Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
6 July 1998
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Amnesty Committee has granted amnesty to four African National Congress Youth League members for acts relating to an attack on a police station in the Vaal Triangle in 1992.
Sipho Steve Hlubi, 23; Thapelo Joseph Nyakane, 25; Molefi David Sekere, 26 and Mbuyiselwa Samuel Mnguni, 26 from Zamdela Location, Sasolburg attacked the Heilbron Police Station and disarmed two duty policemen on July 8, 1992.
The men claimed in their applications that the attack on the police station was in response to ANC's call for self defence structures to be set up in the townships following its 1991 national consultative conference. They further said the aim of the attack was to obtain weapons to be used by the SDUs.
No shots were fired in the attack and the men escaped with four firearms and a large quantity of ammunition. They were later arrested for robbery and sentenced to 2000 hours imprisonment.
Their applications for amnesty was dealt with in chambers as the offences for which amnesty is sought did not fall within the definition of gross human rights violation as specified in the TRC Act.
STEVE SIPHO HLUBI AM 4480/96 (ID. No. 750630 5347 08 9) THAPELO JOSEPH NYAKANE AM 4481/96 (ID. No. 730527 5708 08 4) MOLEFI DAVID SEKERE AM 4482/96 (ID. No. 720825 5584 08 0) MBUYISELWA SAMUEL MNGUNI AM 4483/96 (ID. No. 720411 5522 08 9)
DECISION BY THE AMNESTY COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF SECTION 20(1) OF THE PROMOTION OF NATIONAL UNITY AND RECONCILIATION ACT, NO. 34 OF 1995
The applicants are hereby being granted amnesty for:-
i) Robbery with aggravating circumstances at the Municipal Police Station, Heilbron.
ii) Illegal possession of firearms in contravention of Section 2 of Act 75 of 1969 on the 8th July 1992.
iii) Illegal possession of ammunition in contravention of Section 36 of Act 75 of 1969 on the 8th July 1992 to wit 20 x 9 mm cartridges and 39 x SSG shotgun cartridges.
Inquiries : Vuyani Green, 021-245161