Amnesty Hearings — Umtata — 1998-06-18

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: No I did not query anything because it was explained to me that this statement is written as a cover-up.

CHAIRPERSON: To understand is in your mind what was supposed to be covered by suggesting that you reported to Brigadier Damooi when in fact you had reported to Colonel Booi? I mean what was there to cover that? Because you reported to Colonel Booi. I mean what difference does it make do you know?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: No I do not know.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes thank you Mr Wessels.

MR WESSELS: Thank you Mr Chairman. The statements that you and Bra Mos then prepared according to the instructions of General Kawe did those statements contain the truth?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: No Sir.

MR WESSELS: Well then I am afraid you must help me with what is contained on page 39 of the bundle of documents. You could possibly just look at the last sentence at page 38 of the documents which reads
"General Kawe told us to make statements,"
and then it continues;
"Bra Mos and I were the only ones to make statements. We wrote the statements ourselves. Bra Mos assisted me in making a statement. I think I told the truth."
Do you see that?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: I see it Sir.

MR WESSELS: Could you explain that in the light of the evidence that you have testified to?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: At the office of Colonel Booi it was me and Bra Mos. We were told to make statements. We then did so in that office helping each other from time to time.

MR WESSELS: Are you finished?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Yes Sir.

MR WESSELS: The answer that I am waiting for is it is your evidence that those statements that you wrote were not the truth. That was your evidence that you gave before the Committee. Now I refer you to what is contained on page 39 of your statement where you say that: "I think I told the truth." Now this you said to the police investigating officer. Could you explain that please?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: I say so that I said I spoke the truth because truly the statements were written by me and Bra Mos.

CHAIRPERSON: Are you referring to the so-called cover-up statement - for want of a better word?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Correct Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: So is it your evidence that when you made that statement you were telling the truth?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: The one of the cover-up?

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: The truth was that it was I and Bra Mos who were told to make statements.

CHAIRPERSON: You see I think what counsel is drawing your attention to is the statement that you made which occurs at page 39, this is now the statement that you made to Mr Jordaan I think it is. In which you said after stating that General Kawe told you and Bra Mos to make a statement and that you were the only ones who were required to make statements and then you then continued and then you say: "We wrote the statements ourselves." That is now referring to yourself and Bra Mos.

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: That is so Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: Okay and then you went on to say: "Bra Mos assisted me in making a statement." And then you added: "I think I told the truth."

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: That is so Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: That is in the statement which you wrote out yourself?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: That is correct Sir but.

CHAIRPERSON: Is that the statement that has now been described as being a cover-up statement?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: It is the same Sir. It returned having had additions that did not appear in the ones where we had made the writing using our own hand.

CHAIRPERSON: Is the position that assisted by Bra Mos you wrote out a statement describing what had occurred in your own handwriting?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Correct Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: And then you handed in that handwritten statement for typing?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Correct Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: When the statement was returned to you it contained statements which you had not made?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Correct Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: And you did not query that?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: No I did not query that because we were told that this statement was to be a cover-up.

CHAIRPERSON: When were you told that? Were you told before you wrote the statement or after you were given the statement?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: It was after we had written the statement. Even before we were told it was only me and Bra Mos who were supposed to write statements. And in the attempt to cover the whole case.

CHAIRPERSON: But you spoke the truth in the statement that you wrote?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: In the statement I wrote using my own handwriting I have written the truth.

CHAIRPERSON: It contained cover-up material?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: The cover-up one was coming with additions yes.

MR WESSELS: Thank you Mr Chairman. So just to understand what the Chairman dealt with here. This statement that you wrote which you handed in for typing which was later returned to you in the typewritten form was then this statement which is part of the documents filed as pages 17 and 18. That is the one that was returned to you after it had been typed?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: That is the statement Sir.

MR WESSELS: So when you initially wrote that statement before it was handed in for typing you told the truth in that statement?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: As far as I am concerned I told the truth but it came with some other things that were there because they said that information is for cover up in order to destroy the case.

MR WESSELS: Just to make one point very clear. On your version when you were instructed by General Kawe to make a statement, to write a statement he did not instruct you to make a false statement?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: He never said that. He never said I must make a false statement.

MR WESSELS: On your version it was his instruction write a statement, you did so and you wrote the truth?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: That is correct Sir.

MR WESSELS: In your evidence when you said that General Kawe did not assist in the drafting of this false statement you added to this that maybe he had knowledge but you will agree with me that the converse could also be true? That is maybe he did not have knowledge.

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Will you please repeat the question Sir?

MR WESSELS: When you testified that General Kawe did not assist you in drafting this false statement. Do you remember that evidence you gave? You said he did not assist. Do you remember that?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Yes I can remember that.

MR WESSELS: But when you were asked about this you said maybe he had knowledge of this false statement. Do you remember that?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Yes I remember Sir.

MR WESSELS: You will agree with me that when you say maybe General Kawe had knowledge that you are merely speculating?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Will you please repeat that question Sir?

MR WESSELS: You will agree with me that when you say the maybe General Kawe had knowledge of this false statement that you are merely speculating?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: I can explain like this. I think he had knowledge about this false statement because the words of cover-up were coming directly from him. The intention of that statement is to cover up this situation and the fact that it is only myself and Bra Mos to make a statement.

MR WESSELS: Inspector Dandala let me just remind you when you say that only you and Bra Mos were told to make statements that it was your evidence that you did not hear them instructing the others to make statements. Do you remember that?

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Yes I didn't hear any one instructing the others to make statements except that it was myself and Bra Mos.

MR WESSELS: So maybe the others may well have been asked to make statements. You just did not hear.

GCINISIKO LAMONT DANDALA: Will you please repeat the question Sir?