Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Committee
18 May 2001
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's amnesty committee today has granted amnesty to the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry Ronnie Kasrils for causing bomb explosions in and around Durban between 1961 and 1963.
Kasrils as part of the Umkhonto we Sizwe High Command in Natal blew Durban Municipal Pass Office. Bomb offices of the Security Police, Bata Shoe Company. Destroyed electric pylons, theft of dynamite from road construction company. Damaged a goods train with petrol bombs and the explosion at the Durban Central Post Office.
The applicant was also granted amnesty for infiltrating trained cadres into South Africa. He also infiltrated weapons and trained cadres into South Africa as part of the Vula Operation which was aimed at strengthening the ANC underground structures inside South Africa in 1990 and 1994.
Kasrils also supplied arms and established self defence units in various parts of South Africa. The committee found that Kasrils's action constituted acts associated with political objective and has made full disclosure.
The committee also granted amnesty to four ANC cadres for bombing Ellis Park Stadium and killing Linus Mare and Clive Clucas in July 1988. Aggie Shoke, Harold Matshididi, Lester Dumakude and John Dube were also granted amnesty for the attempted murders of 37 rugby supporters.
Five ANC underground operatives in Durban were granted amnesty for causing explosions, training people inside the country and causing an explosion at Amichand Rajbansi's house and blowing of Chartsworth Magistrate court in December 1985. Granted amnesty for these incidents were Vejaynand Ramlakan, Derek Naidoo, Dhanpal Naidoo, Junde Francis, David Madural, Richard Vallihu and Sibongiseni Dlomo.
Major General Abraham Joubert, Commanding Officer of the Special Forces of the South African Defence Force (SADF) was granted amnesty for forcefully releasing of Charles Sebe at Middledrift Prison. Abram Kendal was granted amnesty for his orders to attack the home of Rev Alan Hendricks in Uithage. In October 1988.
Meanwhile a former Vlakplaas unit member, Adriaan Baker and former security policeman, Willem mentz, were granted amnesty for the explosion of a limpet mine at Athlone Post Office and malicious damage to an automatic teller machine at a brance of First National Bank in Claremont in August 1989. Another security police member Simon Radebe was granted amnesty for his participation in giving military training to a group of IFP members at Ulundi in Kwazulu-Natal in 1993.
Phila Ngqumba 021- 4238741/4245161