Amnesty Hearings — Pietermaritzburg — 1997-02-10

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Banade, what is being said to you in terms of the Act, we can only grant amnesty in respect of specific offences, much as we would like to deal with things at a globular level, we are not entitled to do that, there has to be an application for a specific offence.   It is in respect of each specific offence that the Committee considers whether he's entitled to amnesty and may refuse or grant it.  I think that is the only way this can be done.

MR BANADE: Mr Chairman we will then remain with the decision taken by the Committee and will stick with the
1.1	amnesty /...
MR BANADE	6	ADDRESS
amnesty application specifically to the murder of Jama on 24 February 1991.

MR BRINK: ...indicate shortly before the Committee reconvened for this session I was approached by a gentleman who is a member of the KwaZulu Parliament.   He tells me that the mother of the late Jama, who is here, her attorney apparently will only be here at 2 o'clock this afternoon, for some reason he's not here.    I merely mention that for what it's worth, I don't know whether one should wait until 2 o'clock before we commence?

CHAIRPERSON: No I do not think that the Act says we must wait because attorneys are not here, she is here, the evidence will be made available or known to her and we must now start moving.   The attorney may not even turn up at 2 o'clock and then what happens?    I think we must just make a beginning and see how far we can get.   It may be that between now and 2 o'clock whatever evidence is going to be led may not concern directly her or her interests.   Be that as it may, I think we should make a beginning.

MR BANADE: Mr Chairman if I can just inform you very broadly.   I informed Mr Harrington and Erasmus before the time to concentrate or give their evidence on specific points.   They will continue along that vein in their own time and it will not be necessary for me to interject with questions from time to time.   I would like to mention that the main points which will be touched upon will be firstly the offence for which amnesty is being applied.   Secondly, with regard to each and everyone's personal background.  Thirdly, the factors political and otherwise which had bearing on them and made them the persons that they were in February 1991.   The following will, they will probably deal
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with as far as 24 February 1991, as far as what happened there and also what was going through their minds.   In conclusion the last aspect I informed them of Section 23 of the Act and asked them to remain within that context to say what their motive was and what the context was and what the objective was at the time.   Mr Chairman very briefly that is my introduction and I would like to ask Mr Harrington to be sworn in.
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8
WILLIAM BASIL HARRINGTON (ss)
EXAMINATION BY MR BANADE

<UNKNOWN>: Mr Harrington could you please proceed and concentrate on these points in giving your evidence under oath as it's been cleared up with you.   We only want the truth as far as this application is concerned.   I would like to ask the panel on his behalf are you people writing this thing down word for word or at which speed may he go?

CHAIRPERSON: ...take down as much as we can of what is said.

<UNKNOWN>: Mr Harrington you may proceed.

ANSWER: The offence which I am applying for amnesty is the murder on Mr Jama, a self-proclaimed ANC member.   Personal background is I was born on 18 May 1969 in Swaziland.   I am currently 27 years old.   I grew up mainly in the Eastern Transvaal and Natal farm areas.   I matriculated in Volksrus in 1987.   My political affiliations since my youth and today still is in my high school years I was (a) politically right and as a young man between the age of 18 and 28 I was affiliated to the right.   At the time of the murder I was affiliated to the right as far as anti-ANC feelings were concerned and I am currently a non-active AWB member.   My address is Grootvlei Prison, Bloemfontein.   My home address is 67 Colonel Brand Avenue, Uitsig.   My parents are Mr W B Harrington at the abovementioned address, he's a businessman.   My mother Mrs T Harrington is at the time of my sentence passed away on 23 January 1985.   She was also a business person.   Very shortly my career; in 1987 on 23 December I joined the police force in Newcastle shortly after I had matriculated.   I went to the police college from January 1987 to June 1988.   I went to Pietermaritzburg...
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MR BANADE	9	W B HARRINGTON

MEMBER OF COMMISSION: Could you please just go a bit slower we would like to write down what you are saying, you don't have to go at a snail's pace but just a bit slower than you are going at the moment.