Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
September 16, 1999
The Amnesty Committee of the TRC is to hear ten amnesty applications of ANC Special Operations Unit members for acts committed in KwaZulu Natal in the early 1980's, in Durban later this month.
The hearing is scheduled to take place from September 27 to October 15 at the Durban Christian Centre.
Amnesty applicants, Aboobaker Ismail (commander), Ernest Lekota Pule, Lester Dumakude, Johannes Mnisi, Robert McBride, Derrick McBride, Zahrah Nakerdien - previously Greta Appelgren, Edward Allan Pearce, Marcelle Trevor Andrews and Mathew Lercodier have applied for incidents of murder, sabotage of government installations and possessions of arms and ammunition in and around Durban from 1981 to 1986.
The first incident on January 10, 1986, involves the double bombing of an electrical sub-station in Jacobs near Durban in which one policeman, Bobby Wellman was killed. Wellman's other four colleagues suffered 90% burns when the second explosion rocked the sub-station.
Roelf Van Der Merwe, James Dunn, Dudley Booysens and Vincent Zimmerman went inside the station to investigate the first blast and were seriously injured when the second bomb went off.
Aboobaker Ismail and Robert McBride are the applicants for this incident.
On May 4, 1986, Mlungisi Buthelezi was killed during an attempt to rescue Gordon Webster, an MK member, who was under police guard at the Edendale hospital. Four other policemen, Linda Edward Ngcobo, Simphiwe Shange, Nkosinathi Nkabini and Johannes Hendrik Visagie were injured in a subsequent shootout.
Aboobaker Ismail, Robert McBride and his father Derrick McBride, Greta Applegreen and Mathew Lacordier are applicant in this matter. Robert McBride and Mathew Lacordier have applied for a grenade blast which damaged the house and injured Yuill Peter Klein and his wife Brenda Klein in Wentworth on May 5, 1986.
Five applicants, Aboobaker Ismail, Rober McBride, Zahrah Nakerdien - previously Greta Applegreen, Mathew Lacordier and Johannes Mnisi are seeking amnesty for detonating a bomb, near Magoos Bar/Why not Bar on the Durban beach front, killing 3 people and injuring 71 on June 14, 1986.
For more information : Mbulelo Sompeta - 082 452 7870