self-defence units (SDUs)

MR McPHERSON: Not entirely. There were other units at head office who were also involved with Africa and terrorist organisations and the movements of suspicious persons, and I think for example with the investigations unit of terrorism they had regular interviews with people who were caught and ...

CHAIRPERSON: Sorry, Mr Lecordier, I haven't asked this of anybody before, but I was just wondering, did the unit its own name at all or not? Because I've heard that some units carried a name.

Although APLA had a high command and some form or hierarchical structure, units were only formed once it was decided to carry out operations. The first operation I became involved in, was in 1992. I was involved in four operations and I have applied for amnesty in respect of all four these ...

CHAIRPERSON: But the Self Defence Units were only established in 1993.

MR PATEL: Mr Chairman, basically this applicant seeks amnesty for the fact that he was asked for advice regarding the violence in the area. Part of his advice consisted of telling them to set up Self Defence Units firstly.

It is further common knowledge that the call for the establishment of Self Defence Units was made after the suspension of the armed struggle by the African National Congress. And further, there was no stage where the African National Congress called for the disbanding of the SDUs or the ...

ADV DLAVANE: So I believe that between yourselves, by "yourselves" I mean the defence units and this vigilante group, what was happening at the time it was like a straight battle between the two groups, is that correct?

After getting in contact with some of the Self Defence Units there - by that time I was still staying in the township but sometimes I went to Polla Park because Polla Park is not more than five kilometres from where my brother resided in Thokoza.

MR NOTUNUNU: Now, it is common cause Mr Nyembezi, that you were a member of what is known or was known as Self Defence Units, having been trained by MK cadres, is that the position?

MR BERGER: Mr Mthembu, you told the Committee last week that you were not targeting the residents generally of Boipatong but that you went to Boipatong to kill the members of the self-defence units, am I right?

Act. In certain of the operations the applicant played a direct role in the planning and preparation thereof. In others he gave general orders for units to carry out operations at their discretion so long as they acted within the given guidelines. The role played by the applicant in all ...

... the SADF itself, which was on patrol in those self-same area, whether or not the KwaZulu Government administered the areas? --- Well, typically units like 121 Battalion in a rural counter insurgency capacity would be doing that task of border protection, cordons, needs-be searches of ...

There were various members of units, C10 as well as from

MR RICHARD: Thank you Sir, I understand that you went backwards and forwards, it's far less complicated. At some time after 1982 you joined the SDUs, the self defence units, when was that?

Colonel Vorster in this meeting stated that he issued the self-defence units with firearms. They were called SDUs. He stated he also issued firearms to the indunas. He stated that when he issued the firearms he issued letters of authorisation from his office. Colonel Vorster said that the IFP SDUs ...

... Structure, combat name, Bernard. His responsibilities were to do political work within the unit to train and distribute arms in our various sub-units, clearance of the DLB's, executing attacks and sustain the moral of the unit members. Alfas Ndlovu, fellow applicant, a member of the Command ...

MR MBANDAZAYO: It was also mentioned here,can you elaborate that it was mentioned that there were two, you also had twocertain Units within APLA, a Repossession Unit and an Offensive Unit, can youbriefly tell the Committee, whether the same Unit can do the same, can be involved- if the Offensive ...

ADV PRINSLOO: I respectfully submit Mr Chairman, it is common cause that Cronje was overall in charge of all the units at Compol building at this particular Branch but it was divided into various units, that Prinsloo of which he was head of a unit, did not arrest that person, so he could not have ...

MR VIKTOR: Yes, he was the overhead Commander in the district, he had various other units working under him.

security branch in the Northern Transvaal we had an internal course, an orientation course that was aimed at making the members aware of the various units where the units were involved and specifically in my case, how to work with informants with regards to giving them orders and to get ...