Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
12 August 1997
STATEMENT ON AMNESTY HEARINGS IN BLOEMFONTEIN BY THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
The amnesty applications of 14 people are scheduled to be heard when the TRC's Amnesty Committee sits in Bloemfontein, Free State from August 25 to 29.
On Monday and Tuesday, August 25 and 26, the applications of Khululekani Lawrence Mbatha (39) and Walter Smiles (28) will come before the Committee. The applicants are not in prison, but applied for amnesty in respect of the death of Mr Ezekiel Mokone (19) during a protest march to the Bophuthatswana Consulate in Kimberley on 25 May 1993.
Mr Mokone died when a hand-grenade was tossed into the crowd of protesters. Forty-three (43) victims have been notified of the hearing. Advocate Jean Nel of Bloemfontein, a spectator, was badly injured.
Both Mbatha and Smiles claim in their applications to have been cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe.
(Two other people, Sipho Moses Mbaqa (32) and Darlington Nkosinathi Nkohla (28) were convicted of the murder of Mr Mokone and are serving prison sentences. They made statements to the TRC last year and appeared at a Human Rights Violations hearing in Kimberley last June, saying they were not guilty of the crime.)
The application of Patrick Tiro Seroalo (21) is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, August 27. He applied for amnesty for the death of Tsietsi Leboko on May 11, 1991 in Kroonstad on suspicion that he was a member of the "Three Million Gang", perceived as being anti-ANC.
Serealo was convicted of the murder in April 1992. Among his fellow accused was Johannes Paseka Mpondo, who was granted amnesty after a hearing in Kroonstad last year. Both said they were ANC members at the time of the incident.
Victims and two implicated persons have been notified by the Committee.
On Thursday, August 28, two applications will be heard in relation to offences of attempted murder, malicious damage to property and the illegal possession of arms and explosives. Velile William Mxhosana (26) and Lebohang May (28) were convicted of the attempted murder of four people, including policemen, in 1993. They claimed to have been under PAC/APLA command at the time and are serving prison sentences.
The applications of six people convicted of killing a farmer are scheduled to be heard on the same day, continuing until Friday, August 29. The applicants are: Petrus Thapelo Mohapi (27), John Moleleki Xhiba (24), Thabo Paulus Mtjikelo (34), John Nthoba Wa-Nthoba (35), Jacob Mabitsa (35) and Simon Thabang Olifant (27), all of Botshabelo.
Their applications arise from the murder of Mr John Smith and the attempted murder of his wife, Ms Rene Smith, on July 25, 1993 on the farm Wesselsdal in the Vanstadensrus area. They claim to have been members of the ANC Youth League at the time of the incident. They are serving prison sentences.
The hearings will take place at the Bloemfontein Education Centre, at 31 Deale Road, Bayswater, and start at 9 am daily.
For more information, call Christelle Terreblanche 082 458 8461.