Amnesty Hearings — East London — 1998-04-02

ZUKILE AUGUSTINE MBAMBO: The following day it was a Saturday, we awoke and left to see another Africa Sipho Fitjane at six.  We stayed there the whole day.  Late we returned to my house and slept at three, the place is at three.
	The following morning, that is on the Sunday, we left trying to find a car.  Late night that same night on Sunday we found a car.  A gentleman was conversing with two ladies in a Honda Ballade, an old Honda Ballade.  Other Africans passed and myself, Luvuyo our dirver we returned and I pointed the driver to alight.  Luvuyo took the car and he went to the other Africans.  I also followed after he got to those other Africans.  We boarded the car and left to go to three.
	We hid the car at a place so that we could see it from my house, we slept.  The following morning on the Monday, that was the 28th of March, TNT left and Luvuyo our driver and collected the car.  We waited for them near Gobusane.  We boarded the car, slowly we went to Da Gama.
	At Da Gama - we got there early, we passed - I cannot remember whether it's the second, first turn right, we turned waiting for the bus in order to see it appearing so that we could go behind it.  That did not go according to plan because there was a car between ourselves and the bus.  We went behind it following the bus and that car.  
	As the bus is required to stop because of cars moving past before going into the gates we had the chance to pass the bus and having resolved to hitting it with the rifle grenades.  But we then discovered that no, this rifle grenade cannot be used because the distance is too close.  There was this ultacation: let it be it with the rifle grenade or no, let it be hit by rifles.  
	Ultimately Kid and TNT alighted and hit these guns that they shot at the bus.  After they had shot at the bus it was difficult for us to alight because we discovered that there were people that were hitting back.  It was only later that we discovered that it was security guards who were escorting the bus and those waiting at Da Gama, they hit at us.  We did not know because our commander did not tell us that the bus was being escorted by security guards.  They hit back but ultimately we got the chance to alight and leave that car.  It was myself and Africa Dumisani.  
	The driver was left behind but he also alighted.  These two Africans who alighted first were fighting, Africa Kid was hit.  During that process I saw Africa TNT falling.  As the shooting was still going on I heard the helicopters swirling around.  I knew that the helicopter was going to overpower us now.
	As Africa Dumisani was hitting back at these Africans, I mean Afrikaners, I saw that these two Africans who had fallen were also still shooting and I told the Africans: "Africans this helicopter is going to give us problems.  You cannot run away, you cannot go back to the car because the car is already damaged and they are shooting so much that we cannot use that car.  Africans you must run away but we cannot leave you like this you see.  Africans I'm going to hit you now, shoot  you".
	The African said: "No, don't shoot us, we are going to fight back.  If we see that it is too hard we are going to hit and kill ourselves".  Ultimately I ran away.  I do not know whether Dumisani and Africa who was the driver ran to whatever direction.  There's a small path there moving from this railway line going to Da Gama, I used that road.  
	I saw a coloured man on his knees.  I saw that he was afraid and he begged me not to shoot him.  I told him: "No, I'm running for my own business" and I passed him.  At that time I was having a 7.65 and the rifle grenade that was in my lumber jacket.  As I was passing that railway line it fell, I could not take it.  I ran on past the graveyard at Mdantsane and went to two, that's where I got clothes to change.  Went on to other Africans.  I found other clothes to change.  
	I went on to another Africa, he gave me money.  I told him that I need to go to King William's Town.  They told me: "There are two other ama Africa you're moving with, we are told that money has been asked for them because they had been injured".  I asked for money to go to King William's town and they gave me the money.  I told him to keep my gun as I'm going to King William's Town, I could come and collect it after, knowing that I'm going to Butterworth.  
	I went to Butterworth, getting there I went to ...[indistinct] Mamma, the restaurant in town.  I entered through the front, bought drinks and tobacco.  I asked Mtutuze and they said they do not know - I asked from other ladies and they said they do not know where Mtutuze was, I must go back and check the flats there.
	At the back I found other Africans, Nge, Subusiso and others.  I asked Africa: "Where is Matura"? and they said: "No, we do not know Africa".  And I asked: "Where is Africa JJ"?, they said: "Perhaps he's at work, you can go and check him at work".  I did not go to his work, I went straight to the base.
	I found other new ama Africa coming from Cape Town.  I talked with them, conversed after having greeted them and then I took this base commander and said to him: "It think you must accompany me to go to town so that we can check this Africa JJ".  	On our way to town we met policemen from Transkei moving with African Tona who was driving for us during the Bahai attack.  He was leading the police, that's how we were then arrested.  When we got to the top, as we were walking on foot we saw JJ and all the other Africans whom we had met in town and others in other places.  We were all arrested and we were beaten at the barracks.  From there we were taken to Umtata to the police station Fort Gail.  We did not know the reason for our arrest.  I did not know the reasons and others said they did not know.  Clearly I did not know the reason because that was the first time I got there, I was new around there.
	Three days after our incarceration at Fort Gail police station we were taken to Doctor Malinga at Umtata near the rank by the police.  When we left Doctor Malinga they put us at Wellington prison, that's where I got a chance to tell JJ about what happened at East London.  I told him everything about what happened in East London.

MS COLLETT: And what did he say?

ZUKILE AUGUSTINE MBAMBO: He asked: "Where are the other ama Africa"?  I told him we split during the Da Gama attack.  Tow of them, I'm sure they are arrested or they are killed, others I do not know where they went but I know they ran away.  I had run straight thereto knowing that I could
not go back home because I did not know what happened to those Africans.  
	I would not know whether they were going to take the police straight to us, to me at home.  And he said I shall then be required after leaving that place, I must come back and come and check these Africans here so that they can come back to him to give a report back in order to corroborate my story.  
	I stayed about three days there.  We spent even the Easters there, voting happened even during then.  We then left for Xoa.  We stayed at Xoa, at Butterworth and then I came back to check these Africans.  I found Africa Dumisani.  I returned to Butterworth with him and he gave the report back in the fashion he saw how things went.

MS COLLETT: Now, you stood trial in East London for the Highgate Hotel, the Da Gama incident and the incident at the Nahoon Dam, is that correct?

ZUKILE AUGUSTINE MBAMBO: That is so.

MS COLLETT: Did you tell the truth at that trial?

ZUKILE AUGUSTINE MBAMBO: At the Court?  I lied at the Court.

MS COLLETT: Why?