Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1998-04-17

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Together with Mrs Umbiasi we travelled to Ensingwene which is under the direct control of Chief Inzuza.  We went there to seek ammunition for the reason that there was a march planned at eSikhawini.  This march was called "The Away with ZP March" - ANC dignitaries would be present, Chris Hani would be present as well as Jay Naidoo, Cyril Rhamaposa would also be there.  They were going to lead the march in their campaign to chase the ZP away from eSikhawini.  The eSikhawini leadership saw it necessary that the hit squad should be brought together so that ANC areas can be attacked.  ANC leaders and followers had to be attacked in their large numbers to frustrate them before the march.
	Dina Mkhize was our Commander at eSikhawini but he was sick and he was at Dundee at the time.  Israel Hlungwane was at Umkuzi at our hit squad base at Umkuzi and therefore we were not complete and this IFP youth was brought together, Mandwengi and others and we went to Chief Zuza and we explained the situation that that very same night the ANC should be attacked and we should frustrate them so that their march should not be a success the following day.
	Mrs Umbiasi then requested for ammunition from Chief Zuza.  Chief Zuza then sent a person, he just said the person should go to the kraal, dig and bring out the ammunition.  The person knew where the ammunition were in the kraal because he brought ammunition in a plastic bag.  They gave us bullets for a shotgun, about 25 SSG's and as we were discussing Zuza said he was going to convene a meeting to be held at his offices where we were supposed to discuss further the ANC because the ANC was beginning to problematic in his area as well and from then on we bade one another farewell and we went to Super Buthelezi's house also in Insingwene.  I had already indicated that Super Buthelezi was the IFP leader in the area and he was also Member of Parliament of the then KwaZulu Parliament.

MR WILLS: When you say the area you mean the Isingwene area?  Yes that is correct.

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes that is correct and we did not find him when we got to his home.  We then came back when we went to his shop which was nearer to the Chief's offices and we found him there with his wife and we discussed the same issue of attacking the ANC and that we wanted ammunition and he suggested that the two of us get into a car and we drove to his house to collect the ammunition.

CHAIRPERSON: So he gave you some ammunition, can you remember what ammunition he gave you?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: He gave us ammunition for AK47's

MR WILLS: And anything else?  Sorry did he give you any other ammunition, just AK47 ammunition?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: If I still remember well he only gave us AK47 ammunition.

MR WILLS: Right you then and I refer to page 62 of the record, paragraph 132, can you just turn to that of your statement?
	You had a meeting that meeting at the Chamber of Councils office at eSikhawini with the local leadership to discuss the attacks on ANC members is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes that is correct.

MR WILLS: And I just read that list of people who were present at that meeting to your recollection?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Brigadier Msemela was present, the Mayor B.B. Biela, Mr Sibanda, Mr M.R. Mkhize he was also Mr Inzuza Councillor for J1, Umhlane Pumatenja was also present, Bernard Mlambo and myself.

MR WILLS: And you've indicated as well, was Mrs Umbiasi there?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes she was present.

MR WILLS: Okay, what was discussed at that meeting?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: It was known that because there was going to be an ANC march the following day, the ANC is in different areas, they were discussing the very same march.  The ANC at eSikhawini therefore were known to be people who were fond of fun and because of that reason we targeted four shebeens.  Umtembo's shebeen in J1, the Set Me Free shebeen at H1, the Prem Shebeen, I think it is also in H1 and Kondani's shebeen in H2 and after having targeted these shebeens I suggested that I did not find it safe and wise to attack Kondani shebeen because the eSikhawini Commander, Dina Mkhize used to patronise the shebeen which would mean it could be possible that he's at the shebeen at the time of the attack and we would know whether he was back yet and this would also lead him to his injury and we agreed that we are going to leave out the Kondani shebeen so that we were remaining with these other three shebeens and I also indicated that we had to start with one at J1 and the ones in H1 would follow because they were the ones that were nearer to J2.

MR WILLS: You also say and I refer you specifically to paragraph 134 that you were given a mandate, can you tell us what that was?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: I was mandated to give the boys guns that were going to be used together with the ammunitions thereof and I also had to tell them how they were going to carry out the attack.

MR WILLS: Sorry, so as I understand it, you didn't personally get involved in these attacks that you detail in the following paragraphs of your affidavit, you just sort of gave advice as to how the attacks should take place and you supplied the weapons and ammunition for those attacks from the trunk is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes that is so.

MR WILLS: Now this was all agreed at that meeting where these various persons that you mentioned earlier were present at the Council Chambers at eSikhawini, is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And is it not correct that an attack was launched in J1 section and H2 section that night?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And that Lucky Umbiasi and his cohorts reported back to you that they had in fact effected these attacks?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And you reported this incident to Mrs Umbiasi?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And what was her reaction?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: She was excited about this.  B.B. Biela the others were also happy.  Everybody who was involved in the planning at local leadership level were very excited about this.

MR WILLS: Yes, now is it not so that you in your capacity as a detective officer attended at some of the scenes of that previous evenings attacks and you essentially did all in your power to frustrate the proper investigations of these matters?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And how did you do that?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: I went to the Set Me Free shebeen and I was in the company of other investigators.  There were AK47 cartridges outside and they were in the backyard garden.  I just pressed them with my foot so that they were buried under the soil.  That is what I did at Set Me Free.

MR WILLS: Now judging by the detail that you give and I'm going to read this for the benefit of the public and the Committee Members in paragraph 137, you say and I'm starting from the commencement, I'm in the middle of paragraph 137.  During this attack by Mtengu and that is the person who is referred to as Inkanele Pumatenja is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And his group at J1 Section alone, eleven people died and many others were injured?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: Amongst the victims that were injured was an ANC female who was working at Morkels Furnishers by the name of Verah Zulu.

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And at H1 section Braam shebeen, three people died whom were said to be MK members and some were injured?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: At Set Me Free shebeen, five persons were killed inside the premises and others were injured, one person was found dead outside the premises?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: The total number of people that were said to be dead on that evening were 20?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.