Amnesty Hearings — Vanderbijlpark — 1999-05-14

CHAIRPERSON: Yes Mr Berger?

MR BERGER: Chairperson, Ms Cambanis has asked me to apologise, she will be a few minutes late, she's had to just go out for a few minutes but she said we could start without her.

CHAIRPERSON: ...(inaudible)

MR STRYDOM: Chair, whilst we're on apologies my client Mr Shabangu, or Mr Tshabangu requested us, he has work commitments for the day, he is here but he would like to be excused.

CHAIRPERSON: Okay.  I anticipate that we are likely to adjourn between 1 and half past 1, depending on what would be the appropriate stage round about that time.
	Mr Rahantlane, may I remind you that you are still under oath?

THABO JOHANNES RAHANTLHANE: (s.u.o.)

CHAIRPERSON: It is Ms Pretorius, Advocate Pretorius?  Yes?

MS PRETORIUS: That is correct.  I only have one question, I would like to know, you said you were
scared of drive by shootings.  Why were you scared of drive by shootings, that's why you dug the trenches?

MR RAHANTLANE: That is correct.

MS PRETORIUS: Why were you scared of drive-by shootings, by whom?

MR RAHANTLANE: That was the situation in Vaal in 1991/92, that was the situation in Vaal.

MS PRETORIUS: What was the situation, Mr Rhantlane?

MR RAHANTLANE: Advocate Pretorius, the first applicant stated that the people were shot at in Sebokeng would try to run away and in Everton, that small farm, so we realised that with the well maintained roads we were shot at randomly but if we dug trenches that would be difficult for drive by shootings to occur.

MS PRETORIUS: So there was war between the ANC and Inkatha in the Vaal Triangle at that time?

MR RAHANTLANE: I have no knowledge of the war between the ANC and the IFP.

MS PRETORIUS: But who were the people who were going to do the drive by shootings, do you know?  Were they just ordinary gangs or did they belong to any political party?

MR RAHANTLANE: It may be so that they were members of a political organisation because Mr Nosenga was a member of a political party.

MS PRETORIUS: I'm speaking of your own knowledge?

MR RAHANTLANE: I have already answered you.

MS PRETORIUS: I have no further questions Mr Chairperson.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MS PRETORIUS

MS PRETORIUS: I am sorry Chair but I looked at my position last night and that is why I don't have - I can always look for questions if Mr Chair would like me to ask more?  I'm sorry Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes very well.

LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE: I have no questions Mr Chairman.

MR STRYDOM: Thank you, I have no questions Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.

MS TANZER: I have just one question.

CHAIRPERSON: You know it has just occurred to me that the proper sequence should be Mr Strydom, Advocate Lowies, Advocate Pretorius, Ms Tanzer and then Advocate Da Silva because you only appear for implicated persons.  Yes indeed, alright.  Ms Tanzer, in case I jump onto Advocate da Silva before coming to you, would you shout at me?

MS TANZER: I'm thick skinned, don't worry.

CHAIRPERSON: Very well.

CROSS- MS TANZER: You mention, Mr Rahantlane, that you heard via the grapevine that an attack would take place on Boipatong.  Did you first hear those rumours on the 17th or were you alert to an imminent attack prior to the 17th?

MR RAHANTLANE: Prior to the 17th such things did take place, there were people who ran away to Sebokeng Hospital and those who went to sleep at the firms.

MS TANZER: No, what I'm asking is, the imminent attack on Boipatong, an attack that would take place against the whole location, against women, children, destroying of houses.  Was that rumour something that was spread earlier than the 17th, was that something that was in the air at Boipatong or was that something you only learnt on the 17th?

MR RAHANTLANE: That is what I observed on the 17th.

MS TANZER: So you weren't more alert during the period before the 17th, to the fact that an attack might take place or were you as a patrol group?

MR RAHANTLANE: I said that on patrol you must always be on the alert meaning that I was already alert of an imminent attack.

MS TANZER: What was the relationship like between the dwellers of the Kwamadala Hostel and the residents of Boipatong that you were aware of in 1992, in May/June '92?

MR RAHANTLANE: Ms Tanzer, I'm not able to answer you, the residents of Kwamadala stayed there and I cannot foresee a stage where residents in Boipatong would leave for Kwamadala Hostel and vice versa.

MS TANZER: No further questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MS TANZER

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Mey?

MR MEY: Thank you Mr Chairperson, I've got no questions.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes thank you.  Mr Mapoma?

MR MAPOMA: Thank you Chairperson I've no questions.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.  Mr Sibanyoni?

MR SIBANYONI: Just one question Mr Chairperson.
	Ms Tanzer was asking you about the rumours that there will be an attack on Boipatong and the question was when did you first hear those rumours?

MR RAHANTLANE: Firstly in 1991 when people left Sebokeng and went to sleep at Sebokeng Hospital and some left and slept at the Cape Gate.  They left the location to sleep at Cape Gate.

MR SIBANYONI: And when did you people start patrolling the township?

MR RAHANTLANE: I started round about the month of June.

MR SIBANYONI: Were you patrolling with the same group of people or it was just different people coming in and going away?

MR RAHANTLANE: We did not work as a single group all the time, at times we mixed with others.

MR SIBANYONI: Thank you Mr Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Advocate Sigodi?

ADV SIGODI: No questions Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Malindi any re-examination?

MR MALINDI: Yes Chairperson, just a few questions.
	Mr Rahantlane, immediately after this incident did you have to relate this incident to various people?

MR RAHANTLANE: May you please explain?

MR MALINDI: The incident of 17 June 1992, the attack which took place upon yourself and your girlfriend.  Did you have to relate this incident to various people?

MR RAHANTLANE: Mr Malindi this to my team members because they were the first to hear that I was attacked and I related it to my relatives and friends.

MR MALINDI: And you have testified if I'm not mistaken that you went to the Goldstone Commission as well?

MR RAHANTLANE: That is correct, Mr Malindi.

MR MALINDI: And when you related this incident was it important for you to state or estimate exactly what time the incident took place?

MR RAHANTLANE: It was important, Mr Malindi, because that marked a history in my life.

MR MALINDI: And was it during that attempt of yours to examine when it happened that you related the incident to your listening to the news on radio?

MR RAHANTLANE: May you please repeat, Mr Malindi?

MR MALINDI: When you were trying to give an estimate of the time when this incident took place to all these people that you have mentioned, was it at that very stage immediately after the attack itself that you related the incident, the attack to your listening to the news at 22H00 on the night of 17th June?

MR RAHANTLANE: That is correct, Mr Malindi.

MR MALINDI: Thank you Chairperson, no further questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR MALINDI

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Rahantlane, you may stand down.
WITNESS EXCUSED

MR BERGER: Chairperson, we have a slight problem and that is why Ms Cambanis is not here.  There are two witnesses that we had hoped to call next or one of two witnesses we had hoped to call next and neither of them arrived on the bus this morning so Ms Cambanis has just gone to Boipatong to see if she can locate them.  Could we ask for a short adjournment?  I will telephone Ms Cambanis just to establish what the position is?

CHAIRPERSON: If you are unable to locate those two witnesses are there other witnesses that you can continue with?

MR BERGER: We will then have to call another witness.

CHAIRPERSON: Okay.

MR BERGER: But we will prefer to call one of the two because it follows particular sequence.