Amnesty Hearings — Pretoria — UNKNOWN

CHAIRPERSON: Sorry, Mr Wheeler, if you could just go a little bit slower because of the interpreters, need time to think.  I notice that a number of people that are attending do not have these earphones, I'm sure that if they want earphones.
MR WHEELER
"I am the applicant in this Amnesty Application in terms of Section 18 of the Act for the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation 1995.  The facts contained in this statement are within my personal knowledge except for so far stated otherwise or by necessary implication, appear to be different and I confirm that this is true and correct.  From a very young age I was educated by my parents, Mr Arthur Franklin Calvert Wheeler and Mrs Susan Charlotte Wallace Wheeler to respect and promote the freedom of the Afrikaner Volk.  There are three children in the family and I'm the youngest child.  At school, at Krugersdorp Primary School and Jan de Klerk High School, I was made aware by teachers of my culture as an Afrikaner and a White person.  I learnt especially at High School about the history of the Groot Trek and the two Boer wars of 1881 and 1899.  It sharpened by awareness of the Afrikaners struggle for freedom and the onslaught against it by the Black populations as well as the English populations.  Consequently, I came to the conclusion very early in my life that it would not go well with the Afrikaners in South Africa if Black people or other populations would rule over them and that is why I supported the political solutions which were proclaimed by the right wing organisations.  From the establishment of the Conservative Party of South Africa in 1982, I supported the party, I left High School after I had passed standard eight and I then went Krugersdorp Technical College where I received technical training as an electrician until mid 1986.
After that I was called up in terms of the Defence Law for compulsory military service from mid 1986 until mid 1988.  I completed service in the Seventh South African Infantry Battalion.  During my military service I went among others to Oshakati in South West Africa and to Angola where there were battles between the South African Defence Force and SWAPO as well as the Angolese and Cuban soldiers.  During my military training at Seven S.A.I. the ANC SACP alliance was identified as South Africa's most important enemy to me and other soldiers completing military service, who were white.  The objective of the ANC SACP alliance was identified to us as the overthrowing of the White-controlled government and the establishment of a Black Communist government.  During that time there was a very strong terrorist campaign against the general population of the country with the assistance of the specially limpet mines while the so-called necklace methods of murder were used practically exclusively against Black people.  
Media reports and instructors in the South African Defence Force indicated practically without exception that it was the ANC SACP alliance which was responsible for this.  Despite that, I had the impression that the majority of the Black population was not assisting the South African government in combating the ANC SACP alliance.  The military service system was only of application to White men.  This led to the result that young white men like myself had to complete full time military service for an average of two years in order to protect all the population groups in the country against an onslaught while all young non-white men could commence with their careers or could study further.  
As a result of all these events I became embittered against Black people and I strengthened my belief that it would not go very well with White people especially Afrikaners who were generally more conservative or the more conservative out of the White people, if the ANC SACP alliance would obtain control over South Africa.  
After my military service I joined the exclusively white Mine Workers Union when I began with my training as a mine worker at the Randfontein Estates Gold Mine in 1988.  I regularly attended MWU meetings and discussions were often held at these meetings about the danger of the black people taking over the work of the white people.  
In 1989 after my training at the Randfontein Estates Gold Mine, I was transferred to Venterspos Gold Mine where I worked as a mine worker until later in 1989.  After that I resigned from my position at the Venterspos Gold Mine and in 1990 I joined the Western Deep Levels Gold Mine and worked there as a mine worker.  
In the beginning of 1992 I resigned from my position at Western Deep Levels Gold Mine and began my term of employment at Elsburg Gold Mine in the Westonaria District as a mine worker.  Shortly after I commenced my duties at Elsburg Gold Mine, I met Cornelius Rudolph Pyper.  We were members of the same section.  Gert de Bruin became known to me shortly after that because I had noticed him at mine workers union meetings and at the mine offices.  Our sections also worked later underground in close proximity to one another and we shared a common resting place underground.  At a point I heard that Gert was an officer of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging.  I, Corrie and Gert became good friends and our families visited one another.  I Corrie and Gert attended various AWB meetings, among others in Westonaria and Vogtville.  We also attended certain CP meetings which were held in the West Rand area.  It was unambivalently said by the AWB and CP speakers that these organisations were opposed to an ANC SACP government takeover because in effect it would bring about a Black Communist Government over whites in South Africa.  
At a number of these meetings, mention was made about our white farmers who were being murdered by black people and that it was their action to drive the white farmers from their land.  Numerous times the Church Street bombing was also mentioned as well as the Magoo's Bar bombing and the attack on an English church in the Cape.  In these attacks innocent people were killed and others were injured.  
In 1993 I applied for membership of the AWB and I supported the AWB actively.  The AWB called us in to prepare ourselves for a survival and freedom struggle which lay ahead.  The leader of this movement said amongst others that if the ANC SACP would take over the government of the country, that the AWB would take it back that very same night with violence.  Consequently, I purchased legally for myself a Maverick shotgun and ammunition therefore as well as a 9 mm pistol and ammunition for my spouse to whom I had been married since the 2nd May 1992.  A point 22 gun and ammunition was also left by my grandfather who passed away on the 10th July 1992.  My grandfather's widow, Mrs Sophia Katherina Elizabeth Susan Van Zyl, gave the gun and ammunition to me along with documentation on the 17th April 1994.  I was still illegally in possession of these guns and ammunition when the incident occurred ten days later on the 27th April 1994.  I, Corrie and Gert on various occasions during 1993 and early 1994 met at one of our homes and then Gert would tell us that we had to purchase emergency supplies and ammunition.  He told us that us Boers during the period of the 1994 general election would find ourselves within an emergency state and that we had to maintain control over the country in such a way.  
At that time there were rumours that for example, the electric and water infrastructure of the country would be attacked.  We purchased emergency supplies in order to prepare for the imminent war.  Early in 1994, Corrie's younger brother was murdered by black people.  It embittered me even further and convinced me of the necessity to prevent a government takeover by the ANC SACP alliance.  On the 27th April 1994, me and my wife were visiting in Hill's Haven near Westonaria at Corrie's home.  He and I were initially working on my car.  Me, my wife and Corrie, during the morning, went to the Westonaria Village in my red Ford Sierra motor vehicle in order to go and fetch Corrie's wife and child at their G.P.  We did some shopping after that and then drove past the voting halls in Westonaria to see how the voting was commencing.  We saw large numbers of black people standing in rows in order to vote.  
It was my further confirmation of my impression that the Afrikaner and other Whites' freedom was being signed away by the election.  After that we drove back to Corrie's house and first took a drive through Hill's Haven in order to see how the voting was going there.  There was a lot less black people there than in Westonaria.  After that we drove to Corrie's house.  On the way there we heard over my car radio that bomb explosions had taken place on the East Rand.  We then dropped off our wives and Corrie's child at Corrie's home and drove to Gert in Hill's Haven in order to get a sealant for my car's exhaust and to ask him whether or not he had heard about the bomb explosions and if he knew anything else about it.  Gert told us there that he had heard about the bomb explosions and that the rightists resistance had begun.  He said that further bomb explosions would occur.  I was then convinced that the freedom and survival struggle of which the AWB had spoken had begun.  Me and Corrie went back to his home after I had gotten the sealant from Gert.  We visited further there and later family of Corrie and a friend of mine and his wife also arrived and also visited there.  
During the afternoon we braaied meat and drank strong alcohol.  Because it was election day, there was much talk of politics especially among the men who were there.  Me and Corrie spoke about politics and about the plans to disrupt the elections.  I mentioned that we might possibly plant bombs seeing as we had worked with explosives and it was easily available.  I also said that my weapons were available if they were to be needed and that the South African Police would not be able to trace us if we used my shotgun.  We decided that we had to make our contribution to prevent that the government be given over through the election to the Black ruled ANC SACP alliance.  By means of this I wanted to help promote the political struggle of the AWB and the CP against the ANC SACP alliance.  I thought that even though we would not be able to stop the election by means of our actions, that the ANC SACP alliance as a result of our actions would later be more prepared to make political concessions to the Afrikaners and other whites.  A while after this, my wife climbed into my Ford Sierra motor vehicle and drove home.  Corrie and I decided together to go and shoot black people in order to try to obstruct the election.  Corrie and I and his wife and child later went to my house in my wife's Audi motor vehicle.  There I loaded my shotgun and point 22 gun and ammunition for both guns on the back seat of my Sierra motor vehicle.  Corrie's wife used my phone to phone the police.  When I noticed that she was phoning the police, I disconnected the telephone by pulling the telephone wire out of the telephone connection and consequently she could not speak to the police any further.  Corrie and I climbed into my car and we drove to Gert's.  He wasn't home.  From there we drove on the Randfontein/Westonaria toll road in the direction of Randfontein in order to seek out an opportunity to shoot black people.  
While we were driving I saw a mini-bus with black people inside in front of us in the road.  I then took my shot gun from the back seat and gave it to Corrie.  I drove until we were driving next to the mini-bus upon which Corrie fired a shot through the open front left door window of my vehicle at the driver.  I could not see if he had shot anybody.  Immediately after the shot I accelerated and drove away.  I looked in the rear view mirror of my car and saw that the mini-bus was gradually leaving the tar road.  Corrie asked whether I thought that he had managed to shoot someone and I replied no seeing as I had gotten the impression that the mini-bus did not lose control.  
From there we went to my brother's house in Krugersdorp where we spoke to him and among other's said that we had shot at a black person in a mini-bus.  He said that he didn't believe us.   After a short while we left from there.  I dropped Corrie off at his home and then drove to my own home.  The following morning early I drove to Corrie's and spoke to him to hear what he would be doing for the day.  After that I drove back to my home.  At plus minus eleven I was at home watching T.V. when I heard knock at my home's front door.  When I opened the door I saw several police officers standing with Corrie in front of the door.  I invited them inside and we then spoke.  A police officer asked me whether I knew about the shooting of the previous evening.  I answered in the affirmative.  He said that one had died and one had been wounded and that I had to go with the police.  I then changed my clothes and I went with them.  
I was later charged with murder, attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.  Later, bail was granted to me and Corrie until our case had been completed in the Supreme Court.  During the case I pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.  
In my application form the date of this is indicated as 17th October 1994.  However, that is a typing error which I did not see when I signed the application form and I apologise for that.  On the 12th October 1994 I pleaded guilty as per the transcription of the court case.  After that I was found guilty by His Honour, Judge Maynard of one charge to murder, one charge of attempted murder and one charge of the illegal possession of a firearm and one charge of the illegal possession of ammunition.  
On the 17th October 1994 I was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for murder, 5 years imprisonment for attempted murder and collectively one year's imprisonment for the illegal possession of the point 22 gun and ammunition.  The Honourable Judge determined that the sentences be served concurrently and consequently I am serving an effective term of 15 years imprisonment.  Despite the impression which was created during my bail application and later trial that the crimes were not committed with a political objective, it was in fact committed with such an objective as I have already explained in the statement.  Before my bail application and my later trial I was advised by my attorney and advocate respectively that I would probably receive a death sentence if I held the allegation that I committed the murder for the achievement of a political objective.  As a result of that I instructed my wife not to make public my political connections or my political convictions when she testified.  That was also the reason why I respectively instructed my attorney and my advocate that the version which they would submit on behalf of me to the court should state that I had no political affiliations.  Since the incident on the 27th April 1994 I have though much about what happened.  It bothers me considerably that I participated in the killing of a person and the injury of one more who were possibly not even ANC or SACP supporters or enemies of my people.  I cannot believe that I was so narrow minded.  It is now also clear that my actions did not realise the political objective which I was trying to achieve.  A young man is now dead and another injured and I realise that if their families and friends are embittered and sad about it that it is absolutely justified.  Nothing which I could do or say now could 
compensate for their loss, nonetheless, I would like to express my sincere regret towards Mr Godfrey Papyana who was wounded to his and his deceased brother Mr Viyani Papyana's parents, Mr Z N and Mrs G Papyana and the rest of their family for what I have done to them and the deceased and I want to ask them if they could try to forgive me.
I have decided that I will never again use violence towards someone in order to achieve a political objective.  The fact that I first killed someone and injured someone before I came to this decision is a regret that I will have to carry me for the rest of my life.  I hope that through my actions in the future I could make a contribution to the reconciliation between black people and white people who still view each other as enemies."