Amnesty Hearings — Bloemfontein — 1999-05-27

MR MALAN: What was his advice? Would you just share that with us again? What did he tell you then? Did you inform him that you were being hunted?

TREVOR MASILO: The day I met Bongani, I told him that the police are after me concerning that operation. I told him that they arrived at home and they found my mother and sister and they told them that we have killed white people and they said they are going to kill me. So I asked him to help me to leave the country. He said to me I should try to stay at that base where I am and then he will try to contact Bapiki and then he will send Bapiki to my sister who knew where I was.

MR MALAN: Where did you meet Bongani on this occasion?

TREVOR MASILO: I met him in Tokoza, Natalspruit.

MR MALAN: How did you make contact with him?

TREVOR MASILO: I was alighting from the taxi to my base. He was also on the other taxi and he saw me and then he came to me. And that's when I explained to him what was happening.

MR MALAN: Thank you, Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you. Was Bapiki, was he with you when you were arrested at that road block with the guns and the ammunition?

TREVOR MASILO: Yes, he was with me.

CHAIRPERSON: Was he also arrested?

TREVOR MASILO: He was also arrested.

CHAIRPERSON: And what, did they make a case against him? The police. Was he taken to court? What happened to him?

TREVOR MASILO: I travelled with Bapiki from Johannesburg to the Transkei. When we arrived in Transkei we came back with our comrades.

CHAIRPERSON: Was he, was, was? Can you just make it clear, I'm not sure now whether I followed you. Was Bapiki arrested  with you in the road block or not?

TREVOR MASILO: Yes, he was arrested with me.

CHAIRPERSON: What happened to him then? Did they charge him, or sentence him, or what happened?

TREVOR MASILO: He was charged, but he gave them wrong names and wrong addresses, because most of this white people were concentrating on me. Because when they arrived at home, they took my ID and after taking my fingerprints they found out that I'm being looked for that operation. And then Bapiki told them that I'm the person who knew where the guns going to be collected and I'm the person who went to fetch him at his home, and then he was given bail. And I don't understand why he was given that bail. So, while I was still attending the court, when they went that address they could not trace him and that case was dismissed against him.

CHAIRPERSON: So he disappeared. They couldn't find him.

TREVOR MASILO: That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON: After you were arrested at the roadblock, which police were dealing with the matter? Was it the Security Police, or which police was it? Before they found out that you were being looked for, they were looking for you in connection with this robbery?

TREVOR MASILO: The police from Heidelberg who arrested me were not the people who actually handled the case. My case was handled by the police from Brixton in Johannesburg.

CHAIRPERSON: So did the Security Police come into the matter at all? Do you know?

TREVOR MASILO: I don't understand what you mean by Security Police. Which Security Police are you referring to?

CHAIRPERSON: Were the Security Police ever involved in this? After your arrest at the roadblock at all? Or was it just the Brixton Police that took over the case?

TREVOR MASILO: I was arrested in Heidelberg and I was charged in Heidelberg by the Murder and Robbery in that area. And then they came the following day to book me out and I was sent to Brixton in Johannesburg.

CHAIRPERSON: To the Murder and Robbery Unit in Brixton?

TREVOR MASILO: That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON: All right. What kind of arms and ammunition did you have on you when you were arrested at the roadblock?

TREVOR MASILO: We had six F1s, three AK47s, two Us, and four 9 mm's and one 357.

CHAIRPERSON: Did they charge you for these arms and ammunition?

TREVOR MASILO: Yes, I was charged for them, but that case was dismissed because they could not trace Bapiki.

CHAIRPERSON: Was it only you and Bapiki that were charged for these arms and ammunition?

TREVOR MASILO: Like I have explained, that from Johannesburg I was with Bapiki to Transkei but when we arrived in Transkei, when we arrived in Idutywa, we met the person we were supposed to meet and then he told us there are other fellow comrades who were supposed to come to Johannesburg. So we travelled with them back. So they were also arrested, but after their arrest they gave out wrong addresses. But I managed to take them out of this case, because they didn't know anything about this arms and ammunitions.

CHAIRPERSON: So they, so they arrested everybody that was in the vehicle with you.

TREVOR MASILO: That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON: Very well. Yes, Mr Mbandazayo, have you got any re-examination?

MR MBANDAZAYO: None, Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you. Do you want Mr Masilo to be excused?
WITNESS EXCUSED

CHAIRPERSON: Who is the next witness?

MR MBANDAZAYO: The next witness, Chairperson, is Edwin Simelane.

EDWIN TOSIMELA SIMELANE: (sworn and states)

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, Mr Mbandazayo, is there an affidavit which is largely identical to the one of Mr Masilo?

MR MBANDAZAYO: Yes, Chairperson. Identical to Mr Masilo.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, so there might not be a necessity to read that one, but you can carry on reading.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you, Chairperson. Mr Simelane, do you, the affidavit which is in front of you is before the committee. Do you confirm that this affidavit was  made by yourself and that you abide by its contents?

EDWIN TOSIMELA SIMELANE: Yes, I concur with the contents.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Can you, Mr Simelane, just briefly tell the Committee your role in this incident?

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, I'm sorry, we're going to mark that affidavit as Exhibit C. Thank you.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Can you briefly tell the Committee what was your role in this incident?