Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
16 February 1998
Ten applicants, who are former senior police officers from the previous government, are to appear before the Amnesty Committee during a five-day hearing at Vista University, in Mamelodi - Pretoria, from Monday February 23 to Friday 27.
The applicants, who include former police commissioner, Johannes Velde van der Merwe, are seeking amnesty for offences arising out of the killing of ANC activist, Maisha Johannes Stanza Bopape in 1988.
Bopape's disappearance was one of the unsolved mysteries arising out of the detention without trial in the 1980's. Police claimed that Bopape had escaped from the custody of three policemen in the Vaal Triangle, while they were out on an investigation.
Five of the ten applicants who include Lt Col Adriaan Peter van Niekerk, Constable Hendrik Albertus Beukes Mostert, Constable Jacobus Hermanus Engelbrecht, Johan Ludwig du Preez and Major Charles Alfred Zeelie have applied for amnesty in respect of the killing of Bopape.
The policemen say Bopape was arrested in Hillbrow, Johannesburg and taken to John Vorster Square police headquarters in Johannesburg, on June 10 1988, where he was held without trial under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act. He was subsequently tortured and killed.
Two other applicants, Brigadier Schalk Visser and Captain Leon van Loggenberg have applied for amnesty for their role in the disposal of Bopape's body.
Three former police generals, General Gerrit Nicholas Erasmus, General Petrus Lodewikus du Toit and General Johannes Velde van der Merwe have applied for amnesty on charges of conspiracy and defeating the ends of justice for covering up the real reasons for Bopape's death.
All the applicants were either based at John Vorster Square in Johannesburg, Pretoria or Middelburg in Mpumalanga during the incident.
Judge Selwyn Miller will chair the Amnesty Comittee panel sitting in Mamelodi and Advocate Andre Steenkamp will be the evidence leader.
For more information or media accreditation please contact Mbulelo Sompetha on 082 452 7870.