Amnesty Hearings — Johannesburg — 1999-02-09

MS THABETE: If Madame Chair can bear with me, I want to check that one out?  Madame Chair, I only have in front of me the letter from the media liaison officer stating that it was announced on the programmes, magazine programme between 10.30 and 11.00 afternoon drive show between 15.30 and 16.00, current affairs between half past 5 and 7 and community affairs between 8 and 10.  In the newspapers I think it appeared on the Sowetan, I would need to verify that information with Mr Vuyani Grene.

ADV BOSMAN: Do you have a date in regard to the radio announcements, you haven't mentioned a date to us?

MS THABETE: No there's no date, this letter was written on the 2nd February so I assume it was before the 2nd February.

CHAIRPERSON: I think please immediately try and - I see Mr Vuyani is approaching you, try to obtain that information quickly so that we can have proper information before us.

MS THABETE: Madame Chair?

CHAIRPERSON: Yes Ms Thabete?

MS THABETE: Madame Chair it was published in the Sowetan, February 5th and the announcements on the radio were made on the 2nd February 1999.

CHAIRPERSON: It is therefore your submission that the public notice which appeared in the Sowetan newspaper on teh 5th February 1999 and the radio announcements that were broadcasted at various stations on the 2nd February 1999 were extremely late notification, they do not amount to a proper service of notices to victims.

MS THABETE: Yes Madame Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Is there any reason why such late notification was made by your office?

MS THABETE: Yes Madame Chair, the reason was that we were hoping that our investigators would be able to chase the victims but after we were informed that they cannot be traced and they have difficulties with tracing them, that's when we decided to make an advertisement on the newspaper.

CHAIRPERSON: So I think if I say that what I had put to you earlier on that this is because of a lack of the proper conduct of investigations by the investigative unit which really is hampering the smooth working of this Committee I was correct?

MS THABETE: With due respect Madame Chair not in this case because I happened to speak to Miss Sebesile who explained to me the difficulties that she had with really chasing the victims and sometimes she even had difficulties with getting the police records and the court records.

CHAIRPERSON: But you were informed late, had you been informed timeously, you'd have taken alternative measures that would ensured that this hearing proceeds but because you were notified late by the investigators you were unable therefore to issue your notices timeously and were only able to do so sometime at the beginning of February which was too late for this hearing?

MS THABETE: That is so Madame Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: We've expressed our unhappiness previously about how matters are set down, we do not want to belabour the point, we must stress again that we hope that all matters which are set down are matters which have been properly prepared for a hearing so that we can take this process to it's conclusion without having to delay it any further.  Let us say it no more.  The matters of Mkukwana, Umhlagasa and Mlhongo are hereby removed from the roll for this week and the matter of Mr Garane as already stated is postponed to a date to be arranged and Mr Mohlaba, where is Ms Skosana?  Can we expect to proceed with the application today?

MR MOHLABA: Madame Chair, Ms Skasana I expected ...[inaudible] me yesterday, that is for her presence yesterday that on Monday she normally has transport problem at Dawn Park and she asked me to start with other applicants and bring her next.  I'm not advised as to her failure to appear today.

CHAIRPERSON: Did she intimate to you when next you should bring her in terms of time?

MR MOHLABA: Certainly we had agreed at 11 o'clock, she mentioned that by 11 o'clock she'll manage to be here but that arrangement was for yesterday because she indicated that it was specifically Monday where she has this transport problem.

CHAIRPERSON: Are you not in a position to make contact with her either telephonically or with the modern sophistication of cell phones?

MR MOHLABA: If I can be afforded I will request a short adjourment, I think I have contact with her, I can try and establish contact.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes we'll appreciate that.  We'll adjourn this matter for 5 minutes whereafter you will then just give us an indication that we are in a position to proceed or not today.

MR MOHLABA: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: We'll adjourn for 5 minutes.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS
NO MATTERS HEARD AFTER ADJOURNMENT