Amnesty Hearings — Kimberley — 1997-10-27

MR ISAACS: Chairman, Mr Chairman, I will, most certainly, myself now go and make a concerted effort to collect the file.  I, maybe, took for granted and maybe just hoped, you know, that the file would be found, but the trial finished in December 93, I think, if I am correct, and up until now, four years have almost passed and I think the file, because my brief at that time that, you know, things had been completed, I then filed the file away about a year or two ago and it was because, let me put it this way, that it is amongst my completed files, Mr Chairman, and because I handed my file, my office over to another firm and because I am in another employment now with the Department of Justice, they took the files over into their office and I, what I understand is that all my completed files went into garage.
	So, I will, myself, go and look for the file now, Mr Chairman.  I think I just should not have depended on other people to collect it.  I know how the file looks.  It is like one of the thickest files in my office, so I am sure I can go directly to the file, Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Well, shall we say, well, by three o' clock would you be able to report to us whether you did find a file or not?

MR ISAACS: I will most certainly do that, Mr Chairman.  I will not just depend on your extension of time till three, but I will try to find it as soon as possible, Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.  Are you an admitted attorney?

MR ISAACS: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Is your name still on the roll?

MR ISAACS: Yes, Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: All right, well, I am just saying that, because, obviously, I am not putting you under oath to give evidence on that.  I am inclined to believe that if you are still an admitted attorney, you are still on the roll.

MR ISAACS: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: It would be, we can safely go along with your, with what you tell us.

MR ISAACS: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: What you undertake to do for us.

MR ISAACS: No, I will most certainly assist you, Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.

MOKOTEDI MPSHE: Thank you Mr Chairman.  We are calling the first applicant, Laurens Mbatha.

CHAIRPERSON: Sorry, we were just putting domestic affairs in order.  In what language is your client going to testify, Mr.

MR TSHOLANKU: Mr Chairman, he informed me that he is comfortable testifying in English.

CHAIRPERSON: Are you, well, will you please take the oath?

LAURENS MBATHA: (Duly sworn in, states).

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.

MR TSHOLANKU: Thank you Mr Chairman.  Mr Chairman, I will first ask Mr Mbatha to give us a brief background of his schooling and his political involvement before we get to the merits of the incident of the 25th May 1993.

CHAIRPERSON: I have been requested by the technicians to ask people with cell phones to switch them off, because they interfere with the reception.  Please switch off your cell phones if you have got one on.  Thank you.

MR TSHOLANKU: Thank you Mr Chairman.  Might I repeat myself, Mr Chairman?  I will first ask Mr Laurens Mbatha to give us a brief background as to his schooling and his political involvement before we get to the merits of the incident that took place on the 25th day of May 1993.

LAURENS MBATHA: I am Laurens Koeligani Mbatha.  I was born in 1968, 25 July.  I was born in Kimberley, born and bred up in Kimberley.  I started my schooling in 1975 at the Lower Primary in Vergenoeg called Mankuruwani.  1976 Proceeded over to Natal in a small town called Wina, popularly known as KwaNababa, where I did my standard B.  When I completed I was at the Roman Catholic School.  I then came back to Kimberley.  It was in 1978. In 1978 I went to Zingisa Primary School where I did my Standard one and Standard two.  Then proceeded over to Zingisa Higher Primary School.

CHAIRPERSON: I think we can take it from your high school.  Did you attend high school?

LAURENS MBATHA: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Did you pass standard ten?

LAURENS MBATHA: Actually, Mr Chairman, I did my Standard nine and proceeded over, proceeded to Uganda where I did, actually, my A levels.

CHAIRPERSON: And he can come to his political involvement, Sir.

MR TSHOLANKU: Thank you Mr Chairman.  Mr Mbatha, prior to you proceeding to Uganda, can you explain to the Committee circumstances that led to you proceeding to Uganda as far as your political involvement is concerned and when did you start being involved in politics?