Amnesty Hearings — Welkom — 1998-11-17

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, we will now proceed with the remaining applications which I had mentioned earlier.  Mr Mhlaba?

MR MHLABA: Thank you, Chairman.  This application is -there are four applicants involved, Phillip Mosia, Jack Mofokeng, Solomon Sera and Isaac Mohomane.  I'm acting on behalf of all four applicants.  I would want to commence by calling the last applicant being, Isaac Mohomane.

ISAAC MOHOMANE: (sworn states)

MR MHLABA: Thank you, Mr Chairman.
	Mr Mohomane, you are the applicant in this matter, is that correct?

ISAAC MOHOMANE: That is correct.

MR MHLABA: And your application is in respect of an offence which was committed on the 5th of June 1993, where two police officers namely, Mokete Benjamin Makau and Tselane Jacobina Mosebi were killed, is that correct?

ISAAC MOHOMANE: That's correct.

MR MHLABA: Is it correct that you were born during 1968 on the 8th of June in Fouriesburg?

ISAAC MOHOMANE: That is correct.

MR MHLABA: You are applying for amnesty because the offences which you have committed were committed with a political objective, is that correct?

ISAAC MOHOMANE: That is correct.

MR MHLABA: You have been convicted in respect of the offences in question and you are presently serving a prison term, is that correct?

ISAAC MOHOMANE: That is correct.

MR MHLABA: As you allege that the offences were committed with a political objective, are you able to explain to the Committee which political organisation you were a member of, you were a member of during the period June 1993, in particular on the 3rd of June, and how you joined the organisation and when and level of your involvement in such organisation?

ISAAC MOHOMANE: At the time I was a student in high school, I was a member of COSAS.  After completing school in 1990 I was a fully fledged member of the ANC, then I was recruited to the Self Defence Unit by comrade Simon Mofokeng and Khumalo.

MR MHLABA: I want you to tell us about the incident of the 5th of June 1993 and how the killing of the two police officers who were executed, were planned and executed.

ISAAC MOHOMANE: Before I can start with the incident itself I want to explain that after I have been recruited to the Self Defence Unit by Khumalo, I finished my training, I was given powers to form my own unit and train those members who are interested to join the Self Defence Unit.  That is where I recruited three people, Phillip Mosia, Solomon Sera and Jack Mofokeng.
	After I trained them I went to my commander to inform him that I've recruited and trained three people, then he gave me a 9mm pistol and that I should continue to train those people for six months.
	After that six months I went back to - I used to go to him in the ANC offices.  We sat down and discussed about the unrest which prevailed in our area where the police played a major role in the death of people who were anti-government.

MR MHLABA: Are you able to tell the Committee who this commander was?

ISAAC MOHOMANE: His name is Simon Mofokeng and his combat name is Khumalo.

MR MHLABA: Are you able now to proceed and explain to the Committee what happened on the ...

ISAAC MOHOMANE: Because I used to go to the office of comrade Khumalo, we used to sit down and discuss about the unrest within South Africa.  We were aware that the police played a major role in the unrest and in harassing and torturing the people.  In Qwa Qwa there were such incidents, in the place called Thababotsiu where there was a group called - in Thababotsiu there was a group called Ntsometso which was working together with the police.

CHAIRPERSON: Sorry, could you just repeat that name, a group called?

ISAAC MOHOMANE: That is Ntsometso group.  Their leader was Lebo Pomolo.  They were calling themselves members of the IFP.  As we all know that IFP was working together with the police to kill people around Sebokeng and Boipatong etc., and in Qwa Qwa such incidents prevailed, so we used to discuss those issues together with my commander.  We reached a decision that in Qwa Qwa we should do something because police are playing a major role in the killings of our comrades, we do something so that we should send the message to their masters and their bosses to tell them that what they are doing is not acceptable to the community.  We reached an agreement that we should do something.

MR MHLABA: Yes, can you proceed and explain what happened on this very day, everything that happened and how you planned this incident?