Amnesty Hearings — Johannesburg — 1998-10-13

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: It so happened that when we came back from exile in 1992, it was the 3rd of April.  When we arrived at our homes, we dropped our things and we left to look for other comrades around the township because it has been a long time since we saw them.
	When I came back in the evening, I discovered that the Security Branch had come to harass people at my house.  That was the very first day on which I arrived here in the country.  As time went on, on that very same day, the 31st, the police came, kept looking for me and we met around the township on the scene where this incident occurred.
	When the police came, I tried to avoid them and as I was trying to avoid them, they charged on me.  At a house that was found opposite a shop, the shop is called Kanyile's, I ran into the house, trying to show that I am avoiding them.  I was in possession of armour explosives and it so happened that when I was in the house, the police came with their guns already drawn and when they drew their guns, I pulled my hand grenade and threw it at them.  I don't know who got injured.

MR MHLABA: Were you arrested for this particular offence?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: Yes, that is correct.  I was arrested in 1992, it was on the 3rd of October and charged for the incident.

MR MHLABA: Did you stand trial for this offence immediately after your arrest?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: I was attending the trial at Westgate, till such time that the matter was referred to the Supreme Court in Johannesburg.

MR MHLABA: Do you remember the period over which you stood trial at the Johannesburg Magistrate court?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: If I still remember very well, I think I was tried from October to the 20th of May 1993.

MR MHLABA: You served your entire sentence then, or to put it differently, did you serve a sentence for those offences, that particular offence and for what period?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: The sentence that I am currently serving, is a 30 year imprisonment, prison term carried out concurrently.

MR MHLABA: You will remember Mr Khumalo, that an application has been brought on your behalf to amend your application form, to include the incident of the Eastern Cape.
	Can you explain how you, when did you go to the Eastern Cape and relate it to this incident of your arrest, because it would appear that you went to the Eastern Cape after you had committed the first incident, is that correct?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: It happened that in 1993, after I tried to escape from the Security Forces, I was harassed and I had to flee.  	The ANC sent me down to the Eastern Cape.

MR MHLABA: Are you telling us that this incident involving a shoot-out at Marienhoek squatter camp in Eastern Cape, occurred before the incident in Soweto?  Just put us clear, which incident occurred first?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: Would you please repeat the question.

MR MHLABA: Would you explain to this Committee, the order in which these incidents took place?  Was it the incident in Soweto or was it the incident in the Eastern Cape, the shoot-out at Marienhoek squatter camp which occurred first?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: It is Soweto.

MR MHLABA: And you were immediately arrested for the Soweto incident, is that correct?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: Yes, that is correct.

MR MHLABA: And when you went to the Eastern Cape, how did you find yourself there, did you escape from prison?  Can you explain?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: After I was tortured by the police at Protea, I took ill.  I was sent to Baragwanath hospital.  Whilst there, I tried to escape.

MR MHLABA: Yes, can you continue and explain.

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: After that, I was taken to the Eastern Cape at the Marienhoek squatter camp.  I was working hand in hand with the local ANC Women's League including the Youth League, so we came to an agreement that seeing that I was being harassed by the Security around here in Johannesburg, therefore I should move to the Eastern Cape. I was then based at Queenstown.

MR SIBANYONI: Just one clarity Mr Mhlaba, Mr Khumalo, you said you tried to escape.  Did you succeed in escaping from Baragwanath?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: Yes, I succeeded.

MR MHLABA: Mr Khumalo, can you tell us the details of how you escaped from Baragwanath hospital, where were you taken to until the point where you found yourself in the Eastern Cape and how the incident occurred?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: If I remember very well, I would say after I had escaped from hospital, I went to hide at my mother's place or should I say Mama's place, Nomzamo Madikizela-Mandela and she was harassed as well by the Security who were looking for me.
	Then I was sent to the Eastern Cape, seeing that the Boers were also harassing her.  Then I moved to Queenstown in Marienhoek.

MR MHLABA: When you arrived at Marienhoek, what did you do?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: I met the community of Marienhoek, and I was informed about stories as to what was happening at Marienhoek.  I learned that Marienhoek too had a problem, were facing a similar harassment, this time by Gozo's Security at Ciskei and harassment from the hands of the South African Security Forces.
	So that I found myself involving myself in the community structures of Marienhoek and I set up Self Defence Units, seeing that people could be able to protect themselves.

MR MHLABA: Yes please proceed, and explain what happened.

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: Once the Self Defence Units were in place, the Queenstown Security was already aware of this, therefore the Queenstown Police Force came to Marienhoek to harass the people at Marienhoek, and they wanted these Self Defence Units.
	Unfortunately they found me and I gave the Self Defence Units orders to beat up the police because we would not die alone and we would not be the only ones burying people.  After a long time of our people being killed, nothing was happening.
	The police who were involved, were not prosecuted and we put our lives in line or in the line to protect our people.

MR MHLABA: Mr Khumalo, I want to request you to explain all what happened until and including the incident involving the shoot-out with the police.

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: It so happened that it was around November, the Queenstown Police came to Marienhoek.  We had already decided that the police should not be allowed into Marienhoek, because they are creating problems.
	People are arrested, people are detained, people are tortured, people are being killed, and the Queenstown Police forcefully went into Marienhoek.  That is when I ordered that they be beaten up.
	I was personally present when they came.  If I still remember very well, I went to the police to ask them what they wanted, and asked if I could help them.  They said they had come for the Self Defence Units, and one of them produced a Z88 9mm, pointing it at us.  That is when I said shoot to kill.  That is how these police were shot.

MR MHLABA: Were you involved yourself, in the shooting there, and if so, I want you to explain what your role was there?

BONGANI CHRISTOPHER KHUMALO: Yes, I was practically involved as Commander of the Self Defence Units and also as a disciplinary cadre of Umkhonto we Sizwe.  I was trying to ensure that there is safety for the people.  I was personally present, I also fired shots.

MR MHLABA: After this shooting incident, can you explain, explain further until the end of everything you know about this application Mr Khumalo.