Amnesty Hearings — Pretoria — UNKNOWN

MR PRINSLOO: You said that you were in detention but not Section 29 detention?

FAAN VENTER: No.

MR PRINSLOO: Now were you in custody?

FAAN VENTER: Yes.

MR PRINSLOO: For how long had you been in custody?

FAAN VENTER: Two days.

MR PRINSLOO: Two days?

FAAN VENTER: Yes.

MR PRINSLOO: And what was the allegation against you, why you were being arrested?

FAAN VENTER: They told me I was being - I was told that I was arrested under Section 29.

MR PRINSLOO: Did you make this statement whilst you were in detention?

FAAN VENTER: Yes.

MR PRINSLOO: Did you make more than one statement?

FAAN VENTER: Yes.

MR PRINSLOO: Did you make a statement to an attorney?

FAAN VENTER: Yes.

MR PRINSLOO: Thank you.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR PRINSLOO

CHAIRPERSON: Yes thank you very much.  You are excused.
WITNESS EXCUSED

MR PRINSLOO: Mr Chairperson I believe that Mr Visser, Mr Bizos' witness has arrived and he is available.  Mr Bizos has indicated that he is going to call Mr Visser as a witness, he has now arrived.  I don't know what Mr Bizos intends doing with Mr Visser.

GEORGE BIZOS: Mr Chairman, is Mr du Randt not going to be called by the applicants?

CHAIRPERSON: Are you calling Mr du Randt?

MR PRINSLOO: Mr Chair I first wish to go and fetch some statements from my car before I call Mr du Randt and also some documents.

CHAIRPERSON: Well now I am so, I am unhappy that we have to adjourn for such things as having to stop to go and fetch documents you know.  We have very limited time today as you well knew beforehand.  Now is it your intention to call Mr du Randt?

MR PRINSLOO: Mr Chair this decision only arose last night and Mr Bizos indicated that today he will be calling Mr Visser as witness and this morning ...(intervention)

CHAIRPERSON: No I am not talking about Mr Visser, I am talking about you.  Is it not your intention to call Mr du Randt?

MR PRINSLOO: I will call Mr du Randt but I first have to speak to him.

CHAIRPERSON: Can we carry on Mr Bizos whether Mr du Randt is called or not?

GEORGE BIZOS: Mr Visser is in the hall, we have consulted with him and we have a statement and we want to call him.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.

GEORGE BIZOS: But in view of his absence yesterday he waved to me that he wants to speak to Mr Mpshe is the way I understood the communication.  In the circumstances could we have a very short adjournment just in case he wants to say anything to Mr Mpshe which is of any relevance to his being called or not.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes very well we will take a very short adjournment and you will during that time get the documents you want.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS
ON RESUMPTION

CHAIRPERSON: Because of the constraints imposed upon us and which are beyond our control we were going to adjourn by 12 o'clock today in any case.  Although there is a little time left between now and then I think it is impractical to start a new witness' evidence at this stage even though we may finish a part of his evidence.  And it now seems that the evidence of that witness and other witnesses who are likely to be called and who have not turned up they will have to be heard on another occasion.  Unfortunately it is not possible for us to say at this stage when the Committee, constituted as it is, will be able to sit, but the earliest available date will be obtained and I'm not in a position now to tell you even when that is going to be.
	However, the Committee is now going to adjourn these hearings and we will resume on a date to be arranged.  Interested parties no doubt will be consulted in finalising the date of the resume hearing.
	It is important that I should place on record an agreement that has been reached by counsel and that is counsel for the applicants will hand in their written argument on or before the 23rd of February 1998, and that counsel for the objectors will thereafter hand in theirs by not later than 9th of March 1998.  It is hoped that if these arguments are handed in we may yet save a little time at the resumed hearing.  I would just like to confirm with counsel, it quite clear Mr Prinsloo and Mrs van der Walt that 23rd February is the date for you to do that?

MR PRINSLOO: That is correct Mr Chairman, and we will reply to Mr Bizos' arguments if necessary.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.  Mr Bizos the 9th of March is the date by which ...(intervention)

GEORGE BIZOS: Yes we accept that and will do so accordingly.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.  Obviously it means that the adjournment of this matter to another date will only be after these documents have reached the Committee.
	We have reached the stage where all that is left to say is that this matter is now adjourned to a date that will be arranged in the future.  This Committee adjourns.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS TO A DATE TO BE ARRANGED