Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1998-04-17

MR WILLS: "We were never arrested or prosecuted for the above incidents"?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Just to continue, I want you refer you to paragraph 138.  Can you just the describe the report you got as regards the Gabele's home incident?  You're free to refer to your affidavit, that's page 138.

MR WILLS: I was in my home at J2 where I stayed.  Mr Umbiasi came, that is the husband to Mrs Umbiasi.  He was accompanied by Lucky his son, also Siobonga in his company as well as Inkaneli Pumatenja.  They had guns with them, one shotgun, one AK47 and G3's two of them.  The two G3's were from the eSikhawini Police Station and they requested that I should try and clean them, do all in my power so that the investigation should not lead to these two guns and Mr Umbiasi explained this to me that they the previous night attacked the Gabele household and this house was at J2 along the road similar to that of Mrs Umbiasi and also that about four of five people died on that attack.

MR WILLS: Yes, your only possible role was to try and attempt then to cover up investigations which would lead to the arrest of the persons?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: You did not take part in these attacks or you didn't even know anything about them, is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: Just very briefly, I'm wanting to rush through the paragraph commencing at 139, the attack on the IFP councillor page 65 of the record, just to confirm that this involved incident where Mr G.L. Mkhize who was an IFP supporting person was shot, is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And he indicated to you that he had in fact been shot by members of the IFP?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: And that these persons were that same group that you referred to, the IFP youth - that's Sibonga Umbiasi, Umkaneli Pumatenja and Lucky Umbiasi?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And that these boys reported to you that they had also attacked a shebeen?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And that five people were killed at this shebeen?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And it appears to me that these boys, without your help, these boys conducted a reign of terror in eSikhawini around this time?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: And your main involvement was that you made sure that they were always armed and had firearms to conduct the operations?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: As regards that attack on the shebeen that you refer to in paragraph 140, you didn't have any involvement in this attack, you just got the report?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes that is correct.

MR WILLS: You did not plan the attack?  Is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Would you please repeat your question?

MR WILLS: I said you didn't plan this attack on the shebeen?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: No I did not.

MR WILLS: Now these boys also reported to you that as regards the attack on Mr G.R. Mkhize that that was a personal feud between certain persons, is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: Yes they were sent by Mrs Umbiasi.

MR WILLS: Okay, I - paragraph 142 concerns the distribution of firearms.  Now I think that the - do you confirm what's contained in that paragraph?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: I want to refer you to the conclusion in your affidavit which commences at page 143.  Now again here you sat in this hall before the community of eSikhawini and you've relayed countless instances where peoples lives would be shattered by your activities, is that correct?

ROMEO MBUSO MBAMBO: That is correct.

MR WILLS: I want you to explain to the community here how you feel about these incidents at this point in time?