Amnesty Hearings — Johannesburg — 1999-02-02

MR SHANE: Can you explain why did you get involved in the murder of Jabulane Dube?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: I am a resident of Penduka section and during the time of the violence I fled to Tokoza Gardens.  That is where we started forming our own SDU's.  These SDU's were already in existence in Slovo and other parts.

MR SHANE: When you fled Penduka section, can you tell what happened to your home?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: I am the one who fled first.

CHAIRPERSON: Why did you flee?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: It was on a Sunday, I was sitting outside at the gate and one IFP member came carrying a megaphone, calling us to a meeting, and we argued.  From there I started insulting Inkatha, his leader Mangosuthu, or should I say Gatsha Buthelezi.  He then left and came back in the company of other men.  They could have been five or four if I'm not mistaken.  I went into the house and they could not make out whether I was a member of the household or not, and one neighbour who was in bad terms with ourselves informed them about us.  He fled to Nelspruit.

ADV GCABASHE: Sorry, I just missed something.  Your neighbour informed the IFP members that what?  What did he inform them of?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: He told them that the boy that was insulting them at the gate was stays in that house, the one that was that they were staying next to, it was just the front opposite the front of the house.

MR SHANE: Now in 1993, is that when Jabu was murdered?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes.

MR SHANE: Can you remember the month?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: I cannot remember the month but there was going to be a march to Inyoni Park.  I'm not sure if it was the 21st of March.  I cannot remember the month, but I know there was going to be a march on the 21st, that would be on a Monday and my brother was injured on the 20th.

ADV GCABASHE: Where was the march going to?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: The march was going to Inyoni Park.  It was to protest against the stability unit.

ADV GCABASHE: Now I, we have been told of Kalanyoni as one of the residents of one of the hostels in the area.  Has that got anything to do with Inyoni Park?  Just help me with those two names.

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Inyoni Park is on the way, is a park next, on the way to Vosloorus.

MR SHANE: Right, now is it correct that you had certain information that Jabu Dube was to be found in a certain tavern?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes, that is correct.

MR SHANE: And why, and you explain why was it so important for you to find Jabu?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: In our place of resident, Penduka, we couldn't trust other residents, other comrades, and this person was not safe among the members of ANC.

MR SHANE: What did you know about Jabu Dube, as being your enemy?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Jabu was informer, IFP informer.

MR SHANE: How did you know this?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: It happened several times he took a gun, a firearm from one of the comrades and the firearm got lost, and he's the one who told the IFP members about there was a tavern at Madondo Street, he pointed out to the IFP members, he pointed out the ANC members to the IFP members who were in that tavern.

MR SHANE: And did anything happen as a result of that pointing out?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: The problem started there and the other comrades are not here today, because even during the patrols at Selby Street at about ten, or between ten and eleven during the patrolling, we found the IFP members patrolling and we were on the other side of the ANC, also patrolling.

MR SHANE: Right, now you went to a certain tavern, can you remember the name of the tavern?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Which tavern is that?

MR SHANE: This is the tavern where you went to look for the deceased, Jabu Dube.

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: That is Blue Note, the name of the tavern.

MR SHANE: Where is it?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: It is in Vergenoeg.

MR SHANE: Is Vergenoeg right next to Tokoza township?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes it is in Tokoza.  It is in Tokoza.

MR SHANE: Now you went to this tavern, were you alone?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: No.  The other SDU members were there.

MR SHANE: Can you remember their names?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: I cannot remember their last names but I can remember their first names.

MR SHANE: Will you give their first names please?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Johannes Mduduzi, Johannes and Mduduzi.

MR SHANE: ...(inaudible) are those the only ones?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Can you just repeat that please.

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Johannes and Mduduzi.

MR SHANE: Right, this person Beki Dube, Jabu Dube sorry, did you know him before?  Was he a friend of yours?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes he was once a friend of mine.

MR SHANE: Tell what happened when you saw him in the Blue Note tavern.

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: It was on a Sunday, we were at a meeting at Kathlele School.  He was there in that meeting.  We were going to discuss his case.  We were expecting him to come and explain his position.  There was a disturbance in that meeting to such an extent that that attempt was not successful.  He left and he was told not to go.  The decision was then taken that whenever he's found he should be killed.  Whenever he is found should be killed.

MR SHANE: Who took that decision?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: That was taken by the commanders in a meeting.

MR SHANE: Can you name any of the commanders.

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: The first commander is no more, the second one Ncosi, I don't know his surname.

MR SHANE: And the one that is no more, that means dead I presume, what was his name?  What was the name of the commander who is no more?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: The name of the commander was Thabo Sibeko.
...(inaudible section on tape)

MR SHANE: So you were acting on orders ...(intervention)

CHAIRPERSON: We didn't get the second name.

MR SHANE: Can you repeat the name of the commander.

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Thabo Sibeko is the name of the commander.

CHAIRPERSON: That's the deceased?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes, that is correct.

MR SHANE: What was the name of the other commander, just for completeness?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Ncosi.

CHAIRPERSON: Spelled

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: N C O S I.

MR SHANE: N C O N S I?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: N C O S I.

CHAIRPERSON: Make up your minds.

MR SHANE: Now you, when you went to the Blue Note did you have information that Jabu Dube was there?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes, I had seen him there.

MR SHANE: You had seen him there, and you had also been given orders that he has to be killed?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes, that is correct.

MR SHANE: Explain what happened when you saw the deceased, Jabu, in the Blue Note tavern.

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: I went inside the Blue Note tavern.  The other group was waiting outside, SDU members, the group was waiting  outside and I got inside because he knew me very well, and I called him outside.  I left, we went to a circle, we took him with.  We took him to a place that was behind the stadium

MR SHANE: So in other words you went into the tavern because he knew you, he used to be your friend, and he would have left with you?  Was that the reason you went into the tavern?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: Yes, that is correct.

CHAIRPERSON: Did he come freely?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: When we disappeared through the passage that was between the house and the fence I had already told the soldiers that the person I would appear with, they should know that that is the person.  And when we appeared the comrades had already pointed him with guns.

CHAIRPERSON: Did he come freely with you out of the tavern, or did you have to force him to come out?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: I did not force him.

CHAIRPERSON: He came with you because you were, were a decoy?  Did you make him believe that he was coming with a friend?

SIDNEY VINCENT NKOSI: He did not know that there was a plan for him when he came.