The people of South Africa were made poorer every time the media Information and Broadcasting Permanent Secretary Bob Kandetu' was faced with harsh reprisals from the government or threats by said in Windhoek. any pressure group. 'The government of the Republic of Namibia cannot find words to Proposals had been made at Codesa for the election of an condemn the involvement of these elements there," he told a independent media commission to set up an "explicitly democratic media briefing on Wednesday. and non-discriminatory media procedure but which would ensure freedom of the press in the transition to a democratic South Mr Kandetu was referring to members of the former police counter Africa”. insurgency unit, Koevoet, who transferred to South Africa before and after Namibia's independence from South Africa in March, The IFP believed the media should be free of political control. 1990.
"This was one of the greatest ills of South Africa under apartheid "It is shameful that while we are enjoined to the international rule. The press was effectively silenced and the broadcasting community by our concern to find a speedy solution to the South industry dominated to such an extent that only the voice of the African deadlock, these elements, as citizens of Namibia, continue government was heard. to drag Namibia's name into disrepute."
"The evils of indoctrination and media manipulation is a great Mr Kandetu said it was a matter of record that the Namibian injustice to society." government tried to discourage them for leaving for South Africa and that their departure was co-ordinated by institutions in both He said the media's role was to expose the propaganda warfare of countries. opposing political factions. "As it is, these Koevoet functionaries seem to be at the centre Although journalists now had less to fear from detentions and stage of fuelling the already explosive political situation in South arrest, they were faced with radical elements forcing local Africa," he said. journalists to publicise their line of political thinking. Inkatha "Did Not Orchestrate Boipatong Massacre" As an example of the need for informed reporting, he said few people were aware that at least 10 IFP members were killed in the PRETORIA June 2 Sapa Boipatong violence. The Inkatha Freedom Party had not orchestrated the Boipatong "How many of you know that at least six IFP members were buried massacre and had no control over individuals who may have been as ANC members in Monday's mass burial?" involved in the mass killing, IFP spokesman Sue Vos said on Thursday. Education in one's home language was an excellent incentive to learn and people should be free to choose their medium of Ms Vos was responding to evidence given earlier in the day to the instruction. Goldstone Commission in which SAP investigator Major Christo Davidson said the massacre was carried out by inmates of the No matter how tarnished the South Afrian media may be, it would KwaMadala Hostel — reportedly an IFP stronghold. be difficult to find greater press freedom anywhere in Africa. Maj Davidson was quoted as telling the commission: "The Any defect in the media would be corrected by market forces. It evidence unambiguously proves that the residents of KwaMadala was up to the public to support or reject particular newspapers or Hostel attacked the residents of Boipatong and Slovo Park (the television programmes. adjoining squatter camp) on this tragic night."
Whatever party had the electoral majority would write a Ms Vos told Sapa by telephone: constitution outlining its goals and policies and this was why Codesa, unrepresentative as it was, should be charged with this "We have thoroughly investigated, within our structures, the task. massacre. There is no evidence whatsoever of any IFP leadership decision to attack Boipatong. The IFP did not orchestrate this Codesa was not representative of the whole spectrum of South attack. Africans as the Conservative Party on the right and the Pan Africanist Congress and the Azanian People's Organisation on the "But the IFP cannot speak for individuals who may have been left were not represented, nor were people with no political involved in the tragedy. We have no control over those affiliation. individuals and their actions. Obviously, we would urge that those responsible for the attack be charged and brought to a court of law Namibia Condemns Koevoet Involvement as soon as possible.”
WINDHOEK July 2 Sapa ANC Having Difficulties Getting Witnesses To Talk
The Namibian government has condemned the involvement of By Anton Ferreira Koevoet members of Namibian origin in South African affairs, /9.f
PRETORIA, July 2, Sapa-Reuter hours before the attack and arrested self-defence unit members who had been patrolling in fear of an attack. The South African police told an inquiry into the Boipatong township massacre on Thursday the killing was carried out by up He said between 200 and 300 hostel residents launched the raid, to 300 inmates of a nearby workers hostel, a known stronghold of adding the final death toll was probably 43. the Inkatha Freedom Party. The main cause for the attack was rivalry between the ANC and The African National Congress (ANC) told the probe by a senior Inkatha, Davidson said, adding several Inkatha members were judge that it was having difficulty getting witnesses to talk about murdered in the Boipatong aea in the fortnight before. the June 17 massacre of 43 men, women and children, which has plunged the country into political crisis. "This resulted in an extremely hostile attitude of hostel residents towards township residents," he said. ANC regional leader Tokyo Sexwale, whose movement initially accused police of helping the killers, produced no evidence to Inkatha spokeswoman Suzanne Vos, reacting to Davidson's support the charge. statement, said Inkatha had taken no part in the killing and had no control over "individuals" who may have been involved. He said the important point was not "who pulled the trigger" but why the government had failed to prevent the massacre from Davidson said some of the 81 hostel residents arrested had happening. explained that they wanted to attack members of Boipatong's ANC self defence units but had not been able to find any. They had then "We are dealing with a matter that is much wider than Boipatong," fallen on township residents at random. Sexwale said, adding the massacre had to be seen in the context of covert government support fo T Inkatha, the ANC's most powerful Sexwale said Boipatong residents were reluctant to give evidence rival for black loyalties. because they did not trust police.
The government last year admitted providing training for Inkatha Inquiry head judge Richard Goldstone, who interrupted Sexwale on security personnel and funding Inkatha rallies and a pro-Inkatha several occasions to question the relevance of parts of his union, saying the moves were justified because of the party's statement, said the exact terms of the inquiry would be decided on anti-sanctions stance. Pretoria says it has ceased covert funding of Friday. the group. Commission members including visiting former Indian chiuef The ANC has broken off democracy talks with the government in justice P.N. Bhagwati boarded a plane to inspect the site of the protest at alleged collusion between security forces and Inkatha at massacre from the air on Thursday afternoon. Boipatong. Sexwale said the massacre would never have happened if earlier The ANC and union allies say they will launch a general strike "of recommendations by Goldstone that hostels be kept under police unprecedented proportions" on August 3 unless the white surveillance had been acted on and he accused the government of government acts decisively to meet the demands. "criminal negligence”.-Reuter
About 12,000 people have been killed in violence in black Meaning Of Democracy The Key Difference In townships since 1984, mainly in fighting between Inkatha and Negotiations the ANC or its surrogates. JOHANNESBURG July 2 Sapa Senior police investigator Major Christo Davidson said there was no evidence of involvement by any political group in the worst Underlying most of the key differences at Codesa was the age-old massacre of the apartheid reform era. divide as to what democracy meant, SA Institute of Race Relations executive director John Kane-Berman said on Thursday. "The evidence unambiguously proves that the residents of KwaMadala hostel attacked the residents of Boipatong and Slovo Speaking at Aisec's Johannesburg "Business Olympics, Leadership Park (an adjoining squatter camp) on this tragic night...(but) there for the Nineties" conference, Mr Kane-Berman said some people is no evidence of IFP involvement." accused the National Party of trying to cling to power.
No evidence had as yet been found to support ANC charges that He said suspicions about perpetuated white privilege in South police took part in the attack, despite testimony from two black Africa were countered by fears of majority tyranny and visions of policemen, he said. people's courts and "necklaces".
Davidson said the policemen from nearby Evaton township had 'The real issue is not that, but whether the NP is seeking merely declared the hostel dwellers had been ferried one km (less than a to carve out a niche for Afrikaners or whether it is committed to mile) from the hostel to Boipatong in police vehicles. To date, using the considerable power it still possesses to ensure that these allegations had been shown to be false, he said. South Africa's new political system is a liberal democracy in the very widest sense of that term. The ANC and Boipatong residents say police entered the township
3 "The overriding issue is not when and how power will be the new constitutional system came into operation were of vital transferred to 'the people' but how checks on the abuse of power significance, and also concerned the two conflicting views of can be built into a constitution which puts human rights and civil democracy at Codesa. / liberties beyond the reach of politicians.'' He said some delegations waited federalism built into the Mr Kane-Berman said the African National Congress had since constitution right from the sjtart, and thus the boundaries and Codesa Two put forward certain demands, such as the demand for powers of the component states of the federation entrenched in an immediate interim government, which the government could not interim consititution. / meet without turning the convention into a farce. "This is because the demands, although not new in principle, are nevertheless the The opposite viewpoint was that the hands of a subsequent exact opposite of what the ANC has already agreed to in the constitution-making/body should not be tied by the interim various Codesa sub-committees and working groups." constitution.
The ANC had embarked on mass action to break the deadlock over "On the fac^ of it, the democratic way to draw up a new powersharing. constitution is straightforward. Let the majority decide.
"If the government were to accept that agreements reached after "An alternative view is that the real test of an appropriate nearly six months of negotiation, involving 19 delegations, can constitution for South Africa will not simply be whether the simply be overturned by one of those delegations, Codesa majority likes it, but whether minorities accept it as well. A becomes irrelevant," said Mr Kane-Berman. (istitution must transcend the interests of the majority party, a constitution is unlikely to emerge from an assembly Codesa had in this way faltered because the ANC had found itself /clominated by whoever is most popular at any particular time. in the minority on vital questions and now wished to use mass Hence the view that the new constitution must be decided not action and international pressure to regain the moral and strategic/ simply by a majority but by concensus." high ground. Mr Kane-Berman said Codesa should not be put under^Pfdue On the vital question of federalism, the Inkatha Freedom Party had pressure to rush into a quick settlement. seven allies and the ANC also had seven allies. The balance of power was held by the government and the Democratic Party, 'The end product must lay the foundation of long-term peace and which were also pro-federalsm, although they had been/playing a prosperity. We do not want a constitution which, like the Treaty mediation role. of Versailles, merely lays the foundations of the next war." / "The upshot is that on the issue of federalism tl}^ line-up is 11 If parties which believed they represented the great majority of versus eight, the ANC being in the minority." / black people felt the powers of a majority government would be too limited, they would be unenthusaistic about the new Mr Kane-Berman said mass action might not stop even if an constitution. interim government were installed as it would probably be used against the interim government until it too handed over power. "Smaller parties may feel equally unenthusiastic if they are not guaranteed adequate space to run things in their regions without "The pattern was established in St Pietersburg in 1917, in the constant interference from whoever occupies the Union Buildings. October half of the Russian Revolution, because the target of mass action on that occasion was not the Czar, who had already been "Finding the right mix of checks and balances will not be easy. If forced to abdicate, but the liberal reformist provincial government Codesa does find it, the murderous conflict among black people under Kerensky." can be reduced and perhaps even ended. The wrong mix could exacerbate the conflict and widen the civil war already raging in Mr Kane-Berman said the sequence in which the various stages of parts of the country." the new constitutional system came into operation were of vital significance, and also concerned the two conflicting views of Mr Kane-Berman said Mr de Klerk's major problem was the democracy at Codesa. security forces, which might still contain murderers and other criminals of the kind recently convicted for the Trust Feeds He said some delegations wanted federalism built into the massacre. constitution right from the start, and thus the boundaries and powers of the component states of the federation entrenched in an "Otherwise, in a sense, given what the National Party has done to interim consititution. this country and to black people, Mr de Klerk has been doing / almost too well, not only in Codesa but also internationally." The oppp&te viewpoint was that the hands of a subsequent constitution-making body should not be tied by the interim The ANC's frustration was a function of Mr de Klerk's success. constitution. "While the ANC is trapped in a revolutionary rut the NP is already "On the face of it, the democratic way to draw up a new fighting the first non-racial election."
Mr Kane-Berman said the sequence in which the various stages of Codesa, contrary to appearances, had by no means been a failure.
4 f iction fight. "The community does not trust these youths. This mistrust has led to tensions and violence. The IFP says the youths are welcome apt Ngidi said the attackers had come from a rural area and had back but they must come back in peace." ■ anted to kill one of the passengers who lived in the same area. Meanwhile, Mr Chetty said that at a Local Dispute Resolution Meanwhile, Inkatha Freedom Party spokesman Ed Tillet said all Committee meeting in Port Shepstone on Wednesday night. Chief iose killed were IFP members, although he could not supply their Ndwalane refused to meet the committee to try to address the Limes. Murchison crisis.
We believe the attack was politically motivated," he said. Mr Hodgson responded by saying the chief found it difficult to allow himself to "be on the same level as the comrades". Mr Tillet said he based his assumption on the fact that the leceased were all occupants of the KwaMashu men's hostel — an Meanwhile, the refugee problem continues to grow. IFP stronghold. Hundreds of women and children who fled the violence have been Oapt Ngidi said, however, that one of the dead was a woman. streaming to Murchison Hospital where they have been seeking refuge at night. Murchinson Still Tense The hospital's deputy superintendent Dr Mike Stead said about 150 DURBAN July 2 Sapa people a night were sleeping in the outpatients' section of the hospital. Violence-wracked Murchison on Natal’s lower South Coast remains tense with reports of eight houses burnt on Tuesday, one person He said there were also possibly more people sleeping "in the injured in the incident and a growing refugee problem in the area. bush" outside Murchison.
Murchison, regarded as a stronghold of Inkatha Freedom Party Most of the women and children returned to their homes du^B the supporters, has been tense since African National day. Congress-alligned youth who fled violence there several months ago returned home recently. Port Shepstone faced a similar crisis early last year when hundreds of refugees fled fighting in Murchison and other areas and took vnce their return two weeks ago, violence has flared with at least refuge in church halls and other venues in the town. ihree deaths at the weekend and reports of fighting and intimidation from both sides. Cosatu Civics To Tackle East Rand Taxi Violence
In the latest incident, the IFP said eight houses belonging to its SPRINGS July 2 Sapa supporters were burned down on Tuesday, allegedly by ANC supporters. One person was apparently injured in the attack. The Congress of South African Trade Unions and the KwaThema Civic Assocation are to tackle the continuing taxi feud which is Port Shepstone unrest monitor, Selvan Chetty, said on Thursday crippling commuter transport in the Springs/KwaThema area on he had received reports of about six houses burned down and also the Far East Rand, Cosatu said on Thursday. one injury. He said it was not yet confirmed that the injured man was an IFP supporter and urged Inkatha to pass its information to The two bodies held emergency meetings on Wednesday and (his effect to the police. Thursday to try and resolve the bloody taxi feud which has claimed one life. Police could not confirm the reports on Thursday morning. "This conflict which turned extremely violent is con^uing Meanwhile, Mr Chetty — a monitor based at Practical Ministeries without any resolution in sight. For the last two years tlJ^Phas -- said the problem in Murchison seemed to lie with the local not been a single conviction of the perpetrators of this violence tribal authority, Chief Aaron Ndwalane. despite the fact that aggressors have been seen waiving AK47s in public," Cosatu and the KwaThema civic said in a joint statement. He said the chief openly sided with Inkatha and was often seen mobilising supporters in the area. They added the conflict had resulted in a transport crisis as some taxi operators had allegedly interfered with commuter buses and Me said there had been reports that the chief had told the returned commuters using private transport. \NC youths they had to join Inkatha if they wanted to remain in Murchison. A mass meeting is to be held on Sunday to try and bring about peace between the feuding taximen. IFP spokesman Kim Hodgson refuted Mr Chetty's claims, saying the ANC youths had caused problems since their return to the area. Imbali Man's Bail Application Postponed He said they had returned without consulting the chief and had begun mobilising support, reportedly using intimidation. PIETERMARITZBURG July 2 Sapa
23 /< ? ./
An Imbali man who allegedly fired shots at the house of Kwazulu Wednesday's Cosatu-led "living wage march" which ended with a Deputy Works Minister and Inkatha Freedom Party Central confrontation between marchers and police. Committee member Velaphi Ndlovu, on Thursday had his bail application postponed to July 10 by the Pietermaritzburg In the joint statement it was claimed that while the people were Magistrate's Court. dispersing police opened fire without warning, injuring five people. iphiwe Zulu, who faces an attempted murder charge, made eadlines when some people allegedly tried to free him from Journalists were shown a police video of the march and incident. dendale Hospital a few weeks ago. On the unedited video, police can be seen patrolling Darling Street when marchers stoned them. Sergeant J van Langelaar of the local lis advocate, Jeremy Brauns, indicated Mr Zulu intended filing a dog unit is hit behind the head and has to be treated for a 4cm cut bail application, which the State prosecutor said he would oppose. with blood streaming down his neck.
I’olice "Unrest Report" Police later fired rubber pellets and teargas when they were attacked. Maj Boonzaaier said live ammunition was not used. He 'OHANNESBURG July 2 Sapa said the ANC was trying to discredit the police and that they in fact were to blame for Wednesday's violence. 1 hree people died and several were injured in unrest-related incidents in the past 24 hours, according to Thursday's SA Police There were not enough marshalls to control the crowd and Allan unrest report. Roberts, the regional director of Cosatu and march organiser, told police he did not have enough marshalls to effectively control the Two people died and three were seriously injured when thrown crowd. from trains in the Witwatersrand area. Police Admit Firing On Protesters ^■Police reported that another man was found "brutally murdered by the necklace method" at Zamdela near Sasolburg. CAPE TOWN July 2 Sapa
It was also reported that three members of the police were injured Police on Thursday admitted they had fired birdshot into the crowd when attacked at Chicken Farm in Soweto during an investigation during Wednesday's Cosatu march in Cape Town. into drug related charges. Their vehicle was extensively damaged . during the attack. However, they defended their actions, saying they had been forced into action when provoked by unruly elements of the crowd. "Had it not been for the timeous arrival of other members they would most probably have been killed." Meanwhile, Cosatu acknowledged they had anticipated a smaller crowd than turned out and had only appointed 400 marshalls. One of the attackers was arrested. At least three people were wounded when about 15000 people took The SAP said in the unrest report the incidents of violence and to the city streets and the march turned to chaos. looting during a march in Cape Town on Tuesday clearly indicated that the organisers and marshalls had no control over their Police initially denied they had opened fire with birdshot, members and could not stage peaceful protests. admitting only to using rubber pellets and teargas.
It added that the organisers had irresponsibly and without any But police liaison officer Major Gys Boonzaaier on Thursday said evidence blamed the police for the unruly behaviour of the mobs. birdhhot had been used, but denied the police had acted provocatively. ^ ■ :ollowing the attack on a lorry driver and the theft of his cargo in Khayelitsha in Cape Town, police urged delivery vehicle owners A joint statement was issued by the ANC, Cosatu and the South lo avoid "places where they could be attacked". African Communist Party accusing the police of unprovoked attacks on marchers. Damage estimated at R12000 was caused to the vehicle which was set alight. "It was the ANC and Cosatu alliance which acted provocatively," Police Do Not Issue Warnings "When Defending Major Boonzaaier said. "They are now trying to put the police in Themselves" a bad light."
CAPE TOWN July 2 Sapa Police have accused marchers of stone-throwing.
Police do not issue warnings when they are attacked and forced to Mr Allan Roberts, regional director of Cosatu, said the crowd had defend themselves, Major Gys Boonzaaier of the local police swelled beyond expectations. liaision department said in Cape Town on Thursday. "We initially only anticipated about 10000 people because we He was asked to react to a joint statement issued by Cosatu, the expected the weather to be bad. But it cleared up and we only had African National Congress and the SA Communist Party on 400 marshalls on the streets."
24 » ANC policy puzzles USA
WASHINGTON - It starts wilh the widely Africans, they have been Sowetan Correspondent appalled by the inability of Like aficionados of the held belief in the US, enun the police to end the vio daily crossword puz ciated in an articlc on South Africa in The Atlantic, that lence. zle, Africanists in crossword grid - and some Boipatong killings - at the mass action probably But if the ANC sends out Washington’s think of them are answers which, critical point where the hopefully, the ANC will he ANC was already threaten would be doomed to fail mixed signals - that it wants tanks try to make sense quick to refute. ing to change from negotia after an initial and com mass action and an end lo of the maddeningly The State Department tions to mass action. paratively short burst or en- talks because of the dead elusive clues which implicitly interpreted the The massacre, thus, was thusiasm. lock in Codesa but then, come from the ANC. ANC's withdrawal from seen as a deliberate outrage Having failed lo achicve instead, because of Private foundations and talks with the Government aimed at pushing the ANC its objective - changing the Boipatong: thal it wants to multinational companies and from Codesa. as a vic over the brink. Government’s mind on mi end negotiations but re sit down cach day and look tory for those murky forces But to accept this ration nority protection - the ANC mains committed lo the ne at statements which may. which are determined to ale, some cognosccnli point would be humiliated and gotiating process; that it or may not, point to current wreck the negotiating proc out, one musl first conclude discrediled and its most can exchange letters and thinking in the organisa ess. that the ANC is astonish powerful weapon would be insults wilh the Govern tion. ingly naive and easily ma shown up as a paper tiger. ment, but needs the United It is argued that there can FW DE KLERK But rarely, if ever, docs be no mystery about the nipulated. Furthermore, it would be Nations lo get negotiations hack on track - il cannot the private sector come up objective of those who op It is at this point that difficult to defend mass ac ceeds, the decision lo seize ’ pie, many badly educated tion merely as adeviee with blame Americans for being with a completed puzzle pose Codesa. Such groups some think tank analysts upon Boipatong as the rea and with an incomplete which lo influence an op confused. and it is widely believed have said lime and again differ from the conclusion son for breaking off nego grasp of the complexities of ponent in negotiations. If the police themselves that the same frustration af that they will resist moves that the ANC was manipu tiations with the Govern negotiations, who can sec That smacks more than bring the perpetrators of flicts those in the corridors towards full democracy lated. They begin, instead, ment, rather than ihe dead no further than the horror faintly of mob rule: of a Boipatong to justice, as of power. with all the force they can wilh the assumption that the lock over minority protec and bloodshed of the mo willingness lo sacrifice they seem to be doing, and The ANC remains an muster. ANC is not easily pushed tion. was an astute decision ment? Or, perhaps, that talks for a more muscular De Klerk accepts the pres enigma in the US. While Thus, the reasoning goes around and that its history aimed at sanctifying mass there was indeed reason to and bullying approach to ence of foreign fact-finders Americans readily accept on, irrespective of whether has shown it to have a ca express anger at President action on the one hand, and and observers, the ANC its accusations of complic or not past or present secu pacity for ruthlessness. the problems of the coun dc Klerk's inept handling utilising the emotional would be hard pressed to ity by present or past mem rity force members were With this assumption in try. build-up of the moment to of the security situation? bers of the security forces After all, as one of the convince Americans thal involved in Boipatong, the place, and armed with the give momenlum to mass Americans, like many more astute Africanists re there is good reason for not in the Boipatong atrocity, intention of the massacre knowledge that the ANC action on the other. * South Africans, have no il they are stumped by the probably was to thwart or decidcd well before marked at a dinner party negotiating. Was the ANC as cynical lusions about the malevo In the meanwhile, the ANC's subsequent deci wreck the negotiating proc Boipatong to play its only recently, what value does lent forces at work in South as all that? And is there not ANC would do itself a serv sions and actions. ess. trump card - its ability to mass action have without Africa, and they are more a perfectly reasonable ex ice in the US if it were to Butstumpcd though they In Washington, this rea mount mass action protests an element of menace and than amenable to the planation for its Codesa remove the uncertainty and may be, they have pencilled soning is given momentum - a different and more sinis intimidation? A NC ’ s al legations of a con decision - that it has in its speculation around its ac in some answers on the hy the lim ing of the ter scenario is advanced. So, the argument pro spiracy. Like many South ranks impatient young peo- tions. ANC, police in Boipatong war of words By Chris Steyn But ANC PWV spokes said the ANC should fully Chief Reporter man, Mr Wally Mbele, explain its “schizoid atti TENSIONS between said residents who in the tude” of demanding that the police and the past had provided police the police do their job ANC over the Boipa with information, were properly and accusing tong massacre peaked afterwards harassed and them of complicity in the yesterday as a Ministry attacked, while people ar violence, while at the rested as a result of such same time urging the pub of Law and Order statements were released lic not to help unmask spokesman accused the without charge. killers. organisation of “delib “As long as the police erately subverting at “The Boipatong massa don't maintain the law cre was one of the most tempts to bring the and as long as they are the horrendous in this coun perpetrators to jus main perpetrators of viol try’s history, and we fully tice”. ence in the townships, we understand the outpour The ANC hit back, say won’t co-operate,” Mr ing of anger, but the ANC ing it had advised town Mbele said. is manipulating the event ship residents not to co The police spokesman for short-term political operate with police in said this decision of the gain,” he said. their probe because the ANC’s had major impli organisation still main cations for all acts of pol tained that “police were itical violence in the coun- involved in this massa try. cre”. “Seen against the back So far 81 KwaMadaia ground of the ANC’s in residents have been de disputable hatred of the tained for questioning in police, the question now connection with the June arises whether the ANC 17 attack in which at least has made similar moves 45 people were killed. to hamper other investi However, at least 200 gations, including those more hostel residents arc into train massacres. believed to have been in “We’ve said all along volved in the massacre. that they are hamstring The spokesman for ing our investigations.” Law and Order, Minister Mr Mbele said the Hemus Kriel, said the in ANC and various human vestigation would have rights organisations had progressed much faster identified known killers in and more arrests would the Vaal Triangle to the have already been made, J police over the past two if residents had been will years. ing to co-operate. i “Those people are still It was the police’s aim roaming the streets per to get convictions against petrating more violence. those involved in the at ,And these killers are be tack. “We can’t do that ing treated with respect without statements from by the police,” he said. residents," he said. The police spokesman A militant mood in Vaal >UJ THE Vaal Triangle militancy, some argue it is ihc Boipatong funeral. One townships of anarchy, were unmistake whs bashed over the head B o I p a t o n g , •hie in the streets; metre- with a metal bar. Sharpevilie, Sebokcng deep trenches had been dug. "Hey settler, you de and Bophelong have, full-grown trees had heen serve a bullet,” is now typi more than any other neatly felled with clectric cal-of the cries of many saws, piles of rubbish and area in the country, angry youthful residents in lyres would he sel alight at the Vaal. come to represent the night, there were metre- The ANC leader in new face of militant high walls built of boul- Sharpevilie, like a militaiy politics. dcn. i onunander, proudly told Codcsa means nothing Gone were the days fol reporters that his defence here. We have our own lowing the February 2. units had been operating agenda,” a local African 1990, unbanning of politi "smoothly” for months National Congress leader in cal organisations when now. Sharpevilie said during a members of the news me He added that the final tour of war-torn Boipatong dia felt they were safe in touches were being put to a on Monday when 37 vic these townships. plan to reintroduce street tims of the June 17 massa- A number of local and commiuecs in Sharpevilie. civ were buried. foreign journalists were at Operations at the Signs of the new mood of tacked by angry youths at Sharpevilie polite station, -Tl where 69 residents march ing in protest against puss laws were gunned down by police in I960, had virtu ally ground to i halt, he claimed. “When wc see a police man in the streets nowa days wc disarm bim.” Trends marking this new-found militancy are ck-ariy disturbing: At the Hoipatong funeral, at tended by about 40 000 people, there was an abun dance of weapons - includ ing firearms - and a lack of discipline was evident The attacks on reporters were blamed on a splinter FAC group, which report edly cannot be controlled by the local leadership. H ut the A NC came in for | it* share o# Hh blame loo. ANC supporters armed with AK47s. shotguns and pistols paraded in the open. During the long wait for I the bodies to arrive at the j Sharpevilie centctaiy, peo ple toyi-toyicd between and on graves - tiring at I random. While some of the older women shouted “thula (keep quiet)” oth ers. mainly “young lions**, roared their approval. Makharov pistol Folicc later claimed a shot had been Hied at, and missed, the ever present police helicopter whose crew diligently monitored the day's events. Then (here was the boy - journalists estimated he was 10 years old, definitely not more than 12 - who strutted about with a Makharov pistol stuck in his belt. Other youths passed the time chasing the odd white who cycled down a street in a nearby white Vandcrhijlpark suburb. A while resident sitting on his veranda was shot m Ihc loot liom a passing minilxis taxi. nearly the mood in the Vaal Triangle’s townships has clumped - many resi dent* *vm lo have turned their backs on lhe nci>o Culture ♦ Comment ♦ People ♦ Politics The Boipatong massacre has focused attention on bringing the perpetrators of violence to book and the questionable way in which police investigate - or fail to investigate „ /7~5V-».. - cases of violence. The question that needs an urgent answer is: S ' '■ f 7 •<’V '■ 5 t \ . a policeman shows o ff weapons confiscated from Inkatha members at N e w rrrrfrr Station on June 14. But. how successful have the police realty been in investigating tram violence and other acts o f terror against the public? W ill POUCE THEbecause POUCE? of lack of evidence, suspects let off fter three years of mas had overheard the planning of the leppe is a history of intimidation and even mur sacres - in trains by the police and "top priority" investiga massacres. der of people who have come forward. (Jeppe), a t vigils (Sebo- tions yield naught. The LHR reports says: "In m an y "On the one hand there is the fear of keng), taxi ranks The Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) instances, their (Police) information was exposing oneself to the same police that (Jeppe train station), report on the Goldstone Commission of more sketchy than that available in news are suspected of being party to the vio squatter communities Inquiry into Violence on Trains says police paper reports. Several newspaper reports lence. (Swanieville), funeral investigations are "cause for concern". mentioned witnesses by name, and even "And on the other hand, there is the marches (Sam Ntuii's) and professional"The manner in which train attacks in these instances, the police have not experience that police investigations ‘go Aassassinations kike those of Sam Ntuli, have been investigated thus far, is a cause bothered to trace the witnesses." nowhere' ", he said for concern. There has only been one suc The fact that the police have a David Webster - the police are yet to um an Rights Commission (HRC) cessful prosecution to date. monopoly on investigating cases has nulli make an arrest that would cast more member Max Coleman suggested light on the motives and source of the "During the last year, the police have fied the work of independent bodies such made only a handful of arrests as a result this week that effective strategies as the Independent Board of Inquiry into violence. to end the violence would have to So far police appear motivated only by of train attacks. They blame this situation H Informal Repression (IBIIR), Lawyers for entirely on the fact that members of the include a mechanism to “police the Human Rights (LHR). the African National the desire to exculpate the security forces police". of blame rather than to identify the gener public do not come forward to make state Congress (ANC), and Peace Action (PA). ments and co-operate with investigations. Confidence in the whole investigating "The independent groups take state als and the perpetrators of violence. system has been shattered, " he said. Police Commissioner johan van der Mer- They have offered rewards and placed ments from people, only to find they do advertisements asking people to come for Coleman argues that in view of the lack we responded in predictable fashion last not have the power to search and seize or ward and have, since, then been waiting of success on the part of police, there was a week when he vehemently denied the confiscate documents," Coleman said. for the public . need to institute a body that would moni involvement of Koevoet in Boipatong and He repeated that the police had been to respond, i tor investigations in the country. known to resist assistance in the taking of stated, without proof, that kwaMadala While he acknowledged the role of the They th e m statements. hostel residents were responsible for the selves do not Goldstone Commission, he argued that the massacre. Coleman said police should not be a p p e a r to commission had no teeth at two critical absolved from the task of investigating, Often when there is an outcry in the have made an points - at the level of investigating and aftermath of a massacre and the govern but rather that their activities should be enormous prosecuting. monitored. The monitoring should be at ment and the secunty forces are accused of He said the 32 Battalion case demon effort to inves two levels: in the field, where investiga complicity, police announce break strated the weaknesses of the system. Gold- tigate," says tions take place, and at the administrative throughs in the form of arrests and/or con stone's recommendations have been the report. level. "That is the basis of successful prose fessions to divert attention from their role. ignored. It also cutions". W hen N ew N ation revealed what While Goldstone has the power to search underscores The introduction of trustworthy investi amounted to the third force In 1990 - the and seize, he has neither the m andate nor th e com gation teams would eliminate the problem involvement of the South African Defence the capacity to investigate. Hence, cases plaints that of fearful witnesses and curb police cover- Force (SADF) 5 Recce in train massacres - the police do have to be referred to the police for investi police spokesperson Craig Kotze told for gation. ups. not follow Police investigations need to be moni eign ambassadors that Inkatha was freely avail The fact that police have to investigate responsible for the train attacks and court tored to avert cover-ups. able leads. does not solve the problem of people who - "At this point in time, we do not know cases would prove it. suspecting the police of complicity in the In 1990, the whom the police are protecting. If they are That proof is yet to come. police failed violence - would not wish to give evidence Whatever evidence was gathered by the to act on a tip to them. police in a bid to establish their innocence off by some Coleman said it would be asking too has not stood the test of a court of law. people who much from the public to demand that they ... crmtiiuiwl mi fuific I t Cases have been thrown out of court come forward to give evidence when there 1Babacar Toure, a ^Slam Factory -d a rin g “State o ffea r: Security leading Senegalese tobe sensual plus O f force complicity in - journalist talks toface 18 reports on productions torturet and kUtngs” — the Nation about tbe needfo r a at tbe Standard Bank National - tve review tbe latest Amnesty free media in Africa, and w hy International report on Soutb — controversy surroundingjtu!gln& ^ Africa, plus Pick o ftbe Week. ~ i Established 1887 South Africa's largest daily newspaper . Striking out I dangerously HE Congress of South African Trade Unions should think again before it attempts to launch a gen-* eral strike of “unprecedented pro- ' portions”T in support of political demands. The political temperature is already dan gerously high. What is needed is calm dis cussion. not threats of a general strike. To coerce the De Klerk administration into acceding to its demands, Cosatu will have to ensure that the strike is massive and prolonged, not a mere extension of the weekend. A strike of these dimensions will inevitably run into resistance, with the con comitant danger of conflagration. A general strike is likely to impact badly on the already depressed economy. South Africa is in the midst of its most pro longed recession in 50 years. The Reserve Bank predicts a decline in gross domestic product for the third year running. Unem ployment is perilously high and rising. Fixed investment is down to near record levels. The financial rand — which serves as an indicator of foreign confidence in South Africa — has dropped steadily in response to the launch of the ANC’s mass action plan on June 16, the Boipatong massacre and the ANC’s consequent decision to sever all ties with the Government. A general strike can only aggravate South Africa’s already ailing economy. If an ANC administration — or one in which the ANC is a major actor — is installed within the next few months, the ANC will have to bear the burden of Cosatu’s action. So, too, will the people whose interests Co satu purports to represent: the workers. Cosatus statement on the strike, issued after a meeting of its central executive committee, is imperiously arrogant. It stip ulates that President de Klerk must agree to Cosatu’s demands before sitting down at the negotiating table. If Cosatu is gambling that Mr de Klerk can be cowed into submission by vociferous ultimatums, it has miscalculated. He has to be persuaded at the negotiating table. Co satu general-secretary Jay Naidoo should, deploy his considerable talents to that end. J o . / . C u r d 'S couliniieiVfi'am "jxige 13 protecting themselves or the SA Defence Force (SADF), we cannot expect them to dig out the truth, Coleman said. He added that Trust Feed - where a dogged and fearless investigation by Captain Frank Dutton unearthed police's role in violence - was almost an exception to the rule in South Africa. Monitoring at the administrative level would ensure that police gather evidence in a consistent manner which would ensure suc cessful prosecution of culprits. While police blame the courts for releasing suspects, it has been observed that they never present sufficient evidence to guarantee convictions. A recent example is the freeing of suspects accused of having car ried out the Sebokeng massacre. The magistrate criticised the police for not having worked hard Mjila/re'h' enough to gather incriminating evidence. In other cases, magistrates have released people because of tardy investigations. _ S o C r New facts cast doubt on SADF denials about front companies ing that most managers of the secret front companies were in R126 000 provided by Edu-Guide and approved by Pasques ( a|or disclosures regarding the role of the SA and Conradie. The two also authorised a budget for the estab- | fact on the SADF’s pay roll. Defence Force’s (SADF) secret front compa lishment of Save the Child and for food parcels to be dlstribut- , nies are expected when at least two lawsuit The same evidence also details the clandestine involvement of the military in several community-based organisations in the ed among 'needy” people. These parcels were delivered to cases against the military are heard In the Pre Conradie’s home by vehicles from the national health depart Eastern Cape, the Cape and Natal. toria Supreme Court in the next few weeks. ment and later taken to Maqina for distribution. According to documentation presented to N ew N a tio n , an MTw o former managers of SADF front companies, Dr Ben The SADF, according to the same sources, also provided a I Anti-Revolutionary Model programme was designed by Dr Conradie and Willy Theron, are known to have filed lawsuits Louis Pasques and was developed by people like Conradie, motor-car and a typewriter to Maqina, among other equipment. against the SADF, arguing that they had been misused and N ew N ation was also shown a financial statement detailing that their careers had been jeopardised. among others. One of the main aims of the programme was the establish expenses incurred in the running of Azanyu, which also fell > N ew N ation’s sources said that if the government failed to ment of so-called Black Resistance Groups to oppose the then under Maqina. provide funding for the establishment of an Institute for Human All the operations that were run by Maqina, according to the United Democratic Front in the Eastern Cape. Development - which would provide jobs for several former Some of the groups that were established were Save Ihe sources, fell under the code name Operation Henry. employees of the front companies - hundreds of lawsuits Child, Ama-Africa National Front, and the Azanian National At the top of the leadership of the front companies in the would be instituted against the SADF. • Youth Unity (Azanyu), all run by Reverend Ebenezer Maqina. Eastern Cape was General CP (Joffel) van der Westhuizen, •A situation like that of the Civil Co-operation Bureau (CCB) who was then a brigadier and the head of the Eastern (It is not known if the Azanyu referred to by N ew N a t io n ’s is likely to emerge here, because most of these people will not Province Command of the SADF. Van der Westhuizen is now sources has any links to the PAC’s youth wing of the same agree to just go home with a meaningless handshake. They chief of staff of Military Intelligence (Ml) and has been linked to will push for their jobs to be kept.’ said one highly-placed name). Maqina’s wife, according to the documents, ran the SA the murder of four Eastern Cape activists, Matthew Goniwe, ; source. Domestic Workers Association (Sadwa), which later changed Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkcnto and Sicelo Mhlauli. Conradie, an educationist, managed the SAD Fs Edu-Guide, Second-in-command of the front companies was Colonel its name to the Domestic Workers Association of South Africa. ' a subsidiary of Adult Education. Both companies were based Intelligence sources said the change was suggested by a Dr Lourens du Plessis, who is now retired and has also been lh Port Elizabeth. Johannes van der Westhuizen who, according to the same linked to the death of the four. Du Plessis’ deputy was Botha Although the SADF and some managers of the front compa Maree, commander of the Cradock Command and the person sources still runs front companies such as Laborel and Soja nies have claimed that the businesses were not owned by the responsible for liaising “on a daily basis'" with managers of the military, but simply rendered services to them, intelligence Enterprises, all based in Johannesburg. s Maqina’s Ama-Africa was launched witfr an amount of *. SADPs secret front companies in the region. •' sources this week presented evidence to New Nation suggest i O fewer than 49 massacres have occurred in ed in hundreds of people fleeing to the Phola Park the Reef and southern Transvaal in the past two squatter camp. years, costing the lives of 1 250 people — an •O n November 261990,11 people were killed and Naverage of 25 per atrocity. 16 injured when close to 150 armed men, among them These startling statistics are contained in a special whites, launched a sudden attack on residents of report by the Human Rights Commission (HRC) giv Mandela View squatter camp in Katlehong. ing details of recent massacres. The HRC defines a •O n September 4 1990, armed, balaclava-clad massacre as resulting in at least tO deaths. raiders — allegedly led by IFP leader Themba Khbza In 34 cases, the HRC reports. Inkatha Freedom and accompanied by whites— stormed the Sebokeng Party (IFP) members were the assailants. Township Hostel in the early morning and killed 19 people dur residents supporting the African National Congress ing the fighting which ensued. (ANC) were implicated in six massacres. Security •A t the night vigil for a victim of faction fighting in forces are alleged to have been directly implicated in Alexandra on March 27 1991,15 people were shot four mass killings, while unidentified whites alleged dead and 18 injured in a cold blood assault by AK47- ly played a role in others. wielding gunmen. Some of the killing sprees bear a remarkable simi •O n January 12 last year in Sebokeng, 45 people larity to the carnage in Boipatong. Just over a year were killed and 50 injured in a hail of AK47 bullets at ago, on May 12,27 people were the night vigil of Christoffel slaughtered by balaclava-clad Nangalembe, a prominent men in a pre-dawn attack on the ANC activist in the area. squatter settlement of Swanie- •O n March 27 last year ville, on the west Rand. Where1 • •• • v.,: ;• a in Alexandra, 15 people were The report lists a number of killed and 16 injured when very similar characteristics on uniformed gunmen invaded a the nature and objectives of the night vigil at about 4am and massacres, which show that in massacre opened fire with AK47s and the majority of the killings: automatic firearms. Police •lnkatha’s drive to establish from the nearby police sta political territory, influence and tion, within earshot of the membership is a predominant is a way shootings, arrived an hour theme. after the attack despite having •Extreme terror tactics were agreed to providing protec used mainly to immobilise, dis tion for the moumeis. organise and paralyse township of life •O n October 7 last year communities. in Tokoza, 20 people were • Hostels were the main Boipatong was just the latest killed and 24 injured at the bases from which to plan mas in a series of massacres on funeral of community activist sacres. Sam Ntuli when gunmen •Persistent reports of police the Reef which average two a attacked mourners. Police and security force complicity in month and claim on average were accused of failing to these massacres — especially check the attack and of them of the involvement of unidenti 25 lives, reports selves firing on mourners. fied whites. BEATHUR BAKER •O n May 12 last year in •Retaliation was a frequent Sebokeng, 13 people were motive. killed and 11 injured when two masked gunmen barged •O f the 49 mass killings, which have occurred at a in to a beer hall and indiscriminately fired on patrons. rate of two a month, funerals and night vigils were tar •O n October 13 in Mapetla, Soweto, 10 people gets on three occasions, beerhalls or taverns were were killed in another attack on tavern patrons. Stony- attacked twice and on three occasions bus and train faced gunmen opened fire on the occupants of commuters were killed in major attacks. Twelepele Bar Lounge as well as people on the street The HRC also points to a remarkable coincidence. outside for 45 minutes before moving off in two wait As in the case of Boipatong, the Swanieviile massacre ing mini-buses. occurred two days after President FW de Klerk visit •O n July 221990,19 people were killed and more ed IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi in Ulundi. than 45 seriously injured in the running battle between These have been De Klerk’s only visits to the IFP members of the IFP and the civic association in headquarters. Sebokeng. Police are alleged to have stood by while But in crucial respects the Boipatong massacre is “impis” went on the rampage. unique. Never before have 200 detectives been •O n March 241991,12 people were killed and 38 assigned to an investigation, or a special inquiry injured in Daveyton when police opened fire on a ordered into allegations of police involvement. group of about 250 ANC supporters before the 10- Days after the inquiry began, police commissioner minute dispersal period given to them was up. Police Johan van der Merwe announced that evidence impli alleged that they opened fire on the crowd who cating inmates of kwaMadala Hostel in the Boipatong ignored a warning to disperse and instead attacked slaughter had been uncovered. At the time of writing, them. In the incident one policeman was killed and 81 hostel residents had been arrested two others also injured. Among the HRC’s catalogue of less well-publi •O n August 15 1991 in the Crosswads squatter cised atrocities in the PWV alone are: camp, 24 people were killed and several injured in a •O n May 12 last year in Swanieviile (also known pre-dawn attack on the predominantly Xhosa-speak- as Mshenguville) squatter camp, 27 people were ing camp by armed men wearing red headbands. killed and 30 injured as 112 shacks were razed during •O n April 3 this year, 23 people were killed and 17 a two-hour dawn attack by a group of about 1 000 alleged IFP supporters. Witnesses claimed the attack others injured when 30 shacks were flattened during ers were backed by white balaclava-clad men who did an attack on the Crossroads squatter camp in Tokoza. not use the firearms they carried. Residents told how about 30 Xhosa-speaking men •O n December 2 1990, alleged IFP supporters armed with guns, pangas and petrol bombs came killed 30 people in Tokoza duringa pre-dawn house- toward the camp in the direction of the Holomisa to-house raid aimed at Xhosa-speakers, which result squatter camp at about 11 pm. THE INDEPENDENT PAPER FOR A CHANGING SOUTH AFRICA THE WEEKLY MAIL Volume 8. Number 27. July 3 to 91992 A fierce and angry m essage! I NYONE who attended the funeral of the Boipatong massacre victims this week would have been left in no doubt: the mood in the townships is fierce, a mixture of dis Aappointment and anger urgently seeking an out let. The message of the day was simple and expressed more passionately by the crowd than any of the podium speakers: President FW de Klerk is no longer trusted, the security forces are blamed for the escalation in violence and there is no tolerance for meaningless game-playing nego tiations. Anyone who sees the horrific photographs in this issue of the murder of an alleged Inkatha member should have no doubt how destructive and ugly this mood can become. This mood forms the background to an escala tion of activities intended by the African National Congress and Congress of South Afiican Trade Unions to bring a showdown with the government To blame the rising level of tension— and its enor mous social and economic costs — on the ANC and Cosatu is to fail to realise that the impetus is not coming from these organisations but from ordinary people out there who feel sickened and disappointed by recent events. The ANC leader ship is doing all it can just to catch up with the level of feeling among its members and supporters. At the same time, the level of international atten tion and concern is growing. Foreign investors, sportsmen and entertainers will have no inclina tion to deal with this country under the current conditions of instability, no matter what the ANC, De Klerk, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi or Archbishop Desmond Tutu mav advise. A costly showdown can only be averted if De Klerk’s response to the ANC’s 14 demands shows enough courage and imagination to defuse the ten sion and give new impetus to the negotiations pro cedure. Failing that the ANC and its allies have lit tle choice but to stay on track for a showdown which they as well as everyone else knows will tear apart an already ragged social fabric. And as the necklacing this week at Boipatong made crystal clear, unless mass action is disci plined. well-directed and orderly, it will backfire horribly. Intemetional monitoring of violence-should help to contain ail sides. De Klerk should realise that the international community will not only be watching his forces; they will be watching his Conflicting statements as police .. • DENIALS^ Hi" »• ARE PUT MASS FUNERAL ... part of the crowd th payed their respects at the funeral of 37 vict of the Boipatong massacre held at the loc TO TEST stadium this week. vidence at the lu told the commission that vehicles had in fact left the involved in the Boipatong as to when the ex-, em ergency sit-__ a leremiah Shikongo, a for base on |une 17. Taljaard killings. men arrived at th< mer Koevoet member, had confirmed that he had driv Du Plessis. however, While Du Plessis so confessed to having been en the vehicle in question, denied this. Instead, he took up residence present during the killings. but only to the post office. said, he had told his men mine in three bate ting of the Gold- E Mngomezulu said It was, however. pointe< at the meeting that the raid |une 9, 10 and 11 stone Commis Shikongo told him he had out to the commission that was earned out because the sion to who works closely1 not participated in the the distance to the post men were allegedly Plessis, said he c investigate the Boipatong killings himself but had office was only 17 kilome involved in the killings. massacre this week failed know when the waited outside the Kombi tres while the log book A third witness Richard to support police denials arrived. He explain which transported them to showed that the vehicle in Nkosi corroborated Du of Koevoet involvement in thi .nen had arrive Boipatong and kept watch. question had travelled 237 Plessis's version of the the killings. muie while he v Shikongo, who comes kilometres. actress. Nkosi. it was. how Police have repeatedly leave. Nkosi said « from Ovamboland in When confronted with ever alleged, had not been stressed that investigations Namibia, is alleged to have returned from his li this discrepancy, Taljaard at the meeting in question. May 6, almost a so far suggested that the told Mngomezulu that he said he had driven along attack had emanated from Discouited before |une 9, was tired of being ordered the Ermelo road. This dis the kwaMadala hostel Justice Richard according to Du Pie to kill nine-month-old tance, however, was esti Another witness. William ■ which accommodates Goldstone. The Goldstone first batch arrived. babies and pregnant wom Commission heard mated by the commission Mtimkulu. who told the inkatha supporters. Evidence submittec en. conflicting evidence on to be in the region of 60 commission he knew Nkosi Police have also made Fields did not shed an But Shikongo, who told- the alleged involvent of kilometres. well, discounted Nkosi's much of the arrests and a the commission he knew version of Du Plessis's light on when the n confession extracted from Koevoet in the Boipatong This still left a consider taken up residence Mngomezulu, denied that massacre able amount of mileage address to the security staff. one of the hostel residents. Reading a stater he made such a confession. unaccounted for. Mtimkulu said Nkosi had The Goldstone Commis- Koevoet members at the been late for the meeting the commission Uc Mine security officials, mine. . . Killing* 1 slon convened an emer members of the Koevoet and that he arrived when a representative < • Police sergeant lacob gency sitting last Thurscfciy unit and police were also Equally significant is the Du Plessis was already leav Fields, owners of the when the ANC presented it Taljaard, who is :ln charge content of a speech that the ing after having addressed side Colliery, said ti summoned to give evi of the unit based at the with information that for dence. colliery's chief of security, security guards. He there pany had been una mer Koevoet members had mine, confirmed to the KoMMt MP du Plessis is said to fore could not have heard the presence of the i participated ip the |une 17 commission that vehicles have delivered at a 7am Du Plessis using the word group until |une 25 Boipatong killings. Evidence led so far has used by the former Koevoet meeting the day after the “alleged". A mine manager i men belonged to the SAP. raised a number of ques Goldstone Commission Mtimkulu then told the ever, reported to he fUfctod When asked if the men tions about the reasons for raided the Koevoet base at commission that Du Plessis independently th The Koevoet members, under his command had the presence of the former the mine. had said that the raid had Koevoet unit had thought to number more gone out on the night of Koevoet members in South Mngomezulu told the the mine. And than 40, were based at |une 17, he said they had been conducted because Africa. commission that Du Plessis Gold Fields' Greenside Col not. the Koevoet men had par response to NEW N£ Most significant is the had told security staff that liery Yieaf Witbank. The But the log book detail ticipated in the massacre. enquiries, the coi evidence relating to the the commission had raid base was raided by the ing the use of the vehicles The word “alleged” had not confirmed that the movements of an SAP vehi ed the quarters because the been used, Mtimkulu said. ty had been ieased ft commission following the cle used by the former showed that one of the ANC's allegation. men living there had been There is also uncertainty mine. A mine security guard, Mandla Sipho Mngomezu- DON’T BLAME To^nisionerofPoUceGene^Jo^ van der Merwe.. blames the media he police have once M H Talso argues that in a situation more told the country and the world that a breakthrough has been made with the arrest of are fighting, violence, unless the police to s p factions come 81 kwaM adala hostel different leaders of these .a inm ates in connection forw ard and assist the police in with the Boipatong endeavour to stop the violence . massacre^However such brea ' T < « - o“ K "™”‘v «■“»- » II b. the General johan van der Meiwe ™ ^ a - ’S S s ' E r t s i s : S,e«°was no p re d a te d attempt on That created a rift between the police tality of the attacks fade. the emment of^th y certQin laws and still have, ° th legislation of the secure convictions cannot be laia government ^f the day/' says Van der door of the police. courts,” M e rw e . an der Merwe, at the same time adm its that covert opera- tions involving the police were thatf°hTpoI°cefrfaUedeto unearth enough continuing. He also adm itted ’^JtZXSZSfSZ V that records of people who were y a rd for'faiUng to come forward as^witn= ed as te" ° rl e being kept as well -You must bear one thing " 1™ SST. - Th* s r » r ^K m ce^niary 2,1990, t h e p o lic e changed their attitude w ith,regard to ^ H e^ay^that whUe'^hey previously concentrated on orgamsat.ons «y tions as part of the reason for the lack o n°r o n r p ^ o v i - 1ttff! uch persons fflbe^gagedm unlawful = certain organisations a" 9r £llega. SK SrS"- act ence certain B«nrt« ^ Van der b e ‘ x9t T h T s m s t a S we are only keeping to act against the ponce, -S S iS 5s=£i:- *,«.-I* -* * >« “s r —s s & & £ £ £ ? £ «- Patrick Laurence analyses the changing township perceptions of President de Kleik ‘Great reformer’ now a demon and democratic order has been se spected of being an IFP sympa While not repeating the Nazi crisis N A speech made shortly December. There is undoubtedly an ele verely damaged in the townships thiser was hauled from a township analogy, ANC secretary-general house, hacked, shot and necklacefl. after the Boipatong massacre, Having accused Mr de Klerk of ment of political calculation in the by the ANC’s barrage of fierce Cyril Ramaphosa minced no Before that, on the weekend be Ernest Sotsu, the ANC's rep being the leader of “an illegiti ANC’s decision to hold President criticism . words in accusing Mr de Klerk of fore the Boipatong massacre, a Iresentative in the township, mate and discredited minority re de Klerk personally responsible Another sign of retrogression to “complicity" in the Boipatong young woman was necklaced for referred scathingly to President gime”, Mr Mandela said: "The Na for the continuing violence, espe the P W Botha era is the re-enier- massacre and had no hesitation in consorting with an IFP man living “P W” de Klerk. tional Party and the Government cially in view of the Goldstone gence of the dreaded necklace defending the use of posters la at KwaMadala Hostel. Whether Mr Sotsu had delibera have a double agenda. They are Commission’s finding that there is killings, the execution ol “inform belling Mr de Klerk a man wanted Another necklace victim in the tely used the wrong initials or talking peace to us. They are at no evidence of a third force and ers” and “enemies of the people” whether it was a slip of the tongue the same time conducting a war for murder. by hanging tyres filled with petrol Vaal Triangle was the formerl The Human Rights Commission that causes of the violence are was unclear; either way it reflect (against us).” around their necks and setting mayor of Lekoa, Esau Mafilatii/ — most of whose commissioners manifold and complex. He was m urdered on May 2S. *•' j| ed a perception that there is not Later, in May, in an address to One of the purposes behind the them alight are ANC-aligned - implicitly en In a statement condemning the much difference between Mr an OAU Com m ittee on Southern ANC’s mass action campaign is to The first necklace killing oc dorses Mr Mandela’s Nazi analogy re-emergence of necklacing_the Klerk and"his predecessor, Presi Africa, Mr Mandela compared force Mr de Klerk to agree to the curred in 1985 when, after the fu in its analysis of massacres since ANC implicitly but unmistakably dent P W Botha. South Africa under Mr de Klerk to election of a constituent assembly neral of the victims of the Uiten- Mr Sotsu is not a maverick on Hitler’s Germany: ‘‘(In) Nazi Ger July 1990. hage massacre, an angry mob at laid the blame on the DeJuerk After identifying the IFP and by the end of this year and to mo the issue. There is a growing con many people were killed because tacked the home of T B Kmikini, adm inistration. “The resilfcfflnfce the security forces as the primary bilise "the masses” for the viction in ANC ranks that there is they were Jews. In today’s the only councillor in Uitenhage’s of necklacing is a manifestation p i culprits in nearly 50 attacks in election. the deep frustrations and a a p r Hn little to choose between the two South Africa our people are mas By demonising Mr de Klerk in black township of KwaNobuhle which 10 or more people were the community with the violence men. Mr de Klerk, the bold re sacred simply because they are the eyes of township people, by who had not bowed to pressure to killed, the HRC concludes: “There and with Government’s refusal to former, has been forgotten and re black.” turning townships into “no-go" resign. can be little doubt that there is a accept a democratic dispensation placed by Mr de Klerk, the cun He repeated the comparison, areas for him, the ANC is ensuring In the words of veteran journal- :•r with one modification, in a speech design and purpose behind most ist Mona Badela: “Mr Kimkini in South Africa.” ning schemer. that places them alongside the gas that he will find it difficult, if not The past six months have wit at Evaton three days after the was stabbed, then tyres were put The ANC's (|ualifying rider in cham bers of Nazi Germ any in impossible, to supplement the nessed repeated characterisation Boipatong massacre. He included- on him after he was dead and he troduced a note of equivdiatilm sheer cold-blooded cynicism and high level of support that he of Mr de Klerk as a disingenuous Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s Inkatha was burned like that. The crowd into its condemnation of neeklac- enjoys in the white, coloured and ing and was reminiscent -rif.. tlia tlitician, with ANC president Freedom Party in the forces brutality.” also killed three of his sons It was Against that, President de Klerk Indian communities with a re elson Mandela leading the way. which allegedly kill black people a terrible thing." ■>' total propaganda war fought lid K has accused the ANC of delibera spectable share of the black vote. tween the “regime” and the “lib' It is pertinent to recall Mr Man because of their skin colour. Ominously, on the day of the fu tely exploiting human tragedy for Mr de Klerk's image as an dela’s sharp words during the Earlier that day Mr Mandela neral for the victims of the Boipa eration movement" during tW political gain at the risk of exa intrepid innovator seeking to lead opening session of Convention for described the marauders responsi tong massacre, a young man su Botha era □ 1, I cerbating an already dangerous South Africa to a new non-racial a Democratic South Africa last ble for the slaughter as “animals". ; 1 ■ ■ i . M • 1 &4 people whose homes were burnt down By CARMEL RICKARD in the incident MINISTER of Law and Order Hernus When the case of Radebe and Zulu is heard, it will test an important clause in Kriel is refusing to pay compensation to Shootings not unlawful, says Knel ____ .... . imlu the tru the law which gives the police special two survivors of the Trust Feed mas women are able to prove the policemen The women only discovered the true sacre, denying that the police shot them plea responding to the surv ivors’ action, identities of their assailants in October privileges. In terms of the Police Act, Kriel effectively prejudges the inquiry were acting as servants ol the state, their civil claims must be brought within six unlawfully. claims should still be dismissed because 1991, when the Trust Feed trial began Ilis response to the survivors’ civil findings by exonerating the police. in the Pietermaritzburg Supreme months of the relevant Incident or the Ida Radelie and Nomagoli Zulu are they did not bring them to court within suit, in which they are claiming Court They argue that the conduct of claims lapse. Other civil claims lapse between them claiming more than the six-month period stipulated by the R100 000, clashes with the supreme their attackers and other members of after two years. R100 000 for the injuries, pain and per Police Act court finding earlier this year, when the police force was designed to frus This will be the second case being manent disfigurement they suffered as This week Radebe and Zulu said it heard in Natal to test the issue. The fam Judge Andrew Wilson ruled that police was “unconscionable” for the minister trate any civil action against the police bad attacked the house in which a result of the shootings. or the minister, and that the court ily of Griffiths Ivixenge, allegedly mur The women claim that their attackers to use this argument They said that at mourners were keeping a vigil, killing should therefore not accept this ground dered by a police “death squad”, has were policemen acting in the course and the tin* of the shootings, their attackers launched a civil suit which the police 11 people. Tlie judge sentenced one of to dismiss their claim scope of their duties. The minister disguised their identities and the fact also argue was brought too late. The the policemen Involved to death and that they were members of the police Other civil claims arising out of the agrees they were employed as police Trust Feed trial are pending. Several Mxenge family argues that since the sent four special constables to jail men, but denies both that they acted force. After the incident they had con After the trial, the minister appoint are being brought on behalf of a num police allegedly covered up their unlawfully and that they were acting in tinued to hide their involvement and Involvement the six months’ provision ed a commission of inquiry to investi- were helped in this cover-up by other ber of children whose parents were the course of their duties. killed in the shooting, others concern should not apply. gate the role of the police and whether However, he says that even if the policemen. there had been a cover-up. But in his iiJjML 5/fl^ • • There’s No Hope Unless The < 3 0 . i f Police Are Brought To Book WvV i»v\ M ( ( s \ j 7 - B u , ^ '1qUC$'i0ninS hOS,cl c c S < ™ SK T w ffiT T invoi~ v- ^ evidence of securi^tces^u^ ~ f ■ * • * * « have -U . in thei, investigations. ^ e y ^ V t '° ^ t e M h d ^ w " I T 7* ° rganiSa' ion" “nd lcSal f* ™ are busy putting to- getter dossiers - with the full cooperation of the residents given to the re^ntsjssistingsSSSSSswSSr" in the Investigations. inc courts must decide), arc nevertheless authentic V • s f S i S s i ' r ; ta ,hHarea iu* headbands became visible in the distance. Nearby th e re ^ s T c ^ p Z T ^ demanded they take some kind of action. A, this ^ a callu s mack- e s ^ t e d o u ^ T h e ° v ^ Wi,h * * * * KSuk ,hat the "M -H m was ,o •** *»* • Police action to protect the residents of course did not materialise According to police accounts of the incide.it they were ™ in'/ and “ ■ h whu" «■“ • Out f(ir■ all e this official /r ausenu.,abwncc every ^,-rv res idem s statement. insto* S ^tassstarzsaaas:- ; s ; s s , menuallege that security forces personnel themselves Ic^Xed h L « s Anothw sutem ent has men in the uniform of the Internal SlabUily Unit ectly involved in a series of brutal murders. Alleged hostel dwellers are hacking people to death in the foreground. Behind them « p ^ m ’d «cunty forces personnel taking aim at the informant and his eight months pregnant wtfe. They tun for it. but the wife fall, victim to a lu.il j“ [ 0< ° lher 5U'em« * ' *»ken identify whites wearing balaclavas as Pan " I * ' MlKk Judl ^ ‘de,u a ferule s » „ Z ■ tw o T ^ w T ;: ^ : r m “ po~ d as a man ***** ^ • h°u~ » * « ^^^UTTiNG ALL THE STATEMENTS TOtfTHEn •» —— ^M y planned ^ s tra te g ^ ^ ^ ^ S ^ noon w/th a maior police sweep of the township, clearing roadblocks inH making Ihe barricaded areas of the township accessiUeto v“ ht“ T N« ^ pecple indoors. P0|,cc hang.**“* around, •*— enforcing “ in ^ the“ *Impromptu ^ning chasingcurfSf mT!!?. a t" forcesare wesc“ involved ted imo as ^ escorts ,ownship to a andgroup a" which he" m mop-up force Ksr-"they operiy investigated by others than his own subordinates. - IVOR POWELL ! Witnesses c ? o . to fear giving evidence — Sexwale By UNDA RULASHE and JACQUIE GOLDING BOIPATONG residents had refused lo give statements to the police on the recent massacre hccausc of “profound mistrust of the policc and security forces”, the Goldxtone CommissionCommission j was rhuyesterday. \ " In a strongly wordW memorarolemorannum presented lo the commission on tlie first day of the inquiry into Hie Boipatong massacre, African National Congress PWV chairman Tokyo Sexwale also said it was not “the hand that disem bowelled the nine-month pregnant woman that day” but the force* behind the attack which should be emphasised, namely the police and the state. Present at tlie sitting was the former chief justice of India, P Bhaqwati, spe cially appointed for the inquiry. Aiso in attendance were a British expert on policing, Dr Peter Wadding ton and two members of the London Metropolitan Police, CommandcT Tom Laidlaw and Detective Superintendant David Don. Sexwale stressed that it was not ANC policy lo dissuade people from submit ting statements to the police. Describing the “deep and dangerous explosive anger among the residents”, Sexwale explained how President FW de Klerk had been labelled “the butcher of Boipatong” during his recent “insen sitive” visit to the township. This, he said, was because De KJerk had legal - > ised the carry ing of traditional weapons. Counsel for the commission Johan du Toit, said: “But we are not look ing into that, to which Justice Goldstone interceded: “But with respect Du Toit, 1 understand Mr Sexwale’* depth of feeling and he should be allowed to continue.” .Sexwale said residents wete also crit ical of the commission’s inability to ensure that steps were taken on its find ings and recommendations carried through. “In fact, giving evidence here is per ceived as the same as giving evidence in the police,” Sexwale said, because wit- | nesses were often killed or disappeared under mysterious circumstances. To date, the policc have managed to obtain more s*atements from kwaMadala hostel dwellers — about 400 — than from victims and or wit n essed the massacre. Major Chrisk> Davidson, attached to the Unrest and Violence Crime Investigation Unit and involved in the probing of the killings, told the aim- mission the allegations that the security forces were involved and that they transported hostel residents to and from the k)wnship were unfounded. Davidson said the evidence collected hy the police unambiguously pointed to the residents of the kwaMadala hoslel as the perpetrators of the attack. Other allegations he denied were that the police had prior knowledge of the attack and that they dispersed residents with learamokc before the massacre to allow the attackers access to the area. On the night of the attack, patrolling members of the Vaal Commando saw a group of men wearing white headbands suspected It) be ANC membets— in the.vcld adjacent to Boipatong. It was ascertained that the group was carrying knobkieries and other tradi tional weapons but they were not ques tioned and suddenly vanished. Members of the South African Dcfence Force and SAP waited at kwaMadala hostel for a while “lo deter mine what the intentions of this group of blacks was”. Sltots were heard coming from the township but this, according to Major Pieter van Wykof the Vaal Commando, “is not a rare occurrence”. Massacre allegations 20." false, commission told By Zingisa Mkhuma - •'t z. r 3 “The allegations that and Own Correspondent been seen in Boipatong the security forces were and seemed to have been involved in the attack involved in the attack. A senior policeman yes and that they transport “This perception per terday told the prelimi ed residents of the Kwa- sists among many resi nary hearing of the Gold Madala Hostel to and dents of Boipatong.” stone Commission of in from the township are Mr Sexw ale added quiry into the Boipatong totally unfounded.” that concrete evidence massacre that police He said investigations obtained from witnesses could find no evidence had indicated that be would be submitted to linking security forces to tween 200 and 300 men the commission at a the June 17 attack which had left the KwaMada- later stage. killed more than 40 peo la Hostel on foot at about He denied earlier po ple and injured 30. 9.15 pm on June 17. They lice submissions that the Speaking on behalf of had gathered in open ANC had hampered po the police and the Minis veld before separating lice investigations into ter of Law and Order, into groups which at the massacre by in Major Christo Davidson, tacked residents in Boi structing witnesses not a member of the 200- patong and Slovo Park. to give evidence. strong police team Police who arrived Mr Sexwale said the charged with apprehend after the attack had pre people themselves re ing the killers, said in vented youths from at fused because they per vestigations had shown tacking the hostel. ceived the police to be ANC allegations that The chairman of the involved. “white persons”, security ANC PWV region, Tokyo “There is a deep, dan force or former Koevoet Sexwale, said Boipatong gerous and explosive members had been in residents had frequently anger among the resi volved in the attack repeated, at the time, dents of Boipatong and were false. that security forces had in the Vaal Triangle.” Collection Number: AK2672 Goldstone Commission BOIPATONG ENQUIRY Records 1990-1999 PUBLISHER: Publisher:- Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand Location:- Johannesburg ©2012 LEGAL NOTICES: Copyright Notice: All materials on the Historical Papers website are protected by South African copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published in any format, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. 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Consequently, the University is not responsible for any errors or omissions and excludes any and all liability for any errors in or omissions from the information on the website or any related information on third party websites accessible from this website. This document is part of a private collection deposited with Historical Papers at The University of the Witwatersrand. ome*made hostel, housing supporters of Chief fired his--- — shotgun IIIWinto UKthe grUUINground Mangusuthu But holer is Inkatha guns know who attacked them. You t° try~ixf scare them off. Instead, can bluff the whites in their re rrecdom Party, into tlieir township this triggered his own colleagues, and out again nOer the slaughter. mote suburbs, but you cannot bluff who on hearing the shotopenod fire the blacks who are there on the I despaired because I saw how into the crowd standing directly inept the pol ice are at handling the before them. spot — and tho more you try, the kind of volatile situation that arose more you discredit yourself. after Mr. de Klerk’s ill-considered m ^ h k? ’ito Up thH *i,ootl,« to' That ™ « is what hasha* happened to more than 19 seconds, firing round South Africa’s police force. It has prra" l c'u had left «™>r round u tn« people fled ia >»e"ining to terror, falling as they were shot“ in!n discredited itsoFby itsX d, aiS simmer down and disperse, the po- the hack until there were two dead its cynically disingenuous expla nations until it is seen not as a personnel!v™ nnelf camera " bly around (U rnSd and ‘h' re- ir * 9 ground oth er. peacekeeper but as a feared and entered ttw traumatized township When the shooting stopped, the deadly enemy. Mr. de Klerk does not want to f ,'!Ur'^ vehi.i:,,!8 drnv« officer in charge leaped up and bclitve th a t lie gets angry when it i °W!\ te slrwt Just * f°w screamed at his men in Afrikaans' is put to him. But it is true. rCtr' “ti,ngCruwd, “Who told you to shoot? I told you looking so aggressive and provocaDrovoca- not to shoot without orders." flow can credibility be restored? Only by drastic measures. There tive that a newly arrived foreign I despaired finally because whon correspondent beside me blurted it WUa at ntiur (k„ __1:_ must be a complete change in the it was all over, the police did not command structure of the socurity out in astonishment: “What the hell comc out to help the iryured. It do tliey think they re doing? Are | forces, they must be brought under they looking for trouble?” was left to the few journalists there multi party control, and there must and the black survivors to do that. be an international commission to Then, in those explosive circum I watched a young woman pho stances, a politvman in one vehidc monitor police operations. If that tographer cradle a man’s shattered is done, there may be some hope of stood up in the turret and fired a head afi he gurgled and died. My shot, killing a black man about 80 t getting the peace process back on yards (73 meters) Hie polico track Anything less, and the abyss yawns. EDITORIAL Eyes On The Larger Interest THh BLOODY massacre in the Boipatong township was not the first art of senseless political violence to At several steps along the way since the decision atrikc South Africa since the transition to democracy was made to dismantle the racist sparthoid system, began. Hut among the victims this time — in addi those with entrenched interests in protecting white tion to the helpless infants — are the constitutional power have sought to impede the inevitable break negotiations, which now are in serious danger or from the past. And now what could not be accom unravel,ng. President F. W. de Klerk and the Afri- plished through opposition to the removal of can National Congress leader, Nelson Mandela, decade»-old apartheid laws, or to the start of con- despite their differences, should take personal re Jtitutional talks, or to the whites-only referendum sponsibility Tor rescuing their country from this ! tVOrin^ ne^0tiaf ,;°n8' m,V fina,,y be achieved If crisis. the ANC should allow a breakdown in tho The ANC, contending that the South African au multiparty talks. If that happens, then those most interested in preventing a nonracial democratic thorities have been in complicity with supporter* of South Africa will have won. the predominantly Zulu Inkatha Freedom Party during ye