05 May 2000
The Amnesty Committee of the TRC will hear four different sets of amnesty application matters starting on Monday May 8 to 26 by former apartheid security policemen for their roles in the killings, bombings and torture of activists and non-political victims in the mid to late 1980's.
The matters will be heard in Pretoria at the Wesley Methodist Church.
Four applicants, Charles Zeelie, Andries Johannes van Heerden, Petrus Lodewikus du Toit, Gerrit Erasmus and Nicholaas Vermeulen have applied for amnesty for planting a bomb at the Why Not Bar in Hillbrow in September 22, 1988.
Thirteen people suffered serious injuries as a result of the explosion.
Varying reasons have been advanced by the applicants as to the motive of attack. The first is that, on of the applicants claimed the Limpet Mine attack was a revenge attack for an earlier bomb blast by the ANC at the Wimpy Bars in and around Johannesburg.
Another applicant claimed the reason was a revenge attack for the Vanderbyl Bus Terminus bomb attack by the ANC. And another believed the attack on the Bar to have been an attempt to give the ANC a taste of their own medicine.
Those injured in the attack included, Wendy Bhunde, Nontlantla Shaba, Thomas Ngema, Thulani Gumede, Audrey Tsolo, Zolile Zwane, Virginia Tsotetsi, Manuel Langa, Simon Sithole, Justice Tshaka, Gibson Hlatshwayo, Joseph Malebane and Michael langa.
In the second matter, two former security police officers, Phillip Johannes Loots and Marthinus Ras will have their amnesty applications heard for killing Richard and Irene Motasi in Hammanskraal on December 1 1987.
The applicants claim that they killed Richard Motasi who was a policeman because it was suspected he was relaying information to the Zimbabwean Security and ANC. Mamasela, Brigadier Jacob Le Roux and Colonel Koos Klopper have been implicated. Jacques Hechter and Paul Van Vuuren have been granted amnesty for the murder of Richard but not for Irene.
Sampina Hendrik Bokaba has applied for his role in the killing of an unknown ANC cadre in Bophuthatswana date unknown. The man was killed after he refused to co-operate with a former security policeman Jacque Hechter who was interrogating the man while driving in a Kombi to Bophuthatswana.
He strangled the man with a wire around his neck and later necklaced with a burning tyre. Jacque Hechter and Paul Jacobus van Vuuren have already been granted amnesty for this incident without revealing the name of the deaceased. Joe Mamasela and Danny Selahle have not applied for amnesty for the incident although they have been implicated.
In another incident, Sampina Hendrik Bokaba has applied for torturing Scheepers Morudi while detained at Kameeldrift Prison. Other policemen who participated in Morudi's assault and torture include Jacque Hechter, Paul Van Vuuren and Danny Selahle who did not apply for amnesty.
For more information call Mbulelo Sompetha at 082 452 7870.
Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission