Amnesty Hearings — Johannesburg — 1998-09-17

JABULANI JOSEPH KHUMALO AKA ACE: So, I left work after receiving that message from one of the Soweto leaders politically, by the name of Comrade Nzi Mhlowayi who was the National Executive of the Youth League of the PAC.  I drive to Soweto in the place where he directed me with another comrade which I went to collect.
	Arriving at the place they took me to another house where a member of APLA by the name of Moss and known code name by Moerapapa in the APLA circle.  Then I could not ask many question as the matter is being of sensitive.  My role there was to pick up the comrade and take him to the safety place.  I took it to my own place.  It was very painful.  I never saw a person in this colour.  He had no blood, he was look greyish, pale, I believe he lost a lot of blood because of the operation during the night of raid.  He was injured right here.  He had a big hole here.  I took him to my place.  
	In my place I organised a member of the PAC then who was a matron at a Natalspruit clinic, and through her we got hold of the doctor.  We also got another comrade and ask him to look after him for the full time of recovery because he could not stand up, he could not even go and wake up from bed.  He was to be assisted all the time.  So I had a comrade who assisted on that one.  Fortunately he's around here in this room as well, who was a full time aide.  We didn't ask Moss in the first two days of what happened because according to doctor instruction we were to let him relax.  
	After two or three days we asked him of what actually happened, because we were to account to the leadership of APLA if being asked.  That's how I came to know about this case actually.  With Moss' word, he said he had just recruited the lumpins.  The lumpins in revolutionary terms are criminals, the people known as "tsotsis".  He said, "I have recruited the lumpins into units of the Azanian People's Liberation Army and I've gave them instructions that they should go to disarm in order that they arm their unit.  Because of their lumpinism, that's how I got injured, because if they were clear on the code of conduct, they wouldn't have went along with the stolen gun as an exhibit and attract the trace of clue of what happened.  So because of them being not knowing they leaded the police to where he was and then there was a shootout in that place".  
	So, I am here just to confirm that this particular case is the case that has the PAC link and PAC blessing because of the cadre of the PAC who was sent through infiltration to home here and find some units, build units and carry on the operations as APLA demand.  Although we were politically leaders, we were to assist only the forces on the time like this, logistics and things like that.  We were not involved in their practicalities, but we were just to assist on the top where they like us to assist.  So that's where we got involved.  
	So, as of Moss, I believe that the comrades, they only know that he died on that operation on that confrontation, but Moss survived because he was shifted from that area to East Rand and we managed to let him heal to an extent whereby we had to take him outside Azania to Zimbabwe where he was fully treated at the military hospital of Zimbabwe, because the hole needed a fully attention of hospitals where they should run the stitch and things like that.  So, we could not send him to hospital because of the attitude.  So, after he recovered a little bit we sent him outside to Zimbabwe through APLA means of escaping.  
	So, I'm just here to confirm that this case, because of Moss' involvement and Moss gave a short information about it, it was an APLA operation and Moss unfortunately he died in 1994 in Pietersburg operation of APLA.  I will not know exactly the time, but I do know that he was buried the time when Sabelo Pama landed here in Jan Smuts Airport for burial in that weekend.  The very same day Moss was buried in Alexander - in Pietersburg, I'm sorry, where his home was.  I don't know if there's anything.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you, Mr Chairman.  That's the evidence I wanted to lead.  It's up to the Committee to ask any questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR MBANDAZAYO

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Mr Mbandazayo.  Mr Mapoma, any questions?

MR MAPOMA: Just one, Chairperson.  Mr Khumalo, after this incident occurred did the PAC claim responsibility for it?

JABULANI JOSEPH KHUMALO AKA ACE: APLA did claim the responsibilities.  It was the military wing that had to do with the claimings of operations.  It did claim responsibility through its commander.

MR MAPOMA: Thank you, sir, no questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR MAPOMA

ADV SIGODI: Just one question.  Mr Khwankwa mentions that he was a member of the Secret Service.  Just for you to throw light so that we can understand, do you know anything about Secret Service?

JABULANI JOSEPH KHUMALO AKA ACE: I think he was talking of the units.  APLA had units not Secret Services.  I'm sure somehow he left as he was a new recruitee, but I'm sure he meant the unit.

ADV SIGODI: Thank you, Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Would the unit normally under these circumstances have operated in circumstances of confidence of what you can call secrecy?

JABULANI JOSEPH KHUMALO AKA ACE: Yes, a unit operates underground, not above board.  So it is secret in a sense that I personally myself I would not know the members of that unit.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Mr Lax?

MR LAX: Thank you, Chairperson.  Just one question, Mr Khumalo.  Did you actually report this matter, after you'd spoken to Moss, to APLA higher-ups?

JABULANI JOSEPH KHUMALO AKA ACE: Apparently Moss did that himself after he has recovered.  We had no links with the military formations.

MR LAX: Okay.  I just thought from your evidence you'd indicated that you wanted to know what happened in case you had to account for it.  So I thought maybe you had actually been the person who had then reported it on.

JABULANI JOSEPH KHUMALO AKA ACE: Yes, it is true, because although above board we did know the high commanders, even those who were outside Azania at the time.  So they could come and pose up the question.  So we were making the safety of it.

MR LAX: Ja, thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Mbandazayo, any questions further?

MR MBANDAZAYO: None, Mr Chairman, thank you.
NO RE-EXAMINATION BY MR MBANDAZAYO

CHAIRPERSON: Is that the case for the ...(intervention)

MR MBANDAZAYO: That's the case for the applicant, Mr Chairman.  Thank you.

JABULANI JOSEPH KHUMALO AKA ACE: Can I be excused here?

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, you're excused, Mr Khumalo.  Thank you.
WITNESS EXCUSED

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Mapoma?

MR MAPOMA: Thank you, Chairperson.  Mr Chair, I would like at this stage to request for a short adjournment so that I can consult with the members of the family.

CHAIRPERSON: All right.  We'll take a short adjournment.  You will notify us when you are ready to reconvene.  We're adjourned.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS
ON RESUMPTION

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Mr Mapoma?

MR MAPOMA: Thank you, Chairperson.  Chairperson, for the victims, I would like to call a witness by the name of Johanna Khungwane.

CHAIRPERSON: That's in order.  Can she come forward.  Do you want her sworn in, Mr Mapoma?

MR MAPOMA: Yes, Chairperson.

MR LAX: Thank you, Chairperson.  Miss Khungwane, would you please rise.

JOHANNA KHUNGWANE: (sworn states)

MR LAX: Thank you, you may be seated.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Mr Mapoma?

MR MAPOMA: Thank you, sir.  Miss Khungwane, is it correct that you are a sister to ...(inaudible).  That is correct.

MS KHUNGWANE: That's true, I'm a sister to the deceased.

MR MAPOMA: And does the deceased have parents?

MS KHUNGWANE: Yes, he does.

MR MAPOMA: Would you tell the Committee the names of the parents?

MS KHUNGWANE: My mother's name is Lettie and then my father's name is Elias.

MR MAPOMA: And they are still alive, is it so?

MS KHUNGWANE: Yes, they do.