Amnesty Hearings

CHAIRPERSON: In his case we have been given notification in the form of letters written and a decision from the Amnesty Committee that his application for amnesty was refused on the basis that the act that he committed, did not relate to acts associated with a political objective. He was notified of this decision in writing on the 31st of March of last year. We have not been given the complete papers in his matter. We have been given his application in Zulu and a very brief handwritten, two page summary, sorry - three page summary, apparently made by him in which he indicates that he was a member of the SACP and that the killing was done as a result of the violence in the area and that the deceased in that case participated in the violence.

F I N D I N G

We do not know if this matter was part of the papers that were submitted to the earlier Committee, but what does appear to us is that the decision was not signed by a Judge, and I understand that an opinion has now been obtained by the Committee, to the effect that if that provision of the Act has not been complied with, the decision is of no substance. This is a matter which should also be investigated and Mr Meyiwa should be given the opportunity to seek legal advice in this regard and if such advice supports the view I have indicated, his application should also be heard - set down for hearing at the adjourned date.