Amnesty Hearings — Klerksdorp — 1999-05-10

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you Chairperson.
"We travelled by Landrover from Bulawayo to Botswana borders.  The Landrover was driven by Comrade Ike and Comrade Castro also accompanied us to Botswana.  The arms and ammunition were in our bags.  Comrade Ike dropped us at the borders and we crossed the borders by jumping the fence, accompanied by Castro.  We were met on the other side of the border by Comrade Chand, Nseki and Junior.  We were taken to Comrade Chand's house where we stayed from Friday night until between  12 midnight and 1 a.m. on Sunday morning.  We were taken by Comrades Nseki, Keith and Chand to Ramatlhapane border post.  We crossed the border post by jumping the fence to the side of the former Boputhatswana homeland.  Comrade Tsepho, the commander was the person who knew the route we were going to.
Chairperson:
"... we were going to"
		"We walked until we got a lift which dropped us next to Boputhatswana stadium.  Comrade Tsepho and Medisi left us to get transport and they came back with a taxi which took us to the rank.  We took a taxi mini-bus to Johannesburg.  In the taxi were certain different seats.  Comrade Tsepho was in the front seat and I was in the back seat.  The other two comrades were in the middle seats.  The taxi mini-bus drove to Johannesburg.  The taxi was stopped at Lichtenburg in a police roadblock.  One policeman came to the driver and spoke to him and after that all the passengers were told to alight with their bags or luggage and that we must be next to our bags or luggage.
		Whilst we were still standing in an almost half moon order next to the fence, the commander comrade Tsepho said: 'green' and we knew what that meant.  He threw one F1 grenade to the police and the police started shooting and I also threw an F1 grenade and there was confusion and police were shooting randomly.
		I ran away during that confusion and hid myself behind a building which I thought it was a church.  When I arrived behind this building, comrade Tsepho was already there.  We then observed from a distance and I saw comrade Medisi talking to other people around the scene.  Since I was a Political Commissar of the unit, I took over the command of the unit because I was sure that the way the police were shooting at comrade Tsepho after he threw the first grenade, he will not survive.  I told comrade Tsepho to take a taxi to Klerksdorp and we would meet there at the taxi rank.  I told him that I would try to signal to comrade Medisi to do the same thing, but I did not manage.
		I took a taxi to Klerksdorp and passed at a distance from the scene of the shooting as motor vehicles were being diverted.  On my arrival at Klerksdorp, I waited for comrade Tsepho and comrade Medisi, but they never arrived.  I then decided to take a taxi to Johannesburg.
		At Johannesburg, I met a person by the name Ranchero.  I asked him to help me with accommodation.  He took me to Alexander township, where he accommodated me.  I read from the newspaper on a Monday morning that one of our comrades was arrested and the other two died.  There were conflicting reports as to how many people died and were injured in the shoot-out.  After some days, I told this person who was accommodating me, that I want to leave the country and he arranged that I meet a certain person in Messina who will help me go to Zimbabwe.
		After a week, I was accompanied by another person to Messina to meet this person who was to help me to Zimbabwe.  When we arrived at Messina, this person was not present but had gone to Venda.  I came back to Johannesburg and from Johannesburg I went to Ficksburg and I crossed the borders on foot to Lesotho.  I went to the offices of the PAC at Sea Point(sic).  It was at Lesotho where I received the information that the person who was arrested was comrade Tsepho.  That also, comrade Medisi died.  It was alleged that he died when he tried to throw a grenade.  
		In Lesotho I made contact with Harare and arrangements were made for me to travel to Tanzania.  I did travel to Tanzania and stayed for about a month before I went back to Zimbabwe.  I was again deployed inside the country at the end of 1991, and was stationed in Umtata where I became a head of intelligence of APLA in the former Transkei homeland. I held that position until the beginning of 1995, when I joined National Intelligence Agency.  I am currently employed as Liaison Officer of National Intelligence agency.  
		I respectfully submit that my application complies with the requirements of the Act and that I have made full and proper disclosure of my involvement in this operation."
Chairperson, with your permission, if the Committee would allow me, if the Committee has no questions, I will start at paragraph 6 of the affidavit, if there's no questions  ...(intervention)

CHAIRPERSON: No, I think you can proceed Mr Mbandazayo.
MR MBANDAZAYO
	Mr Dlova, in paragraph 6 you said you became involved in PAC security under the command of the late comrade Mozi, can you tell the Committee who is comrade Mozi Mdluli and how did he die, if you know about that?

L N DLOVA: He was one of the commanders of security in Zimbabwe from Tanzania.  He was then transferred from Tanzania to Zimbabwe.  He was working under the security or intelligence of the PAC.  I worked with him until 1991 when I came back to this country.  After 1994, he became the general manager of the security of intelligence and in 1995 or early 1996, he was found dead in his car in Pretoria.  Up until today, we don't know whether he killed himself or he was killed.  So I don't know whether I am leaving something out.

ADV BOSMAN: Mr Mbandazayo, I don't know whether I have perhaps missed something, but has your client confirmed the contents of the ...(intervention)

MR MBANDAZAYO: Yes.

ADV BOSMAN: I'm sorry.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Chairperson, if there are no questions on that point, I will proceed to paragraph 11 of the affidavit.
	At paragraph 11 you mentioned the late comrade Mato Damiole.  Can you tell the Committee about Mato Damiole?

L N DLOVA: Comrade Mato  was the head of operations.  He was based in Bulawayo.  He was the one who was giving out instructions.  After the High Command gave orders, he would be the one who would brief us or he would be the one giving instructions about where the unit was going to operate and what kind of weapons were going to be used.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Can you also enlighten the Committee, because I understand he is also late, do you know how he died?

L N DLOVA: He was very sick.  I think it was in 1990 when he died in Bulawayo and he was buried in Harare.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you.  Can you also tell the Committee about the other comrades, comrade Mandla, Ike, Castro and Bonge Mabuto, whether they are still alive and if they are alive where are they.  You mentioned this in paragraph 11 and if you can start with Mandla, if you know.

L N DLOVA: Mandla died in 1996 and Bonge Mabuto was involved in a car accident in Botswana.  He died there.  Castro is still around, he is working at the South African Defence Force.  Ike is still around, he is working for a private security company and Sipho, Sipho Mhlangu, we met for the first time in Zimbabwe.  He arranged for us to be trained in 1986.  We then went to Libya with Medisi and Sipho.  When we came back from Libya, we went from Libya to Yugoslavia and we all went to Zimbabwe.  They then went to Bulawayo and I was in Harare, but we met again when we were coming back to this country, when we were going to infiltrate this country.  Sipho died in an operation and Medisi and Tsepho was the one who was arrested and he worked, he joined the police, he worked with the police.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Chairperson, if there are no more questions ...