Amnesty Hearings — Boksburg — 1998-06-22

CHAIRPERSON: Did you try ultimately through your leader, to send a message to these people to say how sorry you are?

JAN B DE WET: No Mr Chairperson, there is no one who I can ask.  I did write letters to people, but no one wrote back about things I asked, I wanted to ask them what was going on in the country.

CHAIRPERSON: I don't think you understand my point.  I ask did you try to make peace with the families of the people who were killed or unfortunately killed, in the actions just before the elections?

JAN B DE WET: No Mr Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Did you think about it?

JAN B DE WET: No, I did not.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.

UNKNOWN: Mr Chair, sorry before we adjourn, sorry Mr Chair, could I approach the Committee just on one aspect before we adjourn.
	Mr Chair, my understanding of the position when we commenced Wednesday was that counsels in respect of applicants 1 and 2 had had their mandate terminated.
	At a later stage applicant 2 appeared personally and said that he is withdrawing his application.  Applicant 1 merely handed in Annexure B but his application as such is not withdrawn, is it still before you or not?  By who Sir, with respect Mr Chairman.
	With respect Mr Chairman, if you look at Annexure B, as I gave instructions to my lawyers to make this application, that is the difficulty I have.  If his application has been withdrawn, he might be asked to be a witness at some stage.
	I just want to get confirmation on that, I don't want to ...

CHAIRPERSON: (Microphone not switched on)

UNKNOWN: The problem that I have is that Counsel indicated on Wednesday morning that they, their mandate had been terminated and hence they were not proceeding.  Mr Koper Myburgh personally withdrew his application, but Mr Barnard says in his Annexure B as I gave instructions to my representatives to withdraw my application, I've got no more interest.
	He doesn't as such say I am withdrawing, he says I gave my lawyers instructions to withdraw my application.  That hasn't been done yet.

CHAIRPERSON: (Microphone not switched on)  Mrs Van der Walt indicated to us that her instructions were to withdraw the matter.

MS VAN DER WALT: I did withdraw.  My instruction that morning was ended but as Mr Prior can confirm, my instruction was actually as I heard from Mr Prior, that it was terminated.  Then there was another Advocate, Mr Rautenbach, who would have acted on behalf of Mr Barnard.
	I talked to him on the phone just before we started, and he said that he received instructions to withdraw the application, but he said to Barnard that he's got no instructions, because he withdrew it and that is all that I know about this.

MR PRINSLOO: Mr Chairperson, I discussed this aspect with Mr Prior, there were letters written to the South African Police Service as well as the Amnesty or the TRC and where application is made for the file of Mr Koekemoer.  We need Mr Koekemoer's file, he was an informant and we've got evidence that he was paid or a certain amount was paid to him, and that his instructions were given to him by the State, what his functions would be in order to infiltrate the AWB and what he reported back to the Security Police and what the Police knows about it.
	The Police, with respect, was part of this action.  As it came forward from the case that there was a period for Mr Koekemoer to report back to the Police, they knew about the bombs and it may seem that the Police were involved in this matter.

CHAIRPERSON: How relevant is it?

MR PRINSLOO: With respect Mr Chairperson, it is relevant in order for there to be a full disclosure.  It is further more relevant for the interest of the families, the type of bombs that were built, the bombs that were improved by Koekemoer and if the Police knew about it and did nothing about it, the Police is definitely party to it and in the general light that it is the function of the TRC that these things will not be repeated in the future, it is of great importance.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Prinsloo, we are not here to fight any other battle.   If such allegations are made, then you can call in this evidence.

MR PRINSLOO: But with respect Mr Chairperson, if that file is made available, it could maybe shorten this hearing.

CHAIRPERSON: Do your application.

MR PRINSLOO: The request I am directing towards the Committee that there must be a subpoena issued for Colonel Pretorius and Captain Van der Berg of Potchefstroom, to submit the file to the Committee.

CHAIRPERSON: I would like to make a ruling and I will give my decision to you tomorrow.  I would just like to talk to the Committee about it and tomorrow morning, first thing, I would be in a position to tell you yes or no.
	Is there any other thing, any other questions?  Nothing else?
	We will adjourn.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS UNTIL 23-06-1998