Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Three African National Congress members are applying for amnesty for the attempted murder of a policeman in a shooting at the Soekmekaar Police Station in the Northern Province on January 4, 1980.
The three applicants are Naphtal Manana, Sipho Magane and Petros Mashigo. They were all members of Umkhonto We Sizwe when they committed the offences.
The applicants applied for amnesty for attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The three claimed to have bombed and shot at the Police Station in order to encourage local residents to resist apartheid force removals.
Also applying for amnesty in the same hearing is Isaac Ntoka, a member of the ANC Youth League and SDU member, Percy Mdluli-Mhlongo. Ntoka is applying for amnesty for killing an unkown IFP member at Ratanda, Heidelberg on August 25, 1992. The applicant maintained that there had been fighting between the ANC and IFP camps.
Mdluli-Mhlongo is also applying for amnesty for murdering Job Mokgothi who was a policeman at the Protea Police Station. Also killed by Mdluli-Mhlongo was Jeremiah Mkwanazi. The applicant alleges that he killed Mkwanazi because he was a jackroller. Meanwhile, two APLA Cadres who is also applying for amnesty will be heard at the same hearing. Nqaba Xulu and Thomas Ramaila are both applying for amnesty for murder, attempted murder, housebreaking and illegal possession of a firearm. Xulu an APLA section commander shot and killed a police officer, Daniel Khoza. Ramaila entered a farmer's house armed with a handgun, shot and killed, Neville Rudman of Pulfontein. The applicants maintains that in killing Rudman he was implementing the PAC slogan - "Kill the boer, Kill the farmer".
The hearing will be held at the JISS Centre, Mayfair, Johannesburg as from August 31 to September 3, 1999.
Inquiries: Phila Ngqumba - 082 458 8463.
26 August 1999