Amnesty Hearings — Palm Ridge — 1998-11-24

DUMA MOSES NKOSI: (s.u.o.)   Thank you.  What I was trying to highlight here something that we almost left out is with reference to the assistance that we got from the independent board of enquiry.  This was an organisation that was formed by different SACC members or churches.  We had the Archbishop Tutu and Alex Boraine and Sheena Duncan.  I am raising this because this organisation helped us out quite a lot in our area, are sixteen people where it was necessary during the violent times.  I am raising this because it is important for people to know that everything that we did, gathering information so that it could be presented here.  We managed to do this with the help of Sally Sele because we used to bring her in and she also gathered information from other people.  I am raising this simply because we had problems because we could not find legal assistance timeously where necessary and she was able to secure some legal representation for some of us and we also enjoyed a great deal of assistance in terms of her liaison with the police so that we could meet and I can also say that many things that I have said here, like reference to the 32 Battalion in Phola Park, she also helped us out quite a lot here.  We also had medicine that we used to attend to some of our members who got injured and she also referred to people who could help us with counselling.
	Another important thing is that when we investigated the involvement of the police we had Jan Munnik who was a Wits police reporting officer in charge of reporting matters pertaining to the involvement of the police in these area.  Here he also played an important part.  Another thing here is that in October 1994 we were trying to dismantle the self defence units but we were not as successful in our efforts. Be that as it may, we managed to hand over firearms, some of which we had collected from our members.  This appears in Annexure 5.  Yes, we were not as successful as we meant to be but yes she had a hand in making sure that these arms are given to the police in Thokoza.
	And lastly it should be known that in all our endeavours to fill in the amnesty applications, yes she also played a part here, assisting some of us in filling in these forms.  That is why we were able to bring many people forward, people who filled in these application forms.  Thank you very much.

CHAIRPERSON: Anything else Mr Sibeko?

MR SIBEKO: None Mr Chairman, thank you.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR SIBEKO

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.   Mr Nkosi, thank you very much for your assistance and your testimony and at least giving us a better idea about, amongst other things, the lay out of the area that we are looking at.  We thank you very much.  You are excused from further attending here, we know that you have to participate in the proceedings in front of some of our colleagues in Vosloorus, but we thank you for your assistance and you are excused.
WITNESS EXCUSED

CHAIRPERSON: Now Advocate Steenkamp, we had the question of an inspection in loco in the Thokoza area.  Is there any other witnesses that we can hear at this stage or are we in a position to proceed and deal with the inspection?

ADV STEENKAMP: Mr Chairman, the preliminary arrangements was not only because of the testimony for Mr Nkosi but it was actually endeavoured that he will be testifying during this week.  The other applicants will probably be, will definitely be here tomorrow.  My learned colleague will present them tomorrow as well but for today I am informed that there is no other witnesses that will be called.  I will definitely not be calling any witnesses for today.  The necessary practical arrangements were made as well as with the Department of - the Minister of Safety and Security as well.  Some of his personnel is actually here so it's up to you Mr Chairman, it's absolutely in your hands to decide if you want to do the inspections later today and all the practical arrangements are in order.  There was only the request I think for Mr Nkosi that he will not personally take part in the pointing out but the necessary personnel is here to assist you.  Thank you Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Advocate Steenkamp.   Yes well under those circumstances we would proceed to do the inspection in loco.  It makes sense to us to do that as early as possible in these proceedings and it also makes sense to do it as close as possible to the testimony of Mr Nkosi which is touched upon, at least some of those aspects so would you please just make the necessary arrangements and notify us in which case we will adjourn to the inspection and after completion of that we will reconvene here tomorrow morning as close to 9 o'clock  as possible.  I know that there are sometimes some problems in getting to the venue, problems with traffic and so on, so we will endeavour to start as close to 9 o'clock as we possibly can.  We will adjourn to the inspection and we will reconvene here tomorrow morning.

ADV STEENKAMP: As you wish, thank you Mr Chairman.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS