Amnesty Hearings — Ermelo — 1998-09-14

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes.  We were coming out from Thembisa.  We were visiting Mphume Hlatswayo.  I was together with Mdu.  I think his surname is Mtaung.  As we were proceeding down towards Estancia where it is an Inkatha stronghold where I used to protect the Inkatha people, three young boys came singing.  They were singing ANC slogans.  Mdu asked me, "Can you hear these boys".  I said, "Yes, I can hear them", and they were coming towards us.  I pushed Mphume aside and I was left with Mdu.  Mdu was standing from my behind and I shot at these boys and I was sure that they were ANC because they were singing ANC slogan.  That's why I shot at them.

MR WILLS: Now, you were charged and convicted in respect of the attempt murder of these persons?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, they didn't die.  I was charged with attempted murder.

CHAIRPERSON: Were they physically injured as a result of the shooting?  Did you hit any of them with bullets?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, Mr Chairperson, they were injured.

MR WILLS: Mr Chairperson, I'm also endeavouring to get the medical reports in respect of those injuries faxed through.  If, however, they don't arrive today I will ensure that the Committee is furnished with those reports.  Mr Hlongwane, can we turn now to the attack on the ANC operative December, which again you were convicted for and you were given a twelve (12) year sentence.

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, my lawyer, December is the name of a person whom I killed.

MR WILLS: Yes, and you were convicted in respect of killing that person?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, that's correct.

MR WILLS: Can you tell us about this incident?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: I arrived in Ermelo and I was staying with Noah and he told me that there is an Mkhwanazi young chap who is a member of the Black Cats, and they were staying at Vusi because they were chased out of the community by the community.  But this other one was still in the community.  He was accosted or arrested or taken by the ANC members who assaulted him, and before he died, December broke a pavement and he hit him on his head and blood came out of his nostrils and ears and he died.  This incident worried Noah very much and also Christina Khaba, and also Mr Ngobeni, the councillor who was present when we were discussing this case, and it was found it necessary that I should kill December.

MR WILLS: Just before you rush.  You refer to a person, Christina Khaba.  Who was she?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Christina Khaba, she was a chairlady of the IFP in Ermelo.

MR WILLS: What?  The Women's Brigade or the whole organisation?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: No, it was the Women's Brigade.

MR WILLS: Yes.  And the other person you mentioned who was at this meeting was?  You said there was Noah?

CHAIRPERSON: He said the Councillor Ngobeni.

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Ngobeni.

MR WILLS: Thank you.  And where was he a councillor?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: In Ermelo.

MR WILLS: In Wesselton or in Ermelo town?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: In the township.

MR WILLS: Which was Wesselton?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: I don't know whether it was Thembisa.

MR WILLS: Okay.

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Or Wesselton.

MR WILLS: Okay, continue.

INTERPRETER: I'm sorry, the mike was off.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Hlongwane, the interpreter has indicated that he didn't hear what you said.  Could you just repeat what you've said?  The interpreter didn't catch it.

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: After the meeting we were discussing over the death of December.  No, no, the meeting where we were discussing about December, the meeting was held at KwaMazakhele.  That's where Noah stays, and Christina was staying at Estancia and that's where December stays.  There's a hostel in the community where December stays.  Therefore we have to drive to Estancia and leave Christina.  We took a car and parked it outside of a beer hall and we walked together with Noah, and he pointed a house and he said, "Since you have young boys to help you, you can take anyone of them to look around for him, but what I want you to do is to kill him".  Therefore I did as I was requested, to look around his whereabouts.  On the particular day on which he was injured, I was with Mdu.  As we were from Thembisa going towards Estancia, I asked Mdu to stop for a moment and I went and knock at the house.  And it was quiet.  I will say he kept quiet.  I knocked again, and he asked, "Who are you".  And I said, "We are police", and he opened, December opened.  It was at night.  I saw him.  He was light in complexion and he was heavily built.  I looked him straight in the eye and I was sure it was him.  I took out my firearm and shot him.

MR WILLS: Yes.  For the record, this December's name is December Ephraim Ndlovu?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes.

MR WILLS: You then in - sorry, you got a twelve (12) year sentence in respect of this murder?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: Yes, it's correct.

MR WILLS: You then, in paragraph sixty one (61) on page one hundred and fifty five (155), talk about further attacks on ANC scholars.  Can you tell the Committee what you did there?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: During that time when I was in Ermelo I failed to get the leaders.  I told Noah that I can't get these leaders, and that's when Noah said that any of the ANC and since China know them very well, the youth is going to show me all the youths and anyone whom we ever meet on our way we should shoot them.  And unfortunately we met these young boys from night school.  China was in front, I was with China, and most of the operation China will always be in front of me so that he could recognise the people before me.  And China on that particular day confirmed these were members of the ANC and then I took my firearm and shot them, after China have confirmed that they were ANC members.  That's how they were killed.

CHAIRPERSON: Can you give an indication as to how many people you shot?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: There were three, Chairperson.

UNKNOWN: Mr Hlongwane, can you give an indication of when this instruction was given to you by Noah?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: After I failed to get ANC leaders attacked, I didn't even kill a single leader.  I can't remember exactly the exact dates, but after I've tried day and nights looking for the leaders, and I can't specifically know exactly which particular meeting where the instruction was given after I failed to get Ndebele, Malahlele and all those people.  Ngwenya, the lawyer, he was one of the people in the list, because I was given a list of the ANC leadership. So, after I failed to get all of them, Noah said, "You came here to kill the ANC".

UNKNOWN: How long did it take you to try and kill the ANC leaders?  Did it take you a year, did it take you a few months after you had been initially given instructions to do so?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: It took me some few weeks, not a year.

UNKNOWN: Thank you, Mr Wills.

MR WILLS: Thank you.  Just, you indicated the names of certain ANC people who Noah wanted killed.  Can you just indicate them again for me please?

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: It was John Ndebele of whom it was rumoured that the MK which was attacking the Inkatha people were using his house as a hiding place.  Ngwenya was their lawyer who represented the ANC members.  Mam Nkosi, I can't remember but he was in a particular Committee.  This person was in a particular Committee.  That was Miss Nkosi.  Malayisha or Malahlele, I don't remember well, who was travelling in a bakkie and had a big house, his bakkie was white.  That was the list that was given to me.

MR WILLS: Now, was this actually a ... (intervention)

ISRAEL NYONI HLONGWANE: And also Silas who was staying in Estancia and he ran away from the police, because after the killing of people he left the place to go and stay at Isikhumplazi.

MR WILLS: Now, was this a physical written list or was it just a list given to you to remember?  What was the position?