self-defence units (SDUs)

MR PATEL: And finally you claim amnesty for a general instruction to set up self-defence units who were to illegally arm themselves and to protect themselves in the community from unlawful attacks and at all costs to achieve stability in the area, do you confirm that?

MS BRIDJLALL: But Mr Mosiane, if there were two units on the same operation, would they not communicate with each other as to what was going on, what your task was and what their task would be?

MR HATTINGH: But units like murder and robbery, were they not better equipped to investigate such actions and to then confirm the fact that he may be guilty of such offences?

MR MASEKO: Thank you Chairperson. Firstly I'd like to say I was the commander of this unit and it was my responsibility to form other units, units that would be under my command. But with this one I was in command I had many foot soldiers working under me. The members were Lumumba Thelo Sumbele, ...

"Gordon was really my senior although now in a different command. The moment he was captured, I assumed command of both units. I then assembled both units and put a plan into place to attempt a rescue. The reconnaissance took place on a daily basis at the hospital and over a lengthy period."

Situation: The policy of the RSA as far as the safety of the Republic is concerned, requires that Defence Force formations and units are deployed inside or outside the territory. The SA Defence Force operational strategy requires offensive actions in neighbouring countries.

... of my client, the applicant. In this process of deployment the special constables were taken all over the country and attached mainly to Riot Units. The Riot Units used the special constables in order to regain area, land lost to the UDF, and/or to prevent further claims made successfully ...

... involved in ANC or terrorist investigative unit, Unit D was to look after very important people, to safeguard them, Unit E was the job description ...

MR MASHOALA: These members, Thoka who had direct contact with him and then the rest of the other members, they were under Thoka. So it was none of our business as to whether they are having those members under them or not except that we only termed those units under certain names.

MR KOOPEDI: I need to understand this correctly, did you belong to one unit or to different units, or in this one unit, if you belonged in one unit, there was more than one Commander?

Evidence was led that Ms Ndwandwe was in fact released from custody after she had made a Section 29 statement in writing and that she thereafter lay low for a while and then struck up units from those, involving those people of the APMC who had not been arrested in December of the previous year.

JUDGE WILSON: I don't understand that to be from his application. What Mr Hani told you, wasn't it, that you must form self-defence units in the community.

... whether such "membership" was formal or otherwise.  He was also in a position to provide weapons and ammunition to members of the Self-Defence Units when these were established in the 1990's.  His activities in this regard do not strain the imagination when one has regard to the nature ...

MR FRANCIS: You were asked by Mr Lamey to deal with the question of Self Defence Units, do you recall that?

MR MAPOMA: Is it not correct that the ANC, when it suggested the formation of the SDU's, had a position that the self-defence units must have a political discipline?

MR MOOIJ: Or units as you call is. You were always the same unit, you didn't belong to two separate units?

MR BENZIEN: The police or the other Units came to the scene. A video recording was made, photographs were taken, the whole scene was put on film for future court procedures.

... I would just like to explain the situation that he as an activist, we regarded him as an activist. The information which was obtained by other units which were focused on the labour market or focused on the Civics, this information, especially where there was an ANC connotation, the ...

Now what distinguished in your mind, Special Operations from other MK units?

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, at some stage during your, during the period, you were involved in the Self-Defence Units. Correct?