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~Cl154b 124·

Independent Boord of Inquiry Into Informal Repression

~ [011) 403325617 fOll (011)403·1366

REPORT OF THE IBIIR FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 1990.

1. Th e Harms Commission .

The Harms Commission has stated that it has

finished hearing evidence on the activities of the

Civil Co-operation Bureau and the alleged Hit Squad of

the South African Police based at Vlakplaas. Lawyers

acting for the IBIIR and other parties will present

argument on these issues to the Commission in August.

The IBIIR made an important breakthrough at the

Commission when it produced documents proving that an

alleged member of the Vlakplaas hit squad, Joe

Mamasela, had crossed the border into Botswana with

former police captain Dirk Coetzee and self-confessed

hit squad member Butana Almond Nofemela in November

1981, on the same day that A N C members were attacked

at a house in Gaborone. The registration number of the

vehicle that the three were driving in, according to

the border records,

~AICrl~~ (),Ae.EIct(J~ -'lRev :w~9.;!t'E!Ie.l:1 ~ lJctyr.:torrer D"Frcnk~

.' " I()'l .ur n ""r ::iheeI'¥l A.rco'"l Mf 'e:er H:Jf! s Mr Ere t<.AlICO Br ~ PIe!P.f!ie

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was found to belong to the Security branch of the South

African Police in Pretoria. Both Mamasela, who is still

based at Vlakplaas, and a former commanding officer at

Vlakplaas, Lt col Jan coetzee, had previously testif ied

under oath that Nofemela had never met either Dirk

Coetzee or Almond Nofemela in 1981 and that he had not

carried out any operations in Botswana. One of the

women who was shot at and wounded on the 26th November

1981 raid, Joyce Dipale, had told the Botswana Police

at the time that one of the men who shot at her in the

clandestine raid was Joseph Mamasela. Press clippings

referring to this evidence are attached to this report .

The IBIIR also obtained evidence confirming an incident

referred to by Dirk Coetzee, when two lorries and a car

were burnt out in the Eastern Cape town of Rhodes. The

Board submitted affidavits by Peter Slingsby and

Andrew Grewer to the Harms Commission,

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stating that they were present when a lorry belonging

to Robert Sacco and a Volkswagen Beetle belonging to

Grewer were set alight during the night in September

1981. A lorry belonging to a local farmer that was

parked in front of Mr Sacco's lorry, was also burnt

out.

C C B manager Joe Verster admitted in his evidence to

the Commission that an "emergency action planll was

activated to get rid of vital files relevant to the

Commission. He told the Commission that internal

project files were moved to a safe place as there were

fears for the safety of C C B operatives and their

families. The files have since disappeared. Although

the information contained in these files could be vita l

to the Commission for finding the truth about the CCB,

the files could not be found and have not been

submitted as evidence before the Commission. This has

the effect that Judge Harms has to make a finding about

the activities of the C C B without having had access

to any of the reports, project files or minutes of

meetings of the organisation from 1980 to 1985.

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In a new development that could mean that the Harms

Commission would still sit for a considerable time,

Counsel for the South African Police handed in an

affidavit and annexures totalling more than 1 600 pages

detailing allegations of killings by African National

Congress members.

c ouncil for the I B I I R handed in a list of 265

incidents of acts of violence directed against

political organisations and activists to the Harms

Commission. Members of the Board have expressed

concern, should vital witnesses such as Defence

Minister General Magnus Malan not be called to give

evidence before the Commission concerning these

incidents. The Board has called upon the Harms

commission to investigate these incidents fully and, i n

the words of President de Klerk, to "cut to the bone "

in finding the truth.

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2. The Hiemstra Commission

The Hiemstra Commission of Inquiry into the spy network

of the Johannesburg City Council Security Department

has finished hearing oral evidence. Argument was

presented on the evidence and Mr Justice Hiemstra is

expected to make his findings towards the end of July.

According to the Johannesburg city Treasurer, giving

evidence at the Commission, the spy-network activities

of the City Council cost ratepayers at least 1,7

million Rand. Further evidence indicates that no

apparent effort was made to account for the spending

by way of proper bookkeeping.

One of the spy handlers, John Egan, testified that he

gathered information on the End Conscription Campaign

and that he passed this on to Military Intelligence.

He also admitted frequently visiting a Military

training farm near Johannesburg.

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The Commission had heard earlier that Council Security

officials formed part of a Military team involved in

assaults upon trade unionists and other anti apartheid

activists, in Soweto among other places .

At a public meeting in Johannesburg on 27th June, a

resolution was adopted to call upon the Town Clerk af

Johannesburg to resign. The Government was also called

upon to disband the C C B and the S A piS Vlakplaas

squad

other activities of the IBIIR.

The Board hosted a successful briefing for members of

the Press and the Diplomatic Corps . Professor John

Ougard, Archbishop Tutu's special representative on the

Board, said that the Government should extend the terms

of reference of the Harms Commission to include

cross-border raids. He said this would be the only way

the full extent of the Hit Squad's activities could be

ascertained.

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Dr Max Coleman also appealed to the Government to halt

current operations of the C C B. The head of the C C 8,

Lt General Eddie Webb, had testified at the Harms

Commission that the C C B is still involved in about

200 projects .

Brian Currin also mentioned the fact that of the more

than 200 C C B members operating in the country, the

identities of only about 7 people were known. He

further criticized the fact that C C B members have

been allowed to testify at the Commission in disguise

and under false names.

Professor Laurie Ackermann, acting as Chairperson, said

that the surgeon's scalpel which the Harms Commission

should have been, has been blunted. Professor Ackermann

referred to the restrictions placed on the Commission

and to the fact that C C B internal project files had

not been submitted to the Harms Commission despite an

order from the Chief of the SAD F. Peter Harris

called on Defence Minister General Magnus Malan to

testify at the Commission and to explain what has

happened to the missing documents.

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Members of the Board also met with members of the

United Nations Delegation visiting south Africa. The

Delegation was briefed on the activities of the C C B

as well as the activities of the Vlakplaas squad .

4. The Goldstone Commission

The Goldstone Commission, which was appointed to report

on violent incidents in the Vaal Triangle Townships on

26/3/90, when police opened fire on marchers and at

least 12 people were killed, drew to a close after

sitting for 22 working days. Advocate J J du Tait,

representing the Attorney General's office, made a

recommendation that the deaths of the 12 people should

be referred to the Attorney General for further

investigation. Mr Justice R Goldstone will present his

report to state President F W de Klerk within the next

few weeks.

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Advocate George Bizos, appearing for the families of

the dead and injured, submitted that some of the

policemen responsible for lI unl awful killing" and

inflicting serious injuries should be charged. The

legal team submitted that it was significant that most

of the 12 dead and 280 injured sustained wounds on

their backs, and backs of their heads, while those

policemen who sustained minor injuries required no

medical attention.

The Parsons commission

The Parsons Commission of Inquiry into unrest in Kwa

Ndebele in 1986 has heard further evidence of police

corroboration with the Homeland Authorities against

residents of the territory and of gross misuse of

funds.

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Mr Nicholas Masilela testified that he saw, in 1987,

how his son was shot by a youth accompanied by a

special constable of the Kwa Ndebele police. He went to

the police station to report the incident, but the

police refused to take a statement from him. He was

informed that Brigadier Hertzog Lerm, then

Commissioner of the Kwa Ndebele police, and Mr George

Mahlangu, then Chief Minister of the territory, already

knew of the murder.

The Commission also heard that Brigadier Lerm gave

orders to buy )0 luxury cars for the police and that a

car similar to his own had to be hired out of a

special fund. The Quarter-Master of the Kwa Ndebele

police testified that Rll 100 was used for a farewell

party for Brigadier Lerm.

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6. More Hit Squad Claims

A Bophuthatswana security policeman, caught monitoring

an opposition party rally near Vryheid in the

territory, said in a statement that a Hit Squad was

operating in the Homeland. Constable Anthony Plaatjie

said in his statement that the Hit Squad is referred t o

as "red squad". Constable Plaatjie said he was

operating with the full knowledge of the South African

Police. He said that he was attached to the

Bophuthatswana Special Branch and that they were

entrusted with the monitoring of opposition political

groupings, and that every meeting that has been held in

the territory is known to Bophuthatswana President

Lucas Mangope .

The I B I I R took a statement from a death row

prisoner in Bophuthatswana earlier this year in which

claims about a Hit Squad operating in the territory

were also made. The prisoner claimed to have been

involved in a petrol bomb attack on Mr Sam Motsuenyane,

President of the National African Federated Chamber of

Commerce,

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and in the assassination of Brigadier Andrew Molope,

who was allegedly a former Commander of the Hit Squad.

He alleged that Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, General

Secretary of the Institute for Contextual Theology, wa s

also on the Hit list.The Board has investigated certain

of these claims and is of the opinion that certain o f

them are untrue.

7 . Growth of the Rightwing

The growth of the far Rightwing in South Africa has

been dramatically underscored by recent developments .

After a former security policeman, Jannie Smith,

infiltrated Rightwing circles on the East Rand, the

Afrikaans weekly Vrye weekblad exposed a Rightwing plot

to kill A N C Deputy President Nelson Mandela,

President F W de Klerk and various cabinet ministers

and political leaders, perceived as Leftwing by the

AWB.

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Smith, who was approached by the A W B to carry out the

assassination of Mandela, was informed that Kandela was

to be assassinated at Jan Smuts Airport on his return

from his overseas trip. A .303 rifle with "dum dum"

bullets was to have been used.

An important link between the C C B and the Rightwing

emerged from Smith's revelations. Smith, who made tape

recordings of these meetings with the Rightwingers,

said that the plot against Mr Mandela was outlined by

Gary Cornish, a former Major in the SAD F, who

claimed to be a member of the C C B and to have worked

with C C B operative Calla Botha . Cornish allegedly

claimed that there was co-operation between the C C B

and the A W a, and that he had access to 500 Rl ri f l e s,

100 9mm pistols and seven RPG7 rocket launchers .

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Eleven well-known rightwing activists on the East Rand

were detained for a night and questioned by Police

following the claims. Among those detained were

Boksburg city councillor T J Ferreira and 77 year old

Heinrich Beissner, who was named as a military

commander of the A W B and a former officer in the

German SSe All those questioned were released the next

day_

In another development the fugitive deputy leader of

the Boerestaat Party, Piet Rudolph, sent a video

recording to an Afrikaans newspaper and a radio station

in which a "declaration of war ft on the Government is

contained. On the video, allegedly filmed on Rudolph' s

secret hide-out in the Transvaal, he appears in front

of the Transvaal Vierkleur Flag flanked by hooded,

arme d accomplices .

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Police have placed a reward of R50 000 on the head of

Hr Rudolph. The A W B said in its turn that anyone

betraying Rudolph would have a R50 000 price on his

head. The wit Wolwe and the Boereleer offered

RIOO 000 for the killing of Jannie Smith, Vrye

Weekblad's informant.

On Friday 22nd June, explosions rocked two National

Party offices on the Rand. commercial explosives were

used to set off the blasts in Auckland Park and

Roodepoort, within half an hour of each other late on

the Friday evening. National Party spokespersons have

blamed the Rightwing for the blasts .

A new Rightwing movement known as the

Boereweerstandsbeweging (8 W 8) was formed by former

AWB member Andrew Ford of Bethlehem. This movement is

supposed to be the military wing of the Boerestaat

Party.

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In Pretoria the Blanke Front (8 F) was formed by Oscar

Hartung, the leader of Magsaksie Afrikaner

Nasionalisme (M A N) to patrol the streets of the city.

A similar vigilante group was formed in

Bronkhorstspruit .

Three white men, including the Secretary of the A W B,

were arrested in connection with the bomb blast at the

historic Melrose House in Pretoria last month. The

three men who were held in terms of section 29 of the

Internal security Act are Jan Meyer, Secretary of the

A W B, Arthur Guderian and Jan De Bruyn . About 150 AWB

members staged a march in welkom on the 16th June,

protesting against Meyer's detention .

Two white men were also detained in connection with a

bomb blast at the Welkom Headquarters of the National

Union of Mineworkers, causing damage estimated at

R250 000. Mine captain Hendrik Steyn is being held

under section 29 of the Internal Security Act in

connection with the blast.

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A second man, Richard Haswell of Welkom, was held

under the Criminal Procedure Act for approximately 48

hours and then released after questioning.

A W B member Oawie de Beer (39) appeared in the

Vereeniqing Regional Court on the 19th June on charges

of the illegal possession of a shotgun with 225

rounds, 2 cans of teargas and a teargas grenade.

In the latest of a number of anti-Semitic incidents, a

pig's head covered in anti-Semitic slogans and the

Swastika was left at the gate of a Jewish family in

Johannesburg .

Another pig's head was found on the gate of a synagogue

in Brakpan on 25th June.

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8. Other Incidents

1. On the 27th May, the Rustenburg offices of the

Food and Allied Workers Union were damaged by a

bomb blast. As was the case with the bomb blast

at Melrose House in Pretoria on the 26th May and

at the Welkom offices of the National Union of

Mineworkers on the 9th June, commercial explosives

were used_

2. Two white men appeared in court on charges of

attempted murder arising out of the incident on

5th May, when Petrus Mbakena and Simon Koba were

shot dead outside Mamelodi. The wounded survivor

of the attack states that their car was stopped by

three white men who asked them if they knew the

wit Wolve. Thereafter the 3 white men opened fire

at point blank range and killed 2 of the occupants

of the car. Brian Chester-Browne (27) and Pieter

Hendrik Groenewald (29) were released on bail of

R1 000 and R20 000 respectively.

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3 . The body of Brits activist Abel Molokwane was

found in the veld with two bullet wounds on the

10th June. Molokwane was a apparently shot in the

head only two weeks after he had confronted

members of an "Askari" group, which the Brits

community believe has a connection with Hit

Squads. Molokwane (31) was a former Executive

member of the Brits Action Committee.

4. On the 26th May, the body of Sidwell Nonna (32)

was found in the veld at Langa, Cape Town . Nonna,

a shop steward of the S A Railways and Harbours

Workers Union (SARHWU) was apparently killed with

pangas and knives.

5. On the 9th June, an unknown woman was shot dead

in a house in Crossroads. Crossroads Mayor

Johnson Nxobongwana alleges that she was shot by

kitskonstabels. Kitskonstabels literally

translated means "instant constables". They have

been introduced by the SAP in certain black

townships.

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Their name arises from the fact that they are

members of the community who are given 6 weeks

training and armed, and then given policing

duties in the township .

6. Extensive damage was caused to a house belonging

to the United States Embassy in Waterkloof,

pretoria, on the 6th June. It appears that the

thatched roof of the house was set alight.

7 . On the 13th June, ANC dissident Sipho Phungulwa

was shot dead outside Umtata. Fellow dissident

Nicholas Oyasop alleged afterwards that the two

of them were ambushed after leaving the A N C

office in Umtata.

8. Cert Smit (23), a coloured resident of

Fochville, was beaten to death on the night of the

16th June. A group of white men were allegedly

seen beating Smith up with crash helmets.

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9. On the 1st June, Lindiwe Maziya, the wife of

vosloorus Crisis committee chairman Ali Maziya ,

their 9 month old baby Zwelakhe and his mother

Elizabeth, were shot dead by unknown gunmen with

4t AK47s. On the same day, Bella Kotsupi, grandmother

of Vosloorus activist Thusi Ali Motsupi was

killed.

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10. On the 13th June, the home of NACTU shop steward

James Ndaweni in Vosloorus was fire-bombed.

11. On the 11th June, Oaveyton Civic Association (DCA)

executive member star Motswega was threatened by

four men who told him he would be killed if a

boycott of businesses owned by councillors were

not called off. Elija Jele, Chairman of the D C At

received similar threats.

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12. Simon Maswanganye, Executive member of the

Soweto civic Association was shot in the chest in

Naledi, Soweto on the 23rd May. Residents

suggested that a group of white men driving a

Husky mini -bus without registration number plates

were responsible.

1 3 . On the 15th June, a hand grenade was hurled at the

stationery car in which Mamelodi activist

Elizabeth Mokotong was sitting with her husband

outside her house . Three white members of the

S A P, driving a white bakkie without number

plates, had enquired about the whereabouts of

Mokotong on June 14th. The same three policemen

allegedly came to inspect the damage after the

attack was reported.

14 . An investigation by the New Nation newspaper has

revealed that police were making use of unmarke d

cars with false number plates or without any

number plates in the township.

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15. Thomas Seshoka, an Executive member of the

Mohlakeng Civic Association complained of

harassment and intimidation by the Krugersdorp

Security Police on the 1st June. The police have

~ denied the allegations .

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16. On 2Jrd June, two explosions occured at the st

Joseph's Catholic Church at~okeng near

Rnstenberg. The Church has been used for meetings

by Civic organisations opposed to incorporation in

Bophuthatswana.

17. On 18th June, a farm labourer died ftduring

questioning" by two policemen and a farmer in

Delmas . The man, known only as Samuel, worked on

the farm Wolwefontein. A police spokesman said

Samuel collapsed and died while he was being

interrogated about the theft of wheat. Police

are investigating.

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Conclusion

The I B I I R is concerned about the growth of militant

Rightwing groupings in South Africa and the continued

existence of the C C Band similiar groupings.

The head of the C C B, Major General Eddie Webb, told the

Harms Commission on the 5th March that the activities of

the C C B are still continuing and that they are presently

engaged in about 200 projects. As can be seen from the list

of incidents occuring this month, attacks on people and

organisations with political links continue unabated. In

this light, the continued existence of an organisations

like the C C B is increasingly seen as an obstacle to

negotiations.

..

Independent Boord of Inquiry Into Informa l Repression

~~f~I~R~REHHP~e~ft~Ir--=--"J~uNE 1990

/15//1i.

1 . The Harms commission .

/'

Phone [011 [ 403·325617 Fox (011 ) 403-1366

The Harms Commission has finish ed hearing evidence on

the activities of the civil Co- operat ion Bur eau and the

alleged Hi t Squad of the Sout h African Police based at

Vlakplaas . Lawye r s acting for the IBIIR and other

pa rt i es wi 11 present a~:u:..m~1 e_n,....,t ~,,6;'-n ... ,._t_h~e_sL!_'_· _~_s_u~\,e~.s_. ~ .• ~"'t,~""'~;h~! e:/G_" Commission in August.

+ , I

The IBIIR made an important breakthrough at the

Commission when it produced documents proving that an

alleged member of the Vlakplaas hit squad, Joe

Mamasela, had crossed the border into Botswana with

former police captain Dirk Coetzee and se l f - confessed

hit squad member Butana Almond Nofemela in November

1981, on the same day that A N C members were attacked

at a house in Gaborone . The registration number of th e --: -i.. ~~ l ea£- that the three were driving in) according to the ~

border records,

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'\1 '-·l :h. . ". ,.-j fur"

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was found to belong to the Commaft&ing-O~icer of Lhe

Security branch of the South African Police in

Pretoria. Both Mamasela, who is still based at

Vlakplaas, and a former commanding officer at

Vlakplaas, Lt Col Jan coetzee, had previously testified

under oath that Nofemela had never met either Dirk

Coetzee or Almond Nofemela in 1981 and that he had not

carried out any operations in Botswana. One of the

women whO) was shot at and wounded on the 26th November ..- ,......<'.~

1981, Joyce Dipale, had told the Botswana Police at the

time that one of the men who shot at her was Joseph

,, _-,-,- d J!A-v-. . .1J-.-Mamasela. -/'-C-~

In a new development that could mean that the Harms

Commission would still sit for a considerable time,

Counsel for the South African Police ~~s handed in an

affidavit!. and annexures totalling more than 1 C Lt.;.,J;'-~1

s.uJ:milt:t4rl'3" ,;'llegations of killings by African

Congress members.

600 pages

National

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2 . Th e Hiems tra Commission

The Hiemstra Commission of In iry into the spy network

of the Johannesburg City Co ell security Department

has 4~O- finished hearing evidencc"",a. ",'ell as 4 gument

Mr Justice Hiemstra is expected to make his findings

towards the end of July.

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According to the Johannesburg city Treasurer, giving

evidence at the Commission, the spy-network activities~~~ cost ratepayers at )least 1,7 million Rand_reF tJ::lc . 'ast

~ -t.'- ...... : ... ~ ~. ""'<'-I..~ tf.-- ...... _~. ;: ... 1 Cr-.trl ~_ five ~,~ no apparent effort was made to account , for the spending by way of proper bookkeeping.

- 4 - ~ld,r

One of the spy handlers, John Egan, testif~ed that he

.. . . I . gathered ~nformat~on on the End conscr~Pt1Jn Campa1gn

and that he passed this on to ~~. Military: He also

admitted frequently visiting a Military training farm

near Johannesburg.

The Commission had heard earlier that council Security

officials formed part of a Military team involved in

assaults, in Soweto among other places. L· / . I.

C'f'\,.-""'-' .~ ..... VV'-¢~ ~.i.. ......... ,,0~ ......... LAf..·3 ,.2;', CfA-C,~cL" ,J ('-G..{'_ "",01,

At a public meeting in Johannesburg on 27th June, a

resolution was adopted to call upon the Town Clerk af

Johannesburg to resign. The Government was also call ed

upon to disband the C C B and the S A piS Vlakplaas

squad .

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3 .

The Board ted a successful briefing for members of

the and the Diplomatic corps. Professor John

Dugar , eo member o-f--t;.Ae-Board, said that the Government

should extend the terms of reference of the Harms

~lllmission to

/ include cross-border raids.

He said this would be the only way the full extent o f

the Hit Squad's activities could be ascertained.

Dr Max Coleman also appealed to the Government t o h al t

c urrent operations of the C C B. The head o f the C C B,

Lt General Eddie Webb, had testified at the Harms

Commission that the C C B is still involved in about

200 projects.

YL-~J. , //- ''0~ 6-

Brian curriD) also mentioned the fact that of the more

than 200 C C B members operating in the country, the

identities of only about 7 people were known . ;..i...J) y~ ~::!::J)2,,)~, --JZ,...J --J?"J -1~ -..... (' _ . ~, C C B members have been allowed to testify at the

commission in disguise and under false names .

Professor Laurie Ackermann, acting as Chairperson, said

that the sur~eon/s scalpel which the Harms Commission p~"""

should have, has been blunted. Professor Ackermann

referred to the restrictions placed on the Commission

and to the fact that C C B internal project files had

not been submitted to the Harms Commission despite ~

earl jamentary order ~ an order from the Chief of the

SAD F.

-.il Peter Harris called on Defence Minister General Magnus

Malan to testify at the Commission and to explain what

has happened to the missing documents .

Members of the Board also met with members of the

united Nations Delegation visiting South Africa. The

Delegation was briefed , I I" .;,1..(.. ~:.. ..... '; __ I . __ Jf..1

a..e the a.l-H!<Jed-S-A P

on t~e activities of the l l., ... ~ __ !,oC'._,1

Hit squad ..ami-con~uing

C C B J 1/

::.,.Il_~~_{

the continuing activities of the C C Bare , Jvrv... ~

increasingly seen as an obstacle to negotiations . 1_ l \] N

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4 . The Goldstone Commission

The Gol ds t one commission , which was appoint ed t o report

on viol e nt i ncidents in t he Vaal Triangle Townships on

26/3/90, whe n police o pened f ire o n marchers and at

least 1 2 people were killed, drew to a close after

sitting for 22 working days. Advocate J J du Toit t

representing the Attorney General's office, made a

recommendation that the deaths of the 12 people shoul d

be referred to the Attorney General for further

investigation. Mr Justice R Goldstone will present h i s

report to state President F W de Klerk within the next

few weeks .

Advocate George BizQs, appearing for the families o f

the dead a nd injured, submitted that some of the

policemen responsibl e fo r "unlawful killing " and

inflicting serious injuries should be charged. The

legal team submitted that it was significant that mos t

of the 12 dead and 280 injured sustained wounds on

t heir backs, and backs of their heads, while t hose

policemen who sust a ined minor i n j ur ies r equi r ed no

medical a tte ntion.

- 8 -

5. The Pa r s ons Commi s sion

The Parsons Commission of Inquiry into unrest in Kwa

Ndebele i n 1986 has hea r d further evidence of police

corroboration with the Homeland Authorities against

residents of the territory and of gross misuse of

funds .

Mr Nic holas Masilela t e stified tha t he saw in 198 7 h ow I I

his son was shot by a youth accompanied by a special

constable of the Kwa Ndebele police. He went to the

police station to report the incident, but the police

refused to take a statement from him. He was info rmed

that Brigadier Hertzog Lerro, then Commissioner of the

Kwa Ndebele police, and Mr George Mahlangu, then Ch ief

Minister of the territory, already knew of the murder .

The commission also heard that Brigadier Lerro gave

orders to buy 30 luxury cars for the police and that a

car similar to his own had to be hired out of a

special fund. The Quarter- Master of the Kwa Ndebele

police testified that Rll 100 was used for a farewel l

party for Brigadier Lerro .

- 9 -

6. Mo r e Hi t Squad Claims

A Bophut hatswana securit y policeman , caught mon itoring

an o pposit ion party r ally near Vryheid in t he

t errito r y, said in a statement that a Hit Squad was

operating i n the Homeland. constable Anthony Plaatjie

said in his statemen t that the Hit Squad is referred to

as tired squad" . Constable Plaatjie said he was

operating with the full knowledge of the South African

Police . He said that he was attached to the

Bophuthatswana Special Branch and that they were

entrusted with the monitoring of opposition political

groupings, and that every meeting that has been held in

the territory is known to Bophuthatswana President

Lucas Mangope.

- 10 -

The I B I I R took a statement from a death row

prisoner in Bophuthatswana earlier this year in which

claims about a Hit Squad operating in the territory

were also made. The prisoner claimed to have been

involved in a petrol bomb attack on Mr Sam Motsuenyane,

President of the National African Federated Chamber of

Commerce, and in the assassination of Brigadier Andrew

Molope, who was allegedly a former Commander of the Hit

Squad . He alleged that Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa,

- 11 -

7 . Growth of the Rightwing

The growth of the far Rightwing in South Africa has

been dramatically underscored by recent developments.

After a former security policeman, Jannie Smith,

infiltrated Rightwing circles on the East Rand, the

Afrikaans weekly Vrye Weekblad exposed a Rightwing plot

to kill A N C Deputy President Nelson Mandela,

President F W de Klerk and various cabinet ministers

and political leaders perceived as Leftwing by the A W

'7 s. Smith, who was approached by the A W B to carry out

the assassination of Mandela, was informed that Mandela

was to be assassinated at Jan Smuts Airport on his

return from his overseas trip. A .303 rifle with "dum

dum" bullets was to have been used.

- 12 -

An important link between the C C B and the Rightwing

emerged from Smith's revelations. Smith, who made tape

recordings of these meetings with the Rightwingers,

said that the plot against Mr Mandela was outlined by

Gary Cornish, a former Major in the SAD F, who

claimed to be a member of the C C B and to have worke d

with C C B operative Calla Botha. Cornish allegedly

claimed that there was co-operation between the C C B

and the A W B, and that he had access to 500 Rl rifles,

100 9mm pistols and seven RPG7 rocket launchers.

Eleven well-known rightwing activists on the East Rand

were detained for a night and questioned by Police

following the claims . Among those detained were

BOKsburg City councillor T J Ferreira and 77 year old

Heinrich Beissner, who was named as a military

commander of the A W B and a former officer in the

German S5. All those questioned were released the next

day.

- 13 -

In another development the fugitive deputy leader of

the Boerestaat Party, Piet Rudolph, sent a video

recording to an Afrikaans newspaper and a radio station

in which a "declaration of war" on the Government is

contained. On the video, allegedly filmed on Rudolph's

secret hide-out in the Transvaal, he appears in front

of the Transvaal Vierkleur Flag flanked by hooded,

armed accomplices.

Police have placed a reward of R50 000 on the head of

Mr Rudolph. The A W B said in its turn that anyone

betraying Rudolph would have a R50 000 price on his

head. The wit Wolwe and the Boereleer offered

R100 000 for the killing of Jannie Smith, Vrye

weekblad's informant.

On Friday 22nd June, explosions rocked two National

Party offices on the Rand. Commercial explosives were

used to set off the blasts in Auckland Park and

Roodepoort, within half an hour of each other late on

the Friday evening. N~pokespersons have blamed the

Rightwing for the blastsl / ;. ) IV~l /

I • -r r c.-v- ... '-"""'" . "

- 14 -

A new Rightwing movement known as the

Boereweerstandsbeweqing (8 W 8) was formed by former

AWB member Andrew Ford of Bethlehem. This movement is

supposed to be the military wing of the Boerestaat

Party.

In Pretoria the Blanke Front (8 F) was formed by Oscar

Hartung, the leader of Magsaksie Afrikaner

Nasionalisme (M A N) to petrol the streets of the city.

A similar vigilante group was formed in

Bronkhorstspruit.

Three white men, including the Secretary of the A W B,

were arrested in connection with the bomb blast at the

historic Melrose House in Pretoria last month. The

three men who were held in terms of Section 29 of the

Internal Security Act are Jan Meyer, Secretary of the

A W B, Arthur Guderian and Jan De Bruyn. About 150 AWB

members staged a march in Welkom on the 16th June,

protesting against Meyer's detention. . '-.-, , ,

- 15 -

Two white men were also detained in connection with a

bomb blast at the Welkom Headquarters of the National

Union of Mineworkers, causing damage estimated at

R250 000. Mine captain Hendrik steyn is held under

Section 29 of the Internal Security Act in connection

with the blast. A second man, Richard Haswell of

Welkom, was held under the Criminal Procedure Act for Xl..~

about:- 48 hours and released .aftgr::-quest±oning..

Cft/"VV' ·~f A W B member Dawie de Beer (39) appeared in the

vereeniging Regional Court on the 19th June on charges

of the illegal possession of a shotgun with 225

rounds, 2 cans of teargas and a teargas grenade.

In the latest of a number of anti-Semitic incidents, a

pig's head covered in anti-semitic slogans and the

Swastika was left at the gate of a Jewish family in

Johannesburg.

Another pig's head was found on the gate of a synagogue

in Brakpan on 25th June.

- 16 -

8. Other Incidents

1. On the 27th May, the Rustenburg offices of the

Food and Allied Workers Union were damaged by a

bomb blast. As was the case with the bomb blast

at Melrose House in Pretoria on the 26th Hay and

at the Welkom offices of the National union of

Kineworkers on the 9th June,

were used.

2.

- 17 -

J. The body of Brits activist Abel Molokwane was

found in the veld with two bullet wounds on the

10th June. Molokwane was a apparently shot in the

head only two weeks ~ft~r / he had confronted 'C~I

members of a "Cig ;) ante- group, which the Brits

community believe is connection with Hit Squads.

Molokwane (31) was a former

the Brits Action committee.

~9.utive member of ~ ,; - ~ ,e ... x~ .~

Tlre::::ltretm;:ja b~of

the---H-n-i:ted Dem~Fat:-:i:e--F-:~en."t-ha~a~ske<h-I-B =I I R

membe-r-Briaft C\H=-a.n-:t.~investigate the .ine-:i:dent.

4. On the 26th May , the body of Sidwell Nonna (3 2)

was found in the veld at Langa, Cape Town. Nonne,

a shop steward of the S A Railways and Harbours

Workers Union (SARHWU) was apparently killed with

pangas and knives.

.. 18 ..

5. On the 9th June, an unknown woman was shot dead

in a house in Crossroads . Crossroads Mayor S

Johnson Nxobongwana allege~ that she was shot by

kitskonst~belS. /JJ~.H!~J3'pU",~4 '!-~~ ~ ~c.-/ b'l'bJ Gv.~-& U~-I~ -'-"~<'_~ .. b(, ... ""'.1 i .-uf. ;; /l -'" ...<.-- ~..,;....

6. Extensive damage was caused to a house belongin

to the United states Embassy in Waterkloof,

Pretoria, on the 6th June. It appears that the

thatched roof of the house was set alight.

7. On the 13th June, ANC dissident Sipho Phungulwa

was shot dead outside Umtata. Fellow dissident

Nicholas Oyasop alleged afterwards that the two

of them were ambushed after leaving the A N C

office in Umtata.

- 19 -

B. Gert Smit (23), a coloured resident of

Fochville, was beaten to death on the night of the

16th June. A group of white men were allegedly

seen beating smith up with crash helmets.

9. On the 1st June, Lindiwe Maziya, the wife of

Vosloorus Crisis Committee Chairman Ali Maziya,

their 9 month old baby Zwelakhe and his mother

Elizabeth, were shot dead by unknown gunmen with

AK47s. On the same day, Bella Motsupi, grandmothe r

of Vosloorus activist Thusi Ali Motsupi was

killed.

10. On the 13th June, the home of NACTU shop ste ward

James ~dawen~ in Vosloorus was fire -bombe d.

NdaWr i /b1l1ez:' ge~ t/~/ tneie

rts Of! the 1 A NibC

wi e

1,

responsi e . After a per1 0 v~o enei etwee

/ I I '1 / / / I meIilbers Off he A N C a nd he PAC in ;voslc:>orus/

/ I I I t I I ,I { I! r. /1, / the two orgpnisat' os ha e ' worked out a peace ~ an ~l' ! /1 1/ j 1/ I L /1,/ // and ' have acu::eed- tO' keep eir members in check . ... , v

-20-

11. Despite the p ce accord i~loorus, t ~s hostility b ~~n-:~ers f the A

and A C in th Northern Cap town of De

On 17th June the homes of our members /

A C was set light , all/1Y by A N ,

supporters

12. On the 11th June, Oaveyton Civic ASSOciatiO(i? l: J))' executive member star Motswega was threatened by

four men who told him he would be killed if a

boycott of businesses owned by councillors were

not called off. Elija Jele, Chairman of the 0 C A,

received similar threats.

13. Simon Maswanganye, Executive member of the

Soweto civic Association was shot in the chest in

Naledi, Soweto on the 23rd May. Residents

suqgested that a group of white men driving a

Husky mini-bus without registration number plates

were responsible.( An investigation by the New

Nation newspaper has revealed that police were

making use of unma::r'ked cars with false number

Plates'\"

ship. I without any number plates in the town-

- 21 -

14. On the 15th June, a hand grenade was hurled at the

stationery car in which Mamelodi activist

Elizabeth Mokotong was sitting with her husband

outside her house . Three white members of the

SAP, driving a white bakkie without number

plates, had enquired about the whereabouts of

Mokotong on June 14th. A grQnade attack occarred

inspect the damage after the

policemen came to ~

attack wa~ J6r~} . the next day. The same three

reported.

15. Thomas Seshoka, an Executive member of the

Mohlakeng civic Association complained of

harassment and intimidation by the Krugersdorp

Security Police on the 1st June. The police have

denied the allegations.

- 22 -

~ 16. On 23rd June, two explosions occured Zft the St

Joseph's Catholic Church at Hokeng near

Rustenberg. The Church has been used for meetings

by Civic organisations opposed to incorporation in

Bophuthatswana.

17. On 18th June, a farm labourer died "during

questioning" by two policemen and a farmer in

Delmas. The man, known only as Samuel, worked on

the farm Wolwefontein. A police spokesman said

Samuel collapsed and died while he was being

interrogated about the theft of wheat. Police

are investigating.

Vlok in Harms'hot seat? J' ft;: (. q It I 1- 0 • Harms Commission - Page 6.

P b O t Id f Lawyers acting for various parties ° , fa e IS 0 0 told tI'Ie Saturday Star they believed the commission may have no choice

border sortlOe b,' '0 ,"~poen. oth" ,op po!;"" om-cross- cen as well as Mr Vlok If it were

NORMAN CHAN DLER Pretoria Bureau

M1NISTER of Law and Order Adriaan Vlok may have to give eviderce to the Harms Com­mission after police claims that hit squads were a "figment of the imagination" took a se vere setback yesterday,

The Botswana Government yes­terday prov ided the commission with information which showed that three policemen - all mem­bers of a unit based at Vlakplaas police farm - were in that coun­tryon the day a Gaborone house was shot at, and a woman Injured, in 1981.

It has heeo consistently denied by police witnesses that tbe Vlakplaas unit took. part in aCf'OllSooborder raids, On Thursday, the unit's fonner opera­tions commander, Colonel Jan Caet­zee, categorically denied !Dembers of his unit were in Botswana In 1981.

The extent of the information pro­vided resulted in the Mr Justice Louis Harms adjourniog the commissioo -until Monday_ '

found " 8 cover-up" was being at· tempted A possible "cons.pir~cy" was also being looked Into this weekend.

The new evidence yesterday was the first given so (ar which indicates that former police captain Dirk Coet­'lee and convicted murderer Butana Almond No(emela - also a former policeman - may have been correct in their controversial allegations that hit squads existed in the SAP.

Mr Coet:r.ee fled the country after making his claims and Nofemela _ who was to be hanged for an unrelated murder - was given an "administra­tive reprieve" while an investigation took place,

In cross-examination of Nofemela earlier this year, Mr Maritz described the hit squad allegations as a "figment of lhe Imagination",

, ~."e.s~rp~1lIt: new e~~,;,:nce was sub­mitted by Paul Pretorlus, acting for, I the Independent Board of Inquiry into Info lai R, ression. .~e gave_~.~,~uslice,~arms a 16-

page submission which included copies of Botswana im­migration department entry alld departUre cards, medical certifi­cates relatlhg to the In jured woman and other documentation.

Botswana 's Criminal Investigation Depart­ment (CID) said in a sup­porting document that the shooting had taken place at midnight on ND-- I vember 26 1981.

The injured woman was named as Joyce Di­pale, described as a South African t\NC refugee,

The other woman was not injured.

Miss Dipale told Bo­tswana police at the time that "the people who shot them were two black men and one white man, and one of the men she Identified as Joseph Ma­masela,"

The Botswana govern­ment submitted docu ­ments showing the times of entry and departure of

I the three men. Colonel Jan Coetzee

was under cross-exami-! ,, __ ~ ....... ' ; ~ A ,~ ~ .

•

) •

"

.. -- --- ---

'SAP was indeed in "-

~""7"~\..r'. . ' ... 1"':"":':" ]. .• ~ 'J_ .l . _,~-:

Botswana . " -,

\ ' , I . , '~

By :"\ormao Chandler . Preforia aureau

The HHms Commission hea rd evidence today !~Jt South African poi:ceme:l had b een on a raid in Botswana although: the coer· ation! commancer at V!dk· plass police Curr. categori· cally denied ye.ste:-day ani' such involvement on the part of the police.

Immlir atlon documents frc~ the Botswana Dtj)i1rtment a! Home Affairs handed to Mr Jus­Uce Harrr.s showed conc1usivcli' that former poUce captain Dirk Coet:ee. But,iII:; Almond No!e· mela and JOS2p~ )'Ia:nasela had been In Gaborone: on r-iovember 22 1~81 when a house was flred or. and lu occupanu lr.jurer1

One of the occupants. a woman aimed LlUao Dip;le. bad lde.'l tl!led Mr Mam.llela IS Ont of !be attackers.

Mr Jwtlce Ham'll uked Colo­nel Jan Coeu~, wbo !.s no ... it, tached to )eCIJrlty pollet hu~' quana"" whether tit could u· plain lb, n .... tvldeDce which

. .

~'U p;!!e:lte~ to the commis· 110:1 by ?aul P!'£toril!!, acting for ttt I;:d,!')4!ndl:~H 8':: i!d of !n· i!!!:~to :riforr.la{ R!':Ires5l(Jn. I'

fl:e t:l) lone! said ilia: In vIe .... et th~ !n~.mnilticn ":t 'oVO!.lld ap Fe!! th~y ... ~:! \ r~eed In 80' I lsllt'an; on Ihat d.:.y·',

!dr Pretorius :old Colo:.e\ eoeuee t.~ 3: !It ~;d clt!';e: r.t:de • "major rr.htak!" In his evl· ~t:'lo:e yut~d .. y 0: r.t! !:ad at· tem?:~ to h!dt the corr~: In· !orm.~:or. or t:e llad been m!sled.

"rou h.!l.d .. c~ance :,e!t'!r~y to tei! t!a comr:unjoJn .about this," Mr P~~Jr::J! said. ~B·.lt J c!idD't bow atout It,"

the ~!~1 prote.'!tec.. M: J'.l:1ke Hu!l'lS :.hen said

tht Colontl Ceet'z!!t had aho told the com!l.liu,Jn ye!Jle~dl)' tht M: C.;)et:~ and Mr ~h.m .. · lei. bad n;:t 1;,~e:1 .Ic<:l,ua:nttd wltr. uc~ o~er In liBl.

"In '/11\1' 01 whit t cow k .. c.w, I Ul)'WU oMd UI 4lI;S \III'er," the eO!Qc,.t ,,\d. " Th • • ", ptop le OtVU Lola aM lb.y kr.,w uch ot.ier."

Mr P:!tOtiU5 ula (hat It I())k~ u .,. the pollee w'!re try· Ini to hlde tbe ::'.l lh hrr. lh~ commlulen. The rus,:,:! . be •• Id. "u q:.lJt~ !Impll'!. It \~.2' I not onl y to III.!'! Dt ::ru,b .lbout :bl !k.u ...... n.3 ;"sul tut al!o the m:.lri:!l!( of Gnm:r..s 1I.xe!lge. the I Out~an altorn!!!;,',

1!'lT (f'f(.1 ~ I ' s ~ : ,n:3 !: 1.:::11 11 ' ,e 06,

. .. ~ ".' '--,,:,:,,:~'-"'-~-----' .-- ' .--~------

·- •

BUSINESS DAY, Monday, JUM 11 19'0

Evidence before Harms hints at police cover-up EVIDENCE pointing to a possi· blli! police cover-up of a raid on Botswana and the slaying of Dur­ban lawyer Griffiths MJ:enge was presented to the Harms Commis­sion on Friday,

Documentation supporting the London testimony of fonner Vlak· plaas chief Capt Dirk Coetzee and his gardener. David "Spyker" Tshlka­langt'!, was !ent by the Bolswana 1I0v­emmeot. It conflicts with the testi­monies last week of serving and retired security poUcemen.

Coetzee told the commission be, with Bulana Almond Nofemela, Tshl ­kalange and Sgt Joe Mamaseia, had laken part in the murder of Mxenge and in a raid on an ANC member's house in Botswana in November 1981.

)0 LonJon recently Adv Sam Mar­III SC for the SAP said this was im­possible as the men could not be in Durban and Bouwana at the same time.

Maritz bued thill on the presump­tion that the Bouwana raid took place betw~n November 4 and No­vember 21 1981. the same period that VJakplaas memben were In Durban, and when Mxenge was murdered.

UNOfN IIRNS

Jntroducing the DeW evidence, Adv Paul Prelorius lor the Independent Board of Inquiry Into Informal Re­pression (IBIIH) read from a Bo­uwana Clb report that the raid took place on November 26, four days lifter Coelzee, Nofemela and other Vlakplaas members returned from Durban.

On the stand at the time wu Secur­"r, Branch officer and former Vlak­p.us chief of Operations Ll Col Jan Coeuee.

Abduction Col Coetzee, Sgt Joe Mamasela and

Const Brian Ngqulunga earlier told the commission "without reserva­tion" that Mamasela was unk.nown to them before his joining the SAP and Vlakplaas in 1982.

They rultd him out of taking part in the Mxenge killing, the Bouwana raid and the October 19111 abduction of Ernest Dipale, which they all de­nied taking any part In.

The three serving security police­men. along with former Port Natal Security Branch chief Brig Johannes van der Hoven, denied police Im'olve-

meot In tob:enge's death, and denied the SAP took part in cross-border raids.

Copies of Botswana border control immigration cards for Dirk Coetzee, Anderson Gumede (an alias used by Nofemela) and Joe Mamasela, dated November 261981 , were shown to Col Coetzee.

Mr Justice Louis Hanru asked Col Coetzee for an explanation of his Ind Mamasela's testimony denylng any connection between Capt Coetzee, Nofemela and Mamasela before 1982.

"On sight of these documents It appears they were together io B0-tswana", replied Col Coetzce.

At a later stage Pretorius put it to Col Coehee that "it sound! to WI like the police are trying to cover up the truth. And the reason why you all made !lKh 'absolute' testimony i! not only to cover up the Bob""an' raid, but also the Mnnge murder. Do you agree?" ") agree with your supposi­tion," replied Col Coetzee.

Thill morning the commi5slon will conclude cross·examination of Col Coetzee and will recall Mamasela to elplain hi! earlier evidence in view or friday's revelations.

•

•

Ms Dipale told Bots\\"3n:l police at the l ime that "the people who shot them were two black men and one while man". She identified onc of the men as Joseph M:un:lseJa.

The Botswana Government said Me Coetzee and Nofemela entered the country 3[ the Kopfontcin/TJokweng border gale at ~ .3S pm on November 26. They were travelling in a vchide with the registration number FZR 593 T. .

Two hours later, Me Mama· sela went through the border post in the same vehide but "there is no record showing him (or the vehicle) le:lving the country" .

"Efforts were m:Jdc to gel Mam:lseia to give evidence, but the response we had from the South Africans was that he re­fused 10 come to Botswana in fear of being killed by ANC odres," the document added.

Colonel Jan Coetzee was un· der cross-examination :n the lime thaI Mr Prctorius revelled the new evidence.

Mr Justice Harms asked Col Coetzee whether he could ex· plam the evidence. The colonel said that in view or. the infor· mation "it would appear they were indeed in Botswana on

that day".

Special Correspondent

MINISTER of Law and Order Mr Adriaan VI ok may have to give evidence to the Harms Commission after police claims that hit squads were a " figment of the imagination" took a severe setback yesterday.

The Botswana Government yesterday provided the commis­Sion with information which showed that three policemen -all members of a unit based at Vlakplaas police farm - were in that country in 1981, on the day a Gaborone house was shot at 'and a woman injured.

Ie has been consistently denied by police witnesses that the Vlakplaas unit took part in across-border raids.

On Thursday, the unit's former operations commander, Colonel Jan Coetzee, categorically denied mem­bers of his unit were in Botswana in 1981.

The extent of the information pro­vided resulted in the commission ad­journing in confusion until Mondly.

Lawyers acting for various parties said yesterday they believed the com­mission rna}' have no choict but to sub­poena other top police officers as well as Mr Vlok if it were found ":1 cover up" was ~eing attempted. _.

One Iawver said all affidavits taken from policemen involved with Vlakplaas claimed they had no knowledge of hit squads aud there have also been denials dunng testimony of police invoh'ement in "raids" on neighbouring countries.

The new evidence yesterda}' was the first given so far which indicates that former police captain, Mr Dirk Coetzee, and convicted murderer, Butana Al­mond Nofemela - also a former police­man - may have been correct in their controversial allegations that hit squads existed within the South African Police.

In cross-examination of Nofemela earlier this year, Mr Maria described the hit squad allegations as 2 "figment of the imagination" and said repe3tedly I that Noremela had lied.

Nofemela maintained in his eVidence tflat fie flaa not lieo,

The surprise nl;'w evidence was submitted by Mr Paul Pre-

. for the

to woman. Botswana 's Crimmal Inves­

tigation Department said in a supporting document that the shoollng had taken place at midnight on November 26 1981.

Thl;' injured woman was rulmL'Ci as Ms Joyce Dlpille.

o

OJ o 3 C" (fj ::::r ro --ro < _. 0-ro :::::s () ro -o :I: Q) ""!

3 (fj

n o 3 3 _. (J) (J) _. o :::::s

• • •

DAILY MAIL, June 28 1990 ::J

The president is sanctionjng eCB actions, says attorney ey JO-,.\NNE C:ClUNGE

AS long as Presieeru FW c.e Kle:-k f3.iled to "liquidate" groups suc!! as \he Civil Co-()ptr.ltion Bureau and the special seemty IX>lj~ urut of ''Uurt.ed'' gucillas whic..'J. ope~ from the:.mn V1:llcp133.s nc:JJ' Pretoru. he was sJJ\c:.iorung I.b.eir 3C:IOru.

This was s.:tid::!t a public mee:ing in J~esburg las;: nig:a by JOCll attor­ney David Dison.

He .

for the r.:i. vuies of !he CCB .:md missing doc .. unems" which had serious· ly unde:mined the Harms Comalls, sioo's proceedings.

It ~ announced last wee\( Wt :lei· the:- M3lom nor L:!.w :lIld Orde:- Miriste:­A~ V10k would tesw-y Won: the Hmns Comnussion.

The n:pression bo:lJ'd's Pe~er Harr.s sOlid: ''The board and its constit~e:lt orgarusations sute that it i5 necess:lI")' arA in \he public int~t for M.:ti:m to give evidence (to the commission). L

"Members of the cca have 3.dmiaed • to cmying out cc:-min unlawful ac:ivlOes and !he public expects. and i5 owed. an . e."wl:maJ.\on ...

De:nocratic P:lrty MP fOf Houghton. Tony Leon. said :he Hie:nstr3. Commis­sion on the alleged spy-nng in the ]oholnnesbUIg city ldmtnistr.luon had succeeded ttl throwing "!.he harsh sun­Iig..tu of disclosure on tt'.e d.arlce:- rex..'J.es of civic government". Unconlradicted evidence had shown how the security department of the council elgaged :tnd p;ud agCl.[S to infiltr:l1e tr:lde wuons :tnd poliuc:U orgarusauons and to conduct swveubnc;.e of pnv:w: IfldiVlduals.

. .

.~ ,

DAILY MAIL. June 281990 3

The president is sanctioning CCB actions, says attorney By .xJ.ANNE COLLlNGE AS long as President FW de KIek failed to "liquidate" groups such as the Civil Co--operation Bureau and the special security police unh of "turned" guerillas which opet.lted from !he f:mn V1akp1aas near Pretoru. he was S31lCtiOrung their actions.

This W:lS said at a public meeting in Joh.1nnesburg last rtight by local attor­ney David DISOn.

He said: "These groups were sanc­tioned under the PW Botha reg!1Tle -they remain sanctioned unde~ the De Klerk regime until they are liquidated.

"I believe that until we find a forum in which South Afric~s who have been involved in hit squads are properly brought to account. the process of reconciliation which we arc SttivUlg for will Jl(X become a re.:ility."

The meeting, cilled to dem:n11h3l the authorities "come clean on the CCB". was organised by human nghts groups 3CId organisations subjected to secret surveillance by government structures.

Cast in the glare of harsh criticism :slong with De Klerk were Defence Mini­ster Magnus Malan and Orange Free St.:I.tc attorney-general Tim McNally, whO IS leaC1ing eVldeoce before lbe Harms Commission.

Shortly before the meeting, the Inde· K(ndem Bo:trrl of InCiULrv into Informal

etJre:SSlon lSsueQ a c.'1:IJlenge to S'tiIi'i to acCOUnt (or the alleged unlawfuJ ..:tivuies of the CCB 3Dd fer the "aucial missing documents" which had serious· ly undennined the Harms Commis' SLOe. '5 proceedings.

It W3.S announced last week th:it nei­ther M:J!an nor L:1w and Order Minister Adri:mn Vlolc would testify before the Harms Commission. .

The repression board's Peter Harris said: "The board and its constituent organisations St.3.tC that it is necessary and in the public int~l for MaI:m to give evidence (to the commissioo). I

"Members eX the: CCB have admitted • to carrying OUt ccrt:lin unIawfulactivices and the public expects. and is owed, an . expl~on."

DemocraLic P:lny MP for Houghton, Tony leon. said the Hiemstra Comnus­sion on the alleged spy-nng in the Johannesburg city adrmnistr.U.ion h3d succeeded III throwing .. the harsh sun­light of disclosure 00 the d:lrlcer re::aches of civic government". Uncontr:tdicted evidence had shown how the security department of the counCIl engaged :md paid agCllS to infiltt:lle tr.ldc: w'li0lU and political organis.:uiolU and to conduct surveill:mc.e of pwaae indi \'lduals.

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Collection Number: AG2543 INDEPENDENT BOARD OF INQUIRY (IBI) Records 1989-1996 PUBLISHER: Publisher:- Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand Location:- Johannesburg ©2012

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