and I realised that I would be protected against the true facts of what really happened.  And I am convinced, in my heart of hearts, that in - should Colonel Voigt still be alive at this hearing today, that he would have sat here and that he would have confirmed what I am testifying.  
	I also want to mention to you that during a conversation between myself and one of the investigating officers, Major Sewenster, a few weeks ago, he said that right from the start of the investigation they were aware that should Voigt have still been alive, that they would also have arrested him.  As I already said, and I do not want to place too much emphasis on it, that the murders were committed by political activists, supporters of APLA, ANC, PAC, members of the UDF and that it was motivated by what was said by political leaders and slogans that they sang, those that I referred to, and I believe that this Committee already took cognisance of the fact, even during this week, of what the instructions were regarding these incidents relating to murders and attacks on farmers and the aged.  And we also know that it was common knowledge that the PAC's
policy was to take back land and we also know that it was very important to keep the support of farmers and aged people so that fear should not be created, so that they then also do not lose trust in the former Government and apartheid.  And I ask that you will see these acts, that by trying to maintain the feeling of the farmers, that I tried to protect the Government of the day and the apartheid policy.

JUDGE WILSON: So ...