2 June 2000
THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
Amnesty Decision
The Amnesty Committee of Truth and Reconciliation Commission today has granted amnesty to a former commander of Vlakplaas Unit Eugene De Kock, several former high ranking security police officers and junior officers for taking part in six incidents involving killings, assaults and abductions of anti apartheid activists in the 1980's.
The group was granted amnesty for killings and abductions of members of the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress during raids in Swaziland, Botswana and inside the country. Granted amnesty with De Kock are former Commissioner of Police and head of security police General Johannes Van Der Merwe and Brigadier Willem Schoon for offences related to the conspiracy to kill the members of the ANC unit known as " September Machinery " and the killing of Pantsu Smith, Sipho Dlamini and Busi Majola at Fountains, Mbabane in Swaziland on December 13 in 1986.
Also granted amnesty with De Kock for the same offence in Swaziland are Douw Willemse, Ignatius Coetzee, Willem Coetzee, Lodewyk De Jager, Marthinus Van Wyngard, Anton Pretorious, Schalk Visser, Christo Deetlefs, Paul Van Dyk and Frederick Pienaar. All applicants were members of the security police under the command of Van Der Merwe, Schoon and De Kock.
The second incident relate to the killing of Zwelinzima Nyanda and Keith McFadden in Mbabane in Swaziland in 1983 and 1984 respectively. Granted amnesty with De Kock and Schoon for Nyanda and Mc Fadden's killings are Almond Nofemela, Chritiaan Rorich, Paul Van Dyk, Frederick Pienaar and James Van Zweel.
Nyanda is a former commander of Umkhonto We Sizwe responsible for the Natal machinery and is the younger brother of the Chief of the South African National Defence Force, General Siphiwe Nyanda. The applicants claimed the deceased were involved in the planning and conspiracy to kill law abiding South African citizens.
The applicants were also granted amnesty for using false passports, illegal crossing of the border and illegal possession of weapons, arms and ammunition. Nyanda's mother, wife and McFadden's sister were referred to Reparation and Rehabilitation Committee for consideration.
The third incident was planning, abduction, assault and killing of an askari Goodwill Sikhakhane on January 29, 1991 in Greytown. Granted amnesty with De Kock for Sikhakhane's killing are David Brits, Jahannes Swart, Willem Nortje, Lawrence Hanton, Andrew Taylor (deceased) and Johannes Steyn.
Sikhakhane had become an askari during 1988 after defecting from the ANC who were apparently intent on sending him to Angola due to disciplinary problems. The applicants assisted Sikhakhane and his wife to enter the country unlawfully and was later killed.
The fourth incident De Kock got amnesty for was being accessory after the facts to culpable homicide of an askari Pumelelo Moses Ntehelang at Vlakplaas in 1989. De Kock, Leon Flores, Douw Willemse, Andries Van Heerden,Izak Bosch, Johann Tait, Martinus Ras, Wilhelm Bellingam, Adriaan Baker and Petrus Snyders all Vlakplaas unit members were also granted amnesty for defeating the ends of justice and desecration of a body.
De Kock was convicted of the accessory after the fact to culpable homicide and sentenced to twelve years imprisonment. In the case of De Kock he also asked for amnesty for fraud consequent upon the arrangement that he made the deceased salary paid to his mother to cover Ntehelang's disappearance.
The fifth incident De Kock and seven other applicants were granted amnesty for conspiracy and murder of the Chand family in Botswana in 1990. Killed during the Botswana operation were Sam Chand, Harija Chand, Redwan Chand Amina Chand Imran Chand and a security guard Poding Pule. The Chand's were PAC supporters in Botswana. Granted amnesty for the Chand's killings are all Vlakplaas unit members De Kock, Douw Willemse, David Brits, Willem Nortjie, Izak Bosch, Johann Tait, Nicholaas Vermeulen and Marthinus Ras.
The sixth incident De Kock and five Vlakplaas members got amnesty for, is the abduction, murder of Johannes Mabotha and desctruction of his body with explosives at Penge Mine near Burgerfort on October 4 1989. The mine was used by Vakplaas operatives with the knowledge and consent of its owners to conduct training excises for askaris and Vlakplaas members.
Granted amnesty for Mabotha's murder and abduction are De Kock, David Brits, Kobus Klooper,Daniel Snyman, Nicholaas Vermeulen and Leon Flores. The committee found that the applicants have met the requirements of the Act in that offences to which the applicants relate are acts associated with a political objective committed in the course of the conflict of the past.
The Committee added that the applicants have made full disclosure of all relevant facts.
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