Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
FIVE people were this week refused amnesty and six others granted. The 11 applicants had recently appeared before the amnesty committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission at hearings in different parts of the country, applying for a variety of offences ranging from bombings to murder.
The applicants whose applications for amnesty was turned down by the committee are Phillip Faizel Malefane who is serving a life prison term for his role in the armed robbery of a Fidelity Guard van at the Stilfontein Mine in July 1991 where a guard was killed and money stolen.
Malefane claimed to be a trained APLA member and that he committed the crimes to raise funds for the PAC. Committee found that he committed the robbery for personal gain and turned down his application. He had appeared before the amnesty committee in Mayfair Johannesburg on 2nd November 1998.
Two other applicants who were refused amnesty are Borowsky Phumelele Masilela and George Sapele (40) who both claimed to be APLA members when they appeared before the committee in Johannesburg on 2nd November 1998.
They were applying for their role in the murder of a prison warder during a jail-break at a Krugersdorp Prison on 25th March 1992. Committee failed to find political objective in the offence and duly refused them amnesty.
Michael Kgiba Mofokeng (33) serving a 27-year prison term and Nkosinathi Nkabinde (38) serving life in jail also claimed to be APLA and that they were furthering the aims of the organisation when they murdered Mr Diederick Jacobs during a robbery at his Parktown North home in Johannesburg on 16th January 1994 and also for the armed robbery of the Stanton family at their home in Parkview Johannesburg two days later. The committee refused to grant them amnesty for these offences.
Amnesty was granted in the following cases, Andile Shiceka (29), Falibango Walter Thanda (38) and Gcinekhaya Makoma (22) self-defence units members who were involving in bombing incident in Khayelitsha station in December 1992 where Jan Bambo was killed and a number of other people injured.
Thabelo Patrick Maseko was also granted amnesty for the murder of Fransisco de Sousa and attempt on the life of Joao Jardin in Westonaria in November 1990. Thulasizwe Philemon Moses Cele an ANC member was granted amnesty for the murder of fellow ANC member Shadrack Lindela Zulu in Ixopo in KwaZulu/Natal in July 1993. Maseko told the committee that Zulu a fellow SDU member of the ANC had defected to the IFP and at the time of his murder had formed part of the group of IFP supporters killing ANC members in the area.
The other applicant who was granted amnesty is Sonkalana Moses Mabhena (35) who applied for the attemped murder of Sergeant Jan van Zyl in KwaThema near Springs in November 1992 and for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
For more information contact TRC Media Director, MDU LEMBEDE on 082 458 8464