Amnesty Hearings — Vanderbijlpark — 1998-08-12

VINCENT KHANYILE: There wasn't even a single inch or small way of doing it.  I am saying this because of the following reasons:  There wasn't going to be any peaceful settlement or discussion because of the prevailing situation.  Secondly with reference to the law and order, I have explained that the government in charge at the time was not able to protect the people - each and every individual had to take the law into his or her own hand.
	I have also given an example that a lot of IFP followers were burnt during daylight and many women who were burnt during daylight because it was alleged that they were in love with IFP members.
	Many IFP houses were burnt during daylight and many African IFP members when going to town, who were abducted and put into booths and burnt in the township.  In all this incidents, not even a single person was charged or convicted on such criminal acts which shows that the government of that day was failing in ruling and governing.
	Up to today not even a single person came out to say we know this happened, like we did today before the Committee.

MR MALINDI: The Senior Committee at kwaMadala hostel and the Youth Committee could not have approached their ANC leadership in Boipatong or any other organisations existing in the community to resolve this conflict?

VINCENT KHANYILE: That leader of the ANC, if he or she was seen standing next to an Inkatha leader, was going to be burnt with a tyre on that particular day.
	What I am trying to explain sir, is any person who had (indistinct) on position, if your neighbour hated you, he will just point or say you are an Inkatha member, therefore you would be killed instantly.

MR MALINDI: Were any attempts made by the kwaMadala leadership to engage the help of higher organs of the IFP in resolving the conflict with the community of Boipatong?

VINCENT KHANYILE: I don't remember that, if it did happen or not.

MR MALINDI: It would have been an alternative to launching an attack, isn't it so?

VINCENT KHANYILE: I don't understand your question, may you please repeat.

MR MALINDI: Instead of launching an attack on the community of Boipatong, another way to resolve this conflict would have been to approach higher organs of the IFP to resolve the conflict with the community of Boipatong?

VINCENT KHANYILE: I believe sir when you refer to higher leaders, I think you know that for Mr Mandela, the President to meet Chief Buthelezi, took a long time.   I don't know which people could have met during those times as leaders of the organisations.

MR MALINDI: A moment ago you explained why the situation had come to the point where you had to launch an attack.  Could you tell the Committee more or less how many IFP people were burnt by residents of Boipatong?

VINCENT KHANYILE: If I remember those who were burnt Boipatong very well, it was Bongani Mbatha, Nomvula, Mr Khumalo - I forgot his name, Mr Gus who was a newsreader or the spokesperson of the IFP, Mr MBele who was abducted when coming from work in the evening, and killed somewhere.  I would say there are many, but I can only mention those whom I can still remember.
	And further I can say that it was not only at Boipatong where we were being killed.  The whole Vaal, it was the same, it was happening everywhere in the Vaal.

MR MALINDI: Thank you Chairperson.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR MALINDI

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Prior?

ADV PRIOR: I have no questions Mr Chairman.
NO QUESTIONS BY ADV PRIOR

CHAIRPERSON: Re-examination?  I can't see you Mr Da Silva.  Do you have any questions to put to this witness?

MS BOTHA: I have no questions Mr Chairman, thank you.
NO CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MS BOTHA

MR DA SILVA: As it pleases you Mr Chairman.  Mr Khanyile, will you please look at Annexure J, the plan of Boipatong.
	I see you have got Exhibit J before you, I understand from your evidence that the group moved down Msheshwe Street and turned into a northerly direction into Leqwa Street.  Is that correct?

VINCENT KHANYILE: Those who turned on Leqwa Street was the group which I was in.

MR DA SILVA: I understand from your evidence that in that vicinity before turning, that you saw a group of comrades next to a fire, is that correct?

VINCENT KHANYILE: May you please repeat, I didn't get it well.

MR DA SILVA: Is it correct that before your group turned into Leqwa Street, you saw a group of comrades next to a fire?

VINCENT KHANYILE: That is correct.

MR DA SILVA: Is it also correct that the entrance into Boipatong where the comrades were standing, that that was barricaded with tree stumps?

INTERPRETER: Please repeat the last part of your question?

MR DA SILVA: Is it correct?

VINCENT KHANYILE: Yes, it was like that.

MR DA SILVA: So do you agree that vehicles could not move in the street, or it was very difficult to move in the streets of Boipatong?

CHAIRPERSON: What is the question?  Is the question that the vehicles could not move or is the question that it was difficult for them to move?

MR DA SILVA: Mr Chairperson, the question is that it was very difficult for vehicles to move in the streets of Boipatong.

VINCENT KHANYILE: What I can say, I would say it was possible for vehicles to move, but it would be difficult.

MR DA SILVA: There was a question put to you by Mr Berger in regard to a Buffel, armed vehicle, moving in the vicinity of Slovo Park.  Your answer to that question was that you only saw soldiers on leaving Boipatong.  At no time did you see any Police or soldiers.  That was your answer.
	What I want to know from you, your evidence is that at no time you saw any soldiers inside Boipatong, is that what you meant?

VINCENT KHANYILE: Sir, that is what I am saying and I would like to stress that since it is said that we are to speak the truth here, I don't know how many have applied for amnesty in connection with this incident, but I believe that not even a single Police or soldier or white person who will come and make an application to say he or she did take part in the attack of the people at Boipatong.  I am trying to stress that it never happened that Police or soldiers were involved, or white people.
	I only saw soldiers when we were getting out of Boipatong.  As to where they were when we entered Boipatong, I might not know.

MR DA SILVA: Mr Khanyile, will you please look at Exhibit M1, being the aerial photograph.  According to that Exhibit, if you will see there is a point marked K, that apparently is the tree where the group gathered.
	Does that appear to be correct?

VINCENT KHANYILE: It looks like it, it is the way you say.

MR DA SILVA: If you still look at Exhibit M1, you will see there is a point marked H.  That appears to be the foot bridge, or the pedestrian bridge.  Is that where the group crossed Frikkie Meyer Boulevard?

VINCENT KHANYILE: I think it is correct.

MR DA SILVA: If you look further at Exhibit M1, you will see there is a further point, marked C.  Is that the Trek garage where the armed vehicles retreated to?

VINCENT KHANYILE: Yes, I can see.

MR DA SILVA: Could you estimate the distance between point H and point C?

VINCENT KHANYILE: I think it is about 400 metres.

MR DA SILVA: On crossing the foot bridge, how many people in uniform did you see, can you remember?

VINCENT KHANYILE: I saw the soldiers' vehicle and also soldiers were at the back of the vehicle.  I could see their hats, the camouflage hats or the plastic hats, or whatever.
	I could only see by the way they were dressed and what was clearly visible, was their heads.

MR DA SILVA: The question was how many people do you recall seeing in uniform?

VINCENT KHANYILE: I will say there were two who came to the office to speak to Mr Mthembu.  I saw these two men, they were wearing uniform.

MR DA SILVA: The question is how many people did you see when you were crossing the pedestrian bridge at the Trek garage, how many people did you see in uniform?

VINCENT KHANYILE: I didn't see.