Amnesty Hearings — Port Elizabeth — 1997-09-10

MR SNYMAN: "However, at all times during my service in the South African Police, I acted in a bona fide manner to carry out my vocation as a member of the South African Police.  It was in service of the Government of the day, loyal and dutifully intending to maintain the constitutional circumstances of the time and law and order.  My personal convictions were further supported by the fact that my church approved of and supported the policy and actions of the National Party Government.  At all times in my capacity as a member of the South African Police, I did not at any time acted or failed to act in a way for personal gain.  My involvement in this particular incident was also not because of personal ill-feeling against the victim of the act."

MR BOOYENS: If we can briefly return to the policy of the Dutch Reformed Church at that time.  Did the Dutch Reformed Church proclaim, and I think it's a matter of public record that there was synodical decisions to this in this regard that apartheid was publicly justified.  At least the White Dutch Reformed Church did proclaim this.

MR SNYMAN: That is the case.

MR BOOYENS: Page 3.  You are applying for an act which has to do with the assault on and death of Mr Steve Biko.  The assault or the date of the assault mentioned is the 6th of September, but if we were to be more correct, it would be 6th to 12th September 1977?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: In a broad sense this occurred in Port Elizabeth?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: With regard to the deceased, you said that you worked on the Coloured desk.  Were you aware of the deceased?

MR SNYMAN: Your Honour, I obtained information and knowledge through the monthly security reports, which also indicated the activities of this person.

MR BOOYENS: In your personal opinion, what was the prominence of the deceased?

MR SNYMAN: He was a prominent figure in the Black power movement and almost everyone looked to him as the leader of the
Black Power movement at that time.

MR BOOYENS: I know that this is 20 years ago, but if at that time you had to rank him in importance, with exclusion of those leaders then in prison, for instance on Robben Island, how high would you have ranked him?

MR SNYMAN: I would have ranked him as one of these most important activists.

MR BOOYENS: In the country or just in the Eastern Cape?

MR SNYMAN: In the country as a whole.

MR BOOYENS: Never before you had dealt personally with Mr Biko?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: If we can briefly deal with the situation in the Eastern Cape at that time and the organisation represented by Mr Biko, in your knowledge, to what political grouping or organisation or whatever you want to call it, did Mr Biko find a home in?

MR SNYMAN: He was the head of the Black people's Convention.

MR BOOYENS: I think the correct word is president.

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: To the best of your knowledge as a security police officer, what was the Black people's Convention?  Without trying to give too technical an explanation, what would the nature and purposes of the Black People's Convention have been?

MR SNYMAN: It was a Black Power organisation which had the intention of ridding the country of the then order.

MR BOOYENS: Would you mean by that the National Party Government?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct, your Honour.

MR BOOYENS: Today it is a matter of public record that the so-called Soweto riots, as they were referred to at that time on the 16th of June 1976, broke out in Soweto.  Is that correct?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: Did this unrest also spread to the Eastern Cape?

MR SNYMAN: Yes, it did.

MR BOOYENS: At what stage or at what time did the unrest in the Eastern Cape break out?  When did the real problems start in the Eastern Cape?

MR SNYMAN: It was during August of 1976.

MR BOOYENS: Briefly, what would have been the nature of this unrest?

MR SNYMAN: Your Honour, there was anarchy in the Black communities.  Schools were burned down, businesses were burned down, the houses of prominent persons in the Black communities were burned down, beer halls were plundered and burned down and there was generally anarchy reigning.

MR BOOYENS: When the unrest broke out in 1976, you were on a
course in Pretoria.  Is that correct?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: Was this course shortened by a week to return you to the Eastern Cape to bring the situation under control?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: Is it also correct that there had been school boycotts?

MR SNYMAN: It is correct.

MR BOOYENS: Upon your return to Port Elizabeth, the situation would have been explosive. Is that correct?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: What was the reaction and the instructions, the commands which you received from the police head quarters with regard to the manner in which you should handle the security situation in the Eastern Cape?

MR SNYMAN: We received very strict instructions that as the police we had to bring the situation under control as speedily as possible and that we should take drastic measures in our efforts to end the unrest.

MR BOOYENS: Your commanding officer, Goosen, what would his attitude and his instructions have been in this regard?  I'm speaking in general, at this stage.

MR SNYMAN: Your Honour, the commanding officer emphasised
that we had to do everything possible to bring an end to the unrest and to prevent the possibility that the then National Party Government could in this way be taken out of action.

MR BOOYENS: In what manner would you have acted in order to maintain the status quo?

MR SNYMAN: At that time investigative teams were formed.  A large number of arrests were also made during that time.

MR BOOYENS: There were also in terms of security legislation detentions without trial?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: During which people were questioned?

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.

MR BOOYENS: Had there also been interference with the mail of persons?

MR SNYMAN: Indeed.

MR BOOYENS: Did you and your colleagues at that time pour all your efforts into the struggle against the onslaught;  as it was considered at that time;  against the Government of the day?

MR SNYMAN: That is the case.

MR BOOYENS: Already at that time, what would have been the perception with regard to the kind of situation?  What was the view of security police with regard to the situation encompassing the security forces and particularly the police on the one hand and the
liberation movements on the other?

MR SNYMAN: Your Honour, it was necessary for us as part of the security forces to suppress these efforts at rebellion.  That was also said by our commanding officers from head office and also members of the then Government.

MR BOOYENS: During 1976, 1977, if my memory does not fail me, John Vorster would have been the Prime Minister and Jimmy Kruger would have been the Minister of Police or Justice.
(The interpreter could not hear clearly).
	I would not want you to attempt to quote the statements of the politicians, but broadly speaking;  what would have been proclaimed by the National Party politicians and the then Prime Minister with regard to the security situation?

MR SNYMAN: There would have been calls throughout that we had to fight fire with fire;  that we had to bring the situation under control.  These calls were from the side of the politicians.

MR BOOYENS: During the arrest of Mr Biko there would already prior to the arrest have been a certain document which had been spread, marked, August 18th, Commemoration Day.  I'm showing you a copy thereof - Mr Chairman, that is in fact annexures to Niewoudt's application.

CHAIRPERSON: Which is?

MR BOOYSENS: It is rather - at what stage - it's marked number 7 in the index to Niewoudt's application and it is pamphlet - or indicated as pamphlet, August 18th - Commemoration Day.

MR SNYMAN: That is correct.