Human Rights Violation Hearings — Bisho — 1996-09-11

COL MKOSANA: Mr Chairman, I am Colonel Mkosana former Officer Commanding in the Ciskeian Battalion.  I am now in Pretoria Headquarters.  As the General said that we are here to tell the truth, only the truth.  From the 2nd to the 4th we were given orders, warning orders that we should prepare for a march that was going to take place on the 7th September 1992.
 We prepared for the march with our colleagues and our commanders.  On the 5th September I was in Dimbaza with my family, that time I was in Dimbaza with my family, the soldiers saying that I'm hiding...  The order that was given that I should be shot.  On the 5th I went back home.  When I got there, there were priests looking for me and people from the Intelligence offices saying that that will not happen because threatened to be killed  [indistinct] ...  
 On Sunday we organised a church service in Bisho.  The intentions for this church service was to actually intercede for them because the soldiers were irresponsible.  When it got to the church service at the Battalion in Bisho, Mr Minister was there.  When I was in the office, sorry, on the Friday when I came back I was supposed to go to the Parliament.  The Commissioner of Police came, Major General Victory and other members of Parliament.  They said I must stand on Brigadier Gqozo's red carpet.  Two witnesses were brought in, two ladies from, and a gentleman.   Brigadier Gqozo then said this is the person who has got Chris Hani in hiding.  These people then said it's the first time that we see him.  They then said his car is the very same that Chris Hani was riding in.
 After that another gentleman was asked and he said no he doesn't, he never saw me.  I was then freed and then went home.  The next day I was phoned and reminded of the church service.  I said I'm not going any more because I've already been accused that I've got Chris Hani in hiding.  My wife then said I must go because it will appear as if I  [indistinct] 
 When I got to the battalion we got to the church, Major Mgwena said there are two companies, A company and C company that don't want to go into the church.  I asked what the reason was.  They said I've organised that Umkhonto we Sizwe shoot all of them in the hall.  I said these are serious allegations.  I went to the Deputy van der Bank.  He said no this has been cleared by Brigadier Gqozo, I did not do this.
 From there I went to Colonel Peter our minister.  I told him what was happening.  He answered saying why are you always being suspected, because your friends that wanted to make a coup are not there any more, Colonel Zanzi who were my friends.
 Unfortunately I wasn't there, I was in Oudtshoorn.  I then entered the church hall, the minister, Mr Minister talked to me.  I told them that I was grateful that I was at the church service and I think that everything is going to go well.  After the church service I went to Reverend Dow and the minister gave a report that the march will go well the following day.  I then explained that my name has been cleared by Brigadier Gqozo.
 After the ministers had left and the high officials, I was left behind with the troops.  All the Ciskeian soldiers were involved, the ones from the headquarters in Sobomvu, the ones from the battalion, everybody was there.
 I gave orders at three that there will be rehearsals.  We would be practising because we want to tell people that nobody should go there because there was going to be an attack that the MK was going to make against us and nobody was going to live, especially the soldiers.  Our soldiers were already confused as it is.  They did not even trust us officers.  They only trusted Brigadier Gqozo.
 We were supposed to be just people wanting money who had disobeyed Brigadier Gqozo.  This was so indeed.  On the Monday.  We rehearsed on Sunday and went back to the base.
 On the Monday at 6 o'clock we deployed our troops, there was a company inside the stadium and the other at Yellowwoods Farm.  I was ask, I wanted to find out and ascertain then whether they were letting the march happen.  At 9 o'clock we said that the cars were not allowed to go in, especially with marchers.  On the Monday I was riding in a commands vehicle because I was the Field Commander on the ground.
 Major Mbina had his car.  We were at the Amatola View riding on the gravel road towards town, we heard that the march could happen.  There were people deployed from the Parliament coming towards Bisho.  From there, we had heard that the march was allowed.  There were three teams with police in front with rubber bullets and teargas.
 The second group of police had rifles.  I was with the third group.  My aim was that if the police, if the marchers were too much for the police and the police retreated, would we therefore cover and then the army would come in.  We were told not to use rubber bullets but only live ammunition.  From there when the march was allowed, people started entering the stadium.  I told Mr Mbina that people were entering peacefully into the stadium.  They entered the stadium, there were already people in the grandstand but when I rose my head there was no one.
 I then reported to the general that we do not see anyone.  I thought that they were sitting down.  I saw Major Mbina at that point, said there is a crowd coming forcefully towards us.  Major Kushu then reported that his troop has been shot at.  I then reported to the colonel that our troop was being attacked.  I asked what should we do because the people were coming.  He said in Afrikaans, he asked if one of our soldiers had been shot at.  I said yes.  We tried to get an ambulance to take the soldier that was shot at to our medics.
 I asked repeatedly the general as to what to do.  He said in Afrikaans that if you are being shot at, shoot back.  From there the crowd was not coming towards me but towards Major Mbina.  I told Major Mbina that we've been given the go-ahead, open fire but at minimum force.  Major Mbina then relayed the message to Captain Dantiso that one single round, single shots, that happened, then the crowd turned back.  Then we heard people who were not given an, had not given an order, shooting.  We asked them why were they shooting because they were not being shot at. 
 The other people from the Telecommunications Building were also shooting without my order that I was relating from the major.  As we were in the car that I was riding in there was a Rothman Gonye that was with me.  I heard from Major Zulu, he was saying why are you shooting with a rocket launcher.  This rocket launcher was in the car - grenade launcher, sorry.  I asked why is this happening.  My perception as I saw the grand slaughter hitting, I thought these were members of the MK because it was said that they were going to attack.  I was very confused at that point because there were bullets this side and fire that side.
 According to the people here, they said there were shots from the helicopter but I cannot confirm that.  I asked that they should cease fire.  They then said that their troop was being shot at by the masses.  I want to say clearly because I do not want to lie, it was me who was there.
 I gave Major Mbina an order that make a single fire as the people were coming towards you.  I never gave an order to the whole defence force.  Even Major Mbina was there but I want to make it clear Mr Chairman, that our soldiers at that stage had no control.  They were just using their own discretion because they thought they were communicating with Brigadier Gqozo.  They kept on threatening people, especially us saying that we were sort of liaising with the MK members, saying that we're disobeying Brigadier Gqozo.  
 I don't know whether I have made it clear but ... end of Tape 5, side A ... incident, it was very difficult.  I ask for forgiveness to those people whose families were shot at the march.  I again apologise on behalf of the Ciskeian Defence Force.  There were orders that were given and the way the crowds and the masses were coming towards us, we were going to be overrun and they were going to take, it looked like they were going to take our ammunition and shoot at us.  The environment was not conducive at all at the time, it was not conducive.
 Mr Chairman, as far as the soldiers that were involved, we ask for forgiveness from the Commission and the people that were injured there and South Africa on the whole, we ask for forgiveness, not only to the victims but to South Africa as a whole.  We know that this was painful, even to us it was painful.  We ask for forgiveness as the former Ciskeian Defence Force.  Thank you.