Issued by: Ministry for Safety and Security
SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICES INVESTIGATION TASK UNIT
REF : 29/1/1 OFFICE OF THE UNIT COMMANDER ENQ : SUPT. MARION/sk 37 WESTMEAD RD TEL : 031-7006114 WESTMEAD FAX : 031-700505 07 January 1997
The Executive Director Independent Complaints Directorate PRETORIA 0001
ALLEGED OFFENCE : MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE INCHANGA :
KWA ZULU NATAL
1. On 30 December 1996 the writer was contacted by yourself to investigate allegations that the police at Inchanga were informed that an attack on the residents of Tin Town, Fredville was to take place and that the police had done nothing to prevent the attack
2. BACKGROUND
On the evening of 27/28 of December 1996 a group of males dressed in camouflage uniform as well as army browns attacked the Tin Town settlement of Fredville near Inchanga. During the attack 5 persons were killed and two persons were injured when gunmen opened fire on them. The attackers according to the evidence used rifles and pistols in the attack. The following dockets were registered at Inchanga:
Inchanga CR 82/12/1996 Attempted Murder Inchanga CR 83/12/1996 Murder Inchanga CR 84/12/1996 Murder Inchanga CR 85/12/1996 Murder Inchanga CR 86/12/1996 Murder Inchanga CR 87/12/1996 Murder Inchanga CR 88/12/1996 Attempted Murder
All these dockets were perused by the writer and there was and is no evidence to suggest that the police were fore warned of the attack. n Town area of Inchanga also proved fruitless as none of the residents make such allegations. In fact none of them had any information that such an attack was to take place.
4. Mr Blessed Gwala IFP MPP Kwa Zulu Natal was interviewed by yourself and he in fact denied that he had made such allegations. Further attempts to interview Mr Gwala proved fruitless as he is not available. His telephone at 0358-8744143 continually rings with no answer. You in fact informed me that Mr Gwala said that he merely reiterated that Mr Dumisani Makhaye had said (that the police knew of the attack and did not prevent it.)
5. Mr Dumisani Makhaye ANC MPP Kwa Zulu Natal was interviewed by the writer and he denied ever making such allegations. He in fact said that as far as he was concerned the police had done "sterling work" and that he was gong to release a press statement to that effect. He in fact released a press statement praising the police for the work they had done in the province (see photo copy of the press statement as per annexure "A"). Also find attached a general press statement (annexure "B") by the ANC in Kwa Zulu Natal regarding the Inchanga killings. Nowhere in this statement does he say that the police were aware of the attack.
6. Radio Zulu in the person of Cecil Msomi who apparently inter- viewed some of the people of the Inchanga area after the killings was also interviewed and questioned. He confirms that these allega- tions came from Mr Blessed Gwala. He also states that the other people he interviewed did not make allegations that the police knew about the attack. He however could not supply me with the names and addresses of these people.
A request was sent to him informing him to send out a broadcast over Radio Zulu inviting people who could assist with information in this investigation should contact The Executive Director of the Independent Complaints Directorate or Superintendent C R C Marion. (Copy of the request attached as per annexure "C" for your information).
7. In view of the above investigation no evidence suggests that the police had known of the attack, or were warned before the attack nor that they had any intelligence that an attack was to take place.
(signed) Superintendent UNIT COMMANDER: INVESTIGATION TASK UNIT C R C MARION