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A th ird man has been arrested in connection with the incident outside former president Nelson Mandela's home on Tuesday in which an ex-soldier was shot dead, police said yesterday afternoon.

The man was arrested in Knysna in the Western Cape around 10pm on Tuesday, according to police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Selby Bokaba.

Questioning of the three men would continue at a Cape Town police station into the night, he said.

"Tomorrow (Thursday) morning, we will take the docket to the director of public prosecutions for a decision on whether or not to prosecute".

Police have 48 hours from the arrests of the men to charge them with a crime, or free them.

Bokaba would not provide information on the three men being questioned, except to say they were all Capetonians and were not employed by the SA National Defence Force.

He confirmed that the man shot dead outside Mandela's Bishopscourt home in Cape Town was former major, George Makume.

He had been demanding to see Mandela, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu or his successor Njongonkulu Ndungane.

He was shot after refusing to leave and pointing a gun at guards.

Two other people with Makume were apprehended at the scene.

Mandela was in Johannesburg at the time.

Makume had been dismissed from the SANDF for ill discipline, and was wanted for the theft of military weapons - one of which was recovered at the scene of Tuesday's shooting.

He is believed to be the same Pitso George Makume granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for offences ranging from weapons theft to attempted murder.

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula told journalists yesterday the former navy major had been dismissed after being absent without leave for three months and had been an "ill disciplined member of defence force".

On Monday the Free State police offered a R30 000 reward for information on the whereabouts of Makume, who allegedly robbed gate guards at the Sasolburg Commando of four assault rifles and 120 rounds of ammunition.

Research into his background revealed that Pitso George Makume had been granted amnesty in 2001 by the TRC for six offences.

According to a TRC document, he was at various times a member of the African National Congress (ANC) and the SA National Civics organisation but later switched to the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) because he found the ANC's policies too moderate.

He joined the SA Defence Force (SADF), the predecessor of the SANDF, in the early 90s to gather inside information and acquire military skills, but told the TRC the army was suspicious about his motives and attempts were made to frustrate him.

He was posted to De Aar in the Northern Cape where he was in "constant argument and conflict" with his superiors and spent time in detention barracks.

While there he had read about the PAC, which he said confirmed his decision to leave the ANC.

He said he started stealing arms and ammunition from the army but before he could smuggle them out he was discharged.

He later returned to the base armed with a knife to fetch them.

However, his hiding place was locked so instead, he assaulted a soldier at the ammunition depot and took his R4 rifle.

Makume was granted amnesty for, among other things, the attempted murder of JB Brits and two unknown dog unit police reservists in an attack in Sasolburg to prepare an Azanian People's Liberation Army, (APLA) unit he had formed, "for armed struggle".

APLA was the armed wing of the PAC. On that occasion he stole two firearms.

Makume also received amnesty for the attempted murder and kidnapping of JH Cronje of the Panama Farm near Bloemfontein and for pointing a firearm at Cronje's family and farm worker Petrus Mtimkulu.

He had worked at the farm previously and wanted the farmer's weapons.

He testified that he held the family at gunpoint and took money, five firearms and a vehicle "to strengthen the operational capacity" of the unit.

Makuma held the farm owner hostage during the getaway.

Nqakula said yesterday the police had not contravened the Criminal Procedure Act in shooting Makume as he had "cocked his weapon and approached them in a threatening manner". – Sapa.

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