Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1999-08-12

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, Thank you very much.
We'll take the short adjournment at this stage and resume in 15 minutes.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS
ON RESUMPTION

CHAIRPERSON: Yes Mr Visser?

MR VISSER: Mr Chairman, in the adjournment Mr Nel indicated to us that he would ask you to allow him to ask some questions which he hadn't put to the witness, du Preez.  Du Preez is still present and he's still under his former oath.

S G DU PREEZ: (s.u.o)

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, please do proceed.

MR NEL: Thank you, Mr Chairman.

MR NEL: Mr du Preez, what I would like to do is to put to you Col Taylor's role with regard to his work and also with regard to the persons under his command, just to clear it up for the Committee's sake.  To begin with, when did you arrive at the Security Branch?

S G DU PREEZ: 1979, that is when I began at the Security Branch in Durban.

MR NEL: And when you arrived there was Col Taylor already at the branch?

S G DU PREEZ: Yes, for quite some time.  I suspect that it may have been from approximately 1973 or 1975.

MR NEL: Am I correct in saying that initially you did not serve under him, but from your arrival he was already in control of the terrorism unit?

S G DU PREEZ: Yes, that is correct.

MR NEL: And for how long did you serve under his command in the same section?

S G DU PREEZ: Since 1980 or 81, I began working under his command.

MR NEL: And Col Taylor was, up to his discharge as medically unfit, in control of the terrorism unit?

S G DU PREEZ: In approximately 1990 or 1991, we went to Head Office in Durban and that is where we resided.  Taylor was still involved with the askaris, but in 1990 or 1991 we went to Durban.

CHAIRPERSON: I didn't, it seemed a bit disjointed to me.  What happened in 1990, 1991?

S G DU PREEZ: That is when I went to the Regional Office in Durban, I was transferred there.

CHAIRPERSON: I see.  In other words you met Taylor for the first time once you came to Durban in 1990, 1991?

S G DU PREEZ: No, 1979.

CHAIRPERSON: 1979?

S G DU PREEZ: That is correct.

MR NEL: Now, during this period before you went to Head Office and worked directly under his command, who was the bearer of dossiers and the Chief Investigator of that section?

S G DU PREEZ: It was Col Taylor.

MR NEL: And what was the role of the other members under his command?  Did you also carry files, or what was your task?

S G DU PREEZ: We were field workers and we also assisted with investigations or rumours.

CHAIRPERSON: May I just interrupt at this stage?  May I ask you, what is the purpose of all this questioning?

MR NEL: Mr Chairman, I just wanted to enlighten the Committee as to what sort of a person Mr Taylor was.

CHAIRPERSON: I don't think I'm going to allow that.  We are concerned with the amnesty application by people who have applied before us.  We are not going to pass judgment on Mr Taylor, we're not going to make an assessment on Mr Taylor's achievements or demerits.  Do you understand?

MR NEL: I understand, Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: We've got to confine ourselves to the applicants for amnesty and what they did.  We have accepted the information placed before us, that they all accepted orders from Col Taylor.

MR NEL: Thank you, Mr Chairman, I was merely trying to try and enlighten the acceptance of an order from for instance Mr du Preez from Col Taylor.

CHAIRPERSON: We accept that, you see.  We haven't questioned anybody when they said that they'd accepted instructions from Col Taylor because of his seniority and we have accepted that.

MR NEL: Very well then, thank you Mr Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Your questioning of this witness doesn't go beyond just trying to establish?

MR NEL: No, it does not, Mr Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Alright, thank you.  Well then you're excused.

S G DU PREEZ: Thank you Chairperson.
WITNESS EXCUSED