Issued by: The Office of the President
The Office of the President would like to make the attached statements available to the media for easy reference. The statements have been made public before, but it is the view of the Office of the President that in the light of media enquiries related to the matter at hand, the information contained in the statements might prove to be of assistance in reporting on the events surrounding the subject.
Issued by the Office of the President
25 November 1997 For further information: Parks Mankahlana Tel: (012) 319-1512/7
Statement 1:
MEDIA STATEMENT
ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING KATIZA CEBEKHULU
President Nelson Mandela has noted reports regarding allegations by Mr Katiza Cebekhulu on how he left South Africa and his incarceration in Zambia.
The President wishes to underline that these allegations and others relating to the erstwhile so-called Mandela Football Club are currently the focus of an investigation by the Truth and Reconci- liation Commission. The President fully supports the current process initiated by the TRC's Amnesty Committee to establish the truth of these allegations. As such, he believes that it would be inappro- priate to take part in a parallel inquiry through the media or any other publication.
However, in response to media inquiries and for the record, the President wishes to make it clear that he did not arrange for Mr Cebekhulu to be taken out of South Africa or to be incarcerated in Zambia. The President did not meet Mr Cebekhulu in Zambia; and he does not have any recollection of ever having met him.
9 September 1997
For more information, contact: Joel Netshitenzhe 082-900-0083
Statement 2:
PRESS STATEMENT BY DR KENNETH KAUNDA 12 September 1997
My attention has been drawn to a documentary recently screened on public television in Britain and in South Africa regarding the case of one Katiza Cebekhulu, as well as the book published on the same day called "Katiza's Journey". The impression may have been created by an interview of myself and recorded in both the book and the film that I received a request personally from Mr Oliver Tambo on behalf of Mr Nelson Mandela to see to the holding in custody of Cebekhulu.
I must clarify that in fact I did not receive a direct communi- cation from Mr Oliver Tambo himself on this matter. It was govern- ment officials who informed me that they had received such a request from officials of Mr Tambo. I had then, in good faith, made the assumption that Mr Mandela had supported this inithat I have never received a direct or indirect message from Mr Mandela on this matter.