Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1998-04-17

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: He was not just an important member of the IFP but he was regarded as a hero in the IFP and within the KwaZulu government because his work was accepted and recognised by the Chief Minister, Dr Buthelezi.  Sipiwhe did not report to everyone but to three people - Mr Sabelo who was a member of the Legislative Assembly who resided at Umlazi, Brigadier Mate as well as the Chief Minister, Dr Buthelezi.
All of his activities where he killed UDF and ANC members he would report this activities to the people I've just mentioned and he was highly recommended for this.

MR WILLS: Are you saying that when he was a strong member you're in fact saying that he was strong in the sense that he also got up to the same sorts of things that you people were doing eventually at eSikhawini and he was very successful in this regard?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes it is so.

MR WILLS: And it is for that reason that he was a hero as you put it?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes it is so.

MR WILLS: And is it not so that at the time you were finishing school that he was also your hero?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes I idolised him very much and I regarded him as a role model.

MR WILLS: Now you went into the KwaZulu Police and you did your normal police training there and you were posted at eSikhawini when you had finished?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes.

MR WILLS: Now when you were doing your KwaZulu Police training was there an acknowledgement of the rightful existence of other political parties in your training in the KwaZulu Police or was it one sided training?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Who were trained were IFP members.  You would not be able to join the KwaZulu Police if you were a member of the UDF or ANC for the reason that you would apply after that then the B.S.I. would screen the person to check if the particulars that had been supplied in the application form were correct like his address, his parents' political background, whether they were ANC or IFP members.  The school at which you had been educated, whether you were involved in strikes.  If it was discovered you were somehow involved in politics but were not an IFP member you would not be recruited into the force therefore all members of the KwaZulu Police had an IFP background or their parents' had that background.

MR WILLS: So, am I correct in saying that right up until the time when you were posted to eSikhawini essentially the only political influences that you encountered in your life were those that were supportive of the IFP and Inkatha?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes it is true.

MR WILLS: And the converse of that is also correct in the sense that by the time you had reached that period of your life what was your opinion of the UDF and the ANC and I'm talking about the period now before you got involved in the hit squads?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: I was against the UDF and the ANC because there had already been a conflict between these two although at that time we did not use guns it was mainly the use of stones and sticks in this conflict so even before I became a member of the hit squad I was a staunch IFP member, I had never had any relations with the UDF or ANC, we were enemies.

MR WILLS: It seems that that was probably the reason why Mr Mkhize approached you, would you agree with that?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes it is so.

MR WILLS: Early in 1992 and I'm referring to page 6 of the record paragraph 10, Mr Mkhize approached you to join his squad.  Now we've indicated here that you've indicated that he approached you and that you were aware of the Israelites and he in fact told you that he at that stage was a Caprivian trainee, is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is so.

MR WILLS: Now what - you've also indicated that in your affidavit that later you went to a meeting at Ulundi but prior to you going to Ulundi what did Mr Mkhize tell you he wanted to do?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Mr Mkhize told me that he had been sent by the leadership of the IFP in collaboration with the officers of the KwaZulu Police to assemble a group that would be under the Israelites who were going to be fighting against the ANC for the reason that it was becoming clear to the IFP leadership that the ANC was superior to the IFP.  In eSikhawini all the other sections belonged to the ANC.

MR WILLS: Now why did you accept this, why didn't you just go and report Mr Mkhize to the police and say you're not prepared to do this sort of thing?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Firstly when Mr Mkhize approached me with this I did not accept it easily, not because I thought it was unacceptable but because I wanted assurance.  For him to approach me was an honour because I had hatred for the ANC, I was against the ANC and I was also a member of the KwaZulu Police knowing that the ANC was on a campaign to wipe out the KwaZulu Police because they knew that they were working with IFP so he approaching me with this matter was not a problem especially after I had explained that he had been sent by the IFP leadership as well as officers in the KwaZulu Police.  I felt this would in fact honour me in protecting the Kingdom of KwaZulu as well as the Chiefdom and the people of KwaZulu, therefore I was honoured by this.

MR WILLS: Yes that's one of the things that I found quite strange about the evidence of Mr Mkhize, maybe you can elaborate on this, is that Mr Mkihize wasn't a senior rank in the KwaZulu Police, is that not so?  He was a constable.

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes, that is correct, he was a constable.

MR WILLS: And that is the highest rank that he achieved whilst he was in the KwaZulu Police?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes it is so.

MR WILLS: But if his evidence is correct it seems that he could phone people who were very senior, people who were even more senior than the people who were stationed at eSikhawini Police Station and the senior politicians.  Why was this?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: I did not concern myself to find out a reason why it was Mkhize who had approached me.  As I had said before, I had an idea that there were people within the force who were known as Israelites.  Those people were supposed to have been trained in Israel and were trained by the IFP to effect the objectives of the IFP in fighting the ANC so I knew that it was not the KwaZulu Police who undertook this job but it was Inkatha itself that had undertaken this.  So when Mkhize approached me I did not really wish to object and I understood what he was saying but I would only be too happy if I could meet the leadership so that I could have an assurance that I do not fall into wrong hands and get into trouble.

MR WILLS: Yes and you in fact then went with Mr Mkhize, sorry initially you said you had a discussion with Mrs Umbiasi and by that I refer to paragraph 11 of your affidavit and then after seeing Mrs Umbiasi, you went to Ulundi and you had a meeting with certain people, at Ulundi, is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes it is so.

MR WILLS: And those persons at that meeting, to the best of your knowledge, who was there?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: There was Dalakala Luthuli also known as Mdlanduna, M.Z. Khumalo, Captain Hlungwane, Mr Robert Msemela and Prince Gideon Zulu and that meeting was held in Captain Hlungwane's office in the KwaZulu parliament.

MR WILLS: Now what did they say at this meeting?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Firstly - then he introduced me to them and said as you had sent me this is Romeo Mbambo with whom we work at eSikhawini, I have decided to bring him to you so that he can be introduced formally.  Captain Hlungwane and M.Z. Khumalo indicated that they already knew me because they had seen me at the passing out parade and the police college.  They were very pleased to have a member of my calibre in the formation of the hit squad that was going to fight the ANC in the eSikhawini and surrounding areas.