Special Hearings — Armed Forces Hearings — 1997-10-07

UNKNOWN: Thank you, Mr Chairman.
 Firstly, what I wanted to do is to introduce the members of the delegation and their responsibilities, because I realised that in the questionnaires and well, questions that you have been sending to the office, there are specific questions to specific people, so that we give meaning of the whole thing.
 Secondly, is that I will be presenting the opening statement, but in as far as the questions are concerned, I envisage that the answers would be coming from my delegation as a whole, because of their collective responsibility, and because we are an organ, that is the high command the military commission of the Azanian People's Liberation Army.
 Firstly, I would be presenting here as commander of the Azanian People's Liberation Army and of course, a long time chief political commissar of the Azanian People's Liberation Army and of course, by then with the (indistinct) of Ramore Daniels.
 The next man I will introduce is Brig Lapampa Mphahlele, director of operations, Brig Raymond Phitla, director of military intelligence.  These are the responsibilities that they held during the struggle, during their APLA days, but some of them have been integrated into the National Defence Force and other services of the State.
 Col Willie Mazemane Zele, director of information. Lieut-Col Sibiso Kumede, director of medical services.  Col Vuma Ntikinca, regional commander.  Lieut-Col Xolile Mbane, regional commander.  I was expecting Col William Kunene, director of training and manpower development.  Col Barney (indistinct), also, I was expecting him as the chief of staff of Azanian People's Liberation Army.  Lieut-Col Andile Ndabeni also, I am expecting him today.  Lieut-Col Zikeleli Mbethi, director of ordinance and supplies. Of course, Supt Quantu, member of the high command and Abel Dumbe, member of the high command.  Of course, not forgetting, I think as far as the political leadership, you might even know him, but I take this opportunity also to introduce Mr Mlambo, who used to be commander in chief of the Azanian People's Liberation Army.  Mr Joe Umkumazi, he used to be a member of the military commission, and the central committee of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania.  Mr Enoch Zulu, who used to be a member of the military commission, member of the high command and a member of the central committee.  And of course, at one stage, director of operations in the early days.
 These are the members of the delegation.
 In the presentation of the Pan Africanist Congress we promise that this second presentation will concentrate on the mandate of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, APLA, which was earlier known as Poqo.  The dictionary meaning of the word mandate is the power of the command given by someone in higher authority; the formation of the Azanian People's Liberation Army was inspired by the need to pursue the most noble of all causes; the liberation of mankind.  The highest authority from which APLA derive its mandate, was the Pan Africanist Congress.  The highest body that chartered the PAC policies and programmes.
 We must, however, restate our previous position. As a matter of principle we do not see the armed struggle which constituted the major part of the mandate as something to apologise for; for APLA's mandate was not only necessary, but critical in over-throwing the most oppressive system of modern times.  We remind those who have chosen to forget that, that this is a system that the international community had declared a crime against humanity.
 In South Africa there are three liberation movements which had military wings. Of these only two are recognised by the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity and the non-aligned movement.  The other two is MK and Azanlam, that of Azapo and the ANC.
 Throughout this presentation we shall therefore insist that it is a shame and a mockery of justice to equate the activities of those who fought against injustice with those of the advocate of injustice.  Those who fought to preserve oppressive oppression, together with those who fought for the liberation of mankind have all received a new status of being gross violators of human rights, now paying the price.
 We have been called upon to accept and to pay the price of freedom of democracy through reconciliation. Again, the dictionary meaning of reconciliation is harmonising or bringing back into friendship.  
 However, in the context of our country, reconciliation is equated with the establishment and the process of this body, that is Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
 The process of the TRC, however, starts from an unfortunate premises, that is our view, that APLA's activities were nothing else than gross violation of human rights, allegedly committed within the period of its mandate.  We reject these premises.
 Whilst we acknowledge with honour the TRC's mandate to promote national unity and reconciliation, we find it abhorrent that the very system that was intended to bring us freedom, and will have brought genuine freedom to our people, demands that the forces of injustice which perpetrated the atrocities of apartheid, be equated with those of the liberation movements.
 We are now put in the same dock as the victims and the architects of injustice.  
 While we do not intend to engage the TRC in unnecessary political arguments, it suffices to reiterate the legitimacy of our actions, less we allow those who have chosen to remain oblivious of the truth and historical facts, to achieve ... (intervention).

CHAIRPERSON: Brig Mofokeng, I am so sorry to interrupt. The interpreters, very hard-working people over there, who are interpreting into the different languages, finds that you are going a little bit too fast.  If you could just slow down a little bit, I am sure we will get there.  Thank you.

UNKNOWN: Thank you very much. I think I am influenced by the military subculture.  So I think I will be more accommodating to the interpreter.

CHAIRPERSON: May I just say that there are ear-phones available for those who do not follow English, in, I think in Xhosa and in Afrikaans.  They are available, if you want to make use of that, that is to the audience, but let me not delay you any longer.  Thank you.