Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1999-08-11

MR VISSER: Paragraph 10 reads - a particular aspect, which is of the most significant importance is the content of a particular paragraph which appeared in an encoded message sent from Mac Maharaj in Johannesburg, to Siphiwe Nyanda in Durban on 24 June 1990, a mere 13 days before the arrest of the Vula operatives commenced.  The said paragraph reads as follows.  Yes, my attorney has a computer printout, but it's unfortunately not here, but this appears to be a correct quotation from that encrypted message.  The said paragraph reads as follows
"In the meantime we have had word from Cleo, codename for London, that Donald, codename for Chris Dlamini, will be coming into the country round the end of June 1990.  Besides the equipment you already have, it appears that Ntabo's outfit, codename for Jacob Zuma, also a member of the NEC, is currently required to store two pieces, codename for firearms, which were in the hands of the enemy group planning Madiba's assassination.  From the description that Ntabo gave me, one of the pieces seems to have an optical sight and given the internesent (there's a comment to say, it should probably mean internecine) struggle within the enemy camp I am attracted to borrowing one of those pieces if it is suitable for use by us, even if on a temporary basis."
	And Chairperson, further down the document it appears that when Mr Nyanda was arrested secretive compartments were found in his car.  At the bottom of page 118 there is a reference to that.  It was a Toyota Cressida and in one of the compartments was found a 45mm submachine gun, serial number so-and-so and an optical night-sight for that weapon.  
	Chairperson, in the other side of the story the little booklet that was given out by Gen Herman Stadler, on the very last page you will find photographs of that car and the weapon which we've just referred to.
	Now just in conclusion with regard to the general background - and I now refer you to Exhibit C, Chairperson.   The first paragraph "Discovery of Vula", Dr Henderson says in Exhibit C:
"On the weekend of 6 July 1990, the South African Security Police picked up two suspected African National Congress underground operatives in Durban.  Mbuso Shabalala and Charles Ndaba were in fact part of a major ANC underground operation to create the political and military structures necessary for launching a general insurrection - a people's war - within South Africa, a covert operation which had been running for two years unknown to the South African Security Forces."
And that refers to the person, Ndaba and Shabalala, who are also the subject of another amnesty application in the current session before the Amnesty Committee here.

H J P BOTHA: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: And do you find yourself in concurrence with the summary that I have just read to you?

H J P BOTHA: Yes, I do agree with it.

MR VISSER: Mr Chairman, thank you for allowing us to deal with those.  If we may now return to the incident, with the following comment.  After this moment, Chairperson, we will not deal, unless you specifically require us to do so, with any political or general background any longer.  We believe that we have placed what is necessary before you and this will form the basis of all the amnesty applications in regard to all the incidents mutatis mutandis, Mr Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.  Yes, I think Mr Visser, you may proceed.

MR VISSER: Thank you, Chairperson.  But if I may just add one thing.  If any questions do arise from your reading of Exhibit A as has now been supplemented or any of the other documents, this witness will be available for the duration, Chairperson, and he can be recalled quite conveniently at your request.  He can answer any of those questions which may arise in your mind.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.

MR VISSER: Mr Botha, can we go to Exhibit D.  You have referred to Exhibit A and we have heard the aspects of that document that you know about.  In Exhibit A, reference is also made to evidence, both written and oral, which was given and you ask that this evidence be incorporated in your amnesty application, is that correct?

H J P BOTHA: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: And you have just - I think there are A's on the first place, I think it should actually be a B.  But at the second paragraph regarding relevant evidence, you have also referred to your evidence in the Portia Ndwandwe, the Zandile case, which you have also referred to in your evidence this morning, is that correct?

H J P BOTHA: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: If we can then page to page 2.  Could you inform the Committee regarding your share and knowledge in this incident please.

H J P BOTHA: Chairperson, the abduction and elimination of Dion Cele took place approximately during July 1988 in Swaziland and ...(intervention)

MR VISSER: And the incident came to an end in Pietermaritzburg itself.

H J P BOTHA: Yes, that is correct.
	I refer to the amnesty application of Lt-Col J A Vorster with regard to this incident and concur with it insofar as it is of application to me.  
	My further share in the incident was the following. I confirm that we had information which indicated that Cele would be willing to co-operate with us as an interpreter(?).

MR VISSER: Now the complete background is given by Col Vorster and among others reference is made to this information which was supposed to have come from an informer.  Now usually it would not have been expected of you to expose the identity of an informer, but with regard to this specific case I understand there can be no prejudice should the name of the informer be made known.

H J P BOTHA: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: Now can you tell us who the informer was who made this information available to the Security Branch?

CHAIRPERSON: What are we talking about, the information that Dion Cele is prepared to work for the government?

MR VISSER: Yes, Chairperson.  And this particular person is also involved in the kidnapping, Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: I beg your pardon ...(intervention)

MR VISSER: And in this particular case, we are satisfied that there can be no harm if we disclose the name to you.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, do carry on.

H J P BOTHA: The informer which was handled by Col Vorster and the others in Pietermaritzburg was one, Neville, also known as Goodwill Sikhakane.

MR VISSER: Chairperson, I don't know whether you have the document - no, my attorney tells me you don't have it, but Goodwill Sikhakane is also the subject of another incident for which amnesty will be asked, but not before you during this session.

CHAIRPERSON: I see.  Anyway, just carry on.

MR VISSER: Very well, proceed.

H J P BOTHA: Thank you, Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Were you informed by this man, Neville?  He was the informer?

H J P BOTHA: That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON: And who did he inform?

H J P BOTHA: Neville was handled by Col Vorster in Pietermaritzburg and at that stage the divisions Natal and Port Natal and Northern Natal still functioned separately from one another, but due to our success in Port Natal and the recruitment of infiltrated ANC terrorists, which we could redeploy into the structure of MK, Col Vorster liaised with Taylor here in Durban and asked for assistance in this recruitment attempt of Dion Cele.  	Now this attempted recruitment would mean that we would have to abduct Cele from Swaziland and that here within the borders of the RSA, he would be persuaded to co-operate.  And the information which Vorster gave Taylor and me was that Cele had declared himself willing or had given an indication of willingness to come out to the informer, in other words, out of Swaziland to work with us.
	Col Vorster will provide more detail to you regarding how the informer, Neville himself, came out of Swaziland.  ...(transcriber's own interpretation) It was due to his position that he identified Cele.