Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
20 NOVEMBER 1998
The Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission this week granted amnesty to seven people, who are members of different political organisations and who committed a variety of offences, ranging from murder to possession of explosives and the bombing of offices of the Independent Electoral Commission before the 1994 elections.
Mduduzi Remember Ndlovu (27), a former KwaZulu Police constable and IFP member, who appeared before the amnesty committee in Pinetown last month, was granted amnesty for the murder of a former colleague in the police force, Sibusiso Gumede near KwaMashu in April 1991. Ndlovu said he had information that Gumede was secretly supplying weaponry to ANC activists.
John Harold Jeffery (35) was granted amnesty in respect of causing malicious damage to property by spraying political slogans on a bus terminal in George, in the Cape in December 1985. He was convicted for this offence in February 1986.
Pieter Stephanus Albertus Nel (42) a member of the Afrikaner Weerstandbeweging (AWB), was granted amnesty in connection with planting a home-made bomb at the Calvary Church School in Nelspruit in January 1992. he told the committee that he was protesting against the school's decision to become a racially mixed institution.
Mzwakhe Philemon Mndebele (30) an ANC youth league member was granted amnesty in relation to an incident where he was arrested for the unlawful possession of a firearm in Heidelberg in November 1992. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the offence.
IFP member, Makhanda Aaron Ndwalane (54) was granted amnesty for the offence of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition in the district of Port Shepstone on the KwaZulu/Natal South Coast in July 1992.
Josias Sunnyboy Mogashoa (33) active member of AZANLA the military wing of AZAPO got amnesty for the planting of plastic explosives at Kwaggarand Motors in Pretoria in October 1993, planting of T&T explosives at P.A.Swart Motors in Menlo Park in November 1993 and illegal possession of a pistol, handgrenade and detonators found on him in December 1993.
AWB member, Eduard Pieter Roux (36) was granted amnesty for the bombing of the offices of the IEC near Hoopstad, six days before the elections in April 1994. Roux said he was trying to scuttle the election process.
BY TRC MEDIA DIRECTOR, MDU LEMBEDE - 082 458 8464