Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1998-11-16

MR VISSER: Mr Chairman, I call Mr Steyn.  Mr Chairman, the application of Johannes Albertus Steyn is to be found in the newly marked bundle 2, from page 35 onwards.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.

MR VISSER: The applications of Mr Steyn are for Ndwandwe, Nxiweni and the kwaMashu 3 Mr Chairman, not for the Bhila incident.

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: (sworn states)

MR VISSER: Mr Steyn, you applied for amnesty concerning the incident of Fila Portia Ndwandwe, M.K. Zandile as well as Pumeso Nxiweni and the kwaMashu 3, Sibusiso Ndlovu, Manzi Vilakazi and Elias Gift Mtshali, is that correct?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: That is correct Mr Chairperson.

MR VISSER: Have you got your application for amnesty in front of you?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes.

MR VISSER: Except for certain aspects that we will indicate or highlight to the Committee, do you confirm the correctness of this written application and the supplements when we refer to it, and do you ask that this will be incorporated in your evidence?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: That is correct Mr Chairperson.

MR VISSER: Could you just tell the Committee where you were born?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Mr Chairperson, I was born in Viljoenskroon, on the 30th of September 1939.

MR VISSER: Where did you grow up?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: In the Free State.  At a very young age, I left the Free State and went to the Western Transvaal where I later attended high school in Lichtenburg.
	There after the completion of my school, I then directly joined the South African Police.

MR VISSER: You gave a short summary of your career with the South African Police on page 36, paragraph 8(b) of your application, is that correct?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct Mr Chairperson.

MR VISSER: And the highlights of it is that you then joined on the 22nd of February 1956 and you were then placed in the Uniform Branch in the Vaal Triangle until the end of 1968?  From the 1st of January 1969 you were then Lieutenant and served in the Security Branch within the Vaal Triangle?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct Mr Chairperson.

MR VISSER: Are you still in the South African Police?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: No, I retired.

MR VISSER: When did you retire?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: On the 31st of December 1994.

MR VISSER: With the rank of General Major?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: At that stage you were then the District Commissioner of the Transvaal, just before you retired?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: At one stage, you landed in Natal, but before we get there, in the Western Transvaal, did you there have any experience of terrorist acts or activities and of the deploying of the struggle of the past?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct Mr Chairperson.  While I was in the Western Transvaal we were aware of the onslaught from out of Botswana into the Republic.  There was a consistent infiltration of terrorists from Botswana, the coming in of weapons into the country, and certain acts occurred where people were killed.

MR VISSER: How did it happen that you came to Durban?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Mr Chairperson, on request of Gen Van der Merwe, I was sent to Durban after the late Colonel Welman died in an act of terror in Durban.

MR VISSER: Do you spell it Welman?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, I presume so.

MR VISSER: He then died and you are saying that you were then requested by Van der Merwe to come down to Durban.  What was your position when you landed in Durban?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: For the first six months I was second in charge of the Security Branch under the command of at that stage, Brigadier Van Niekerk.

MR VISSER: In those first six months, what did you mostly do here?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Mr Chairperson, apart from my normal duties as second in charge of the Security Branch, I got information about the history of Natal, the political history, the struggle.

MR VISSER: And the dimensions of the political struggle here.

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: That is correct Mr Chairperson.

MR VISSER: In that position as assistant, as you referred to it earlier on, did you change or did that position change?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes.  At the beginning of 1987 Mr Chairperson, with the transfer of Brigadier Van Niekerk, I took over the command of the Security Branch in Durban.

MR VISSER: And what was your rank then?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: I was then the Section Commander of Port Natl.

MR VISSER: With what rank?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: I presume that I was a Colonel, but afterwards I was then promoted to Brigadier.

MR VISSER: On page 38 of bundle 2, you refer to the applications or the incidents then and you refer in paragraph 1, that Ndwandwe admitted that during the period of 1986 to 1988, she was in charge of various local and external trained ANC terrorists who amongst others, were responsible for attacks on Lieutenant Radjo and Zukela and Warrant Officer Zukela, is that correct?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: That is correct, yes.

MR VISSER: And you then put dates in brackets that we know is wrong.  The first you said was during October 1988 concerning Radjo, instead of 31 of July or June of 1986.  And the other was during August 1988 concerning Zukela, while it was the 17th of September 1986.  How did you make this mistake?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Mr Chairperson, it was in a period when we had to submit our applications and we worked under pressure, there wasn't enough time and I think it was a mistake, typing error or an error on our side, and that is how I see it.

MR VISSER: Did you discuss it with each other, the incidents and the facts, and tried to remember what happened?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct Mr Chairperson.

MR VISSER: And Mr Forster, was he also part of these discussions?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: You have listened to the evidence of Mr Botha?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: That is correct.

MR VISSER: He testified about the dimensions of the political struggle of the past here in Port Natal and he also referred to various points concerning the policy of the ANC/SACP as well as the policy and strategy of the South African government to face the attacks with political power on the side of the National Party or the government then?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: Do you agree with what he told the Committee?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, I do.

MR VISSER: You applied as we know, for the abduction and the death of Ndwandwe.  On page 38 you referred to the presentation where Mr Botha mentioned that was submitted to you by Taylor and Botha, is that correct?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes, that is correct.

MR VISSER: And then you continue to say in very short in your application, that the members that you mentioned there, then left and what the purpose was of this operation?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: That is correct Mr Chairperson.

MR VISSER: You already said that it was done under pressure or the writing of this document.  Can you just maybe discuss this in more detail.  When Botha and Taylor confronted you or discussed Ndwandwe's case with you, what was the idea there, what had to be done?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Mr Chairperson, the idea was that she must be abducted from Swaziland with the purpose to recruit her, to get information from her.

MR VISSER: This information, would that then be for what purpose?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: The information would be in terms of the structures of the ANC in Port Natal and in the greater Republic.

MR VISSER: Yes, as well as weapon, ammunition, etc, training, is that the structures that you are referring to?

JOHANNES ALBERTUS STEYN: Yes.

MR VISSER: You also mentioned that the purpose would be to recruit her as an informant.  Why would that be necessary?