Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
10 June 1998
STATEMENT BY ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU, CHAIRPERSON, TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
More than 130 APLA/PAC operatives - half the PAC's total number of amnesty applicants - are about to have their applications declared invalid because of the failure of their party to help the TRC identify who they are and what acts they committed.
The applications concerned provide only the codenames and political affiliations of applicants. No real names or specifics of acts in respect of which amnesty is sought are given. Nor is there enough information to enable the staff of the Amnesty Committee to establish further particulars without help from the party.
In terms of the Act governing the granting of amnesty, the paucity of detail means their applications cannot be considered by the Committee.
The following steps have been taken to try to secure further particulars:
- A letter was sent to the Secretary-General of the PAC on November 26 last year, noting that a previous attempt to secure the necessary particulars had been unsuccessful, and urging him to help us by providing the outstanding information. The letter included the full list of amnesty applicants by code names. In addition, a list of the incomplete applications was handed over to an office bearer of the party;
- A reminder was sent on January 21 this year, with a copy of the November letter;
- We issued a public statement on the matter in February;
- At a meeting with the PAC leadership, including the President and Secretary-General of the party, in April, it was resolved that "the PAC will, in the next two weeks, furnish the Amnesty Committee with further particulars in respect of the list of incomplete applications that was handed to them;"
- Since that meeting we have sent further reminders, which have not been acknowledged. The Amnesty Committee is therefore, after more than six months, unable to identify the amnesty applicants.
The Commission has bent over backwards to help members of the PAC who have applied for amnesty. We have done so in order to compensate for the failure of their party to help them but we have gone as far as we can. I have asked the Amnesty Committee to hold off finalising the matter, but I yesterday gave instructions that if the further particulars are not supplied by the end of the week, it should dispose of the matter in terms of the provisions of the Act.
The Deputy Chairperson of the TRC, Dr Alex Boraine, informed the PAC President, Dr Stanley Mogoba, of this deadline this morning.
I am sorry to have to give an ultimatum, and to reveal this publicly, but I am tired of the Commission having to keep quiet about the PAC's lack of co-operation in the face of dishonest attacks on us by some among the PAC's leadership who appear to place political posturing above the interests of their members.
The names of those whose amnesty applications are involved are:
Apla High Command 57935, Shakes, Bazuka, Blackbox, Chris, Dlamini, Fats, Jabu, Jazz, Joe, Khabazela, Khan, L.T.D, Mancane, Martin, Mavovo, Mdlalose, Modondo, Nduna, Nkrumah, S'Bu, Senzo, Sifiso, Skepe, Typhoon, Upoqo, Vusi, Windela, Afrika, Babangida, Bekezela, Bhamjee, Bishop, Black Mambo, Bra, Bruce, Buhari, Buthelezi, C.T, Cap, Chris, Conclusion, Day-By-Day, Dubs, Dumazile, Gadafi, Grootman, Guru, J.J, James, Junior, Kalashnikov, Karl Marx, Lebakes, Lifa, Lovemore, Loyd, Lucky, Lucky, Lulu, Lumumba, Madoda, Mancane, Mao, Marley, Mary, Matshona, Matvumbo, Mbelebele, Mbongeni, Mchana, Mdishane, Mdu, Mike Tyson, Mkhize, Mntwana, Mohammed, Molotov, Motomoto, Mshengu, Mshishi, Musa, Mxo, Mze, Mzukisi, N.D, Ndabezitha, No-Peace, Nolundi, Professor, Rhee, Rockey, Russian Tank, Saai, Sabs, Sadat, Saddam Husseim, Sandra, Sandla, Sandlwana, Sankara, Scorpion, Scud Missile, Dumo, Seven Sgqi, Shaka, Shane, Shoes, Sipho, Slogan, Sonny, Stalin, Star, Starbo, Starlen, Suzukie, Tallman, Terror, Thaganyana, The Hammer, The Sting, Tinko, Titof, Tosh,Tsi, White, Wiseman, Zulu, Green Mamba, Malambo, Nosizwe, Themba.