AC/2001/165

      TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

      AMNESTY COMMITTEE

APPLICATION IN TERMS OF SECTION 18 OF THE PROMOTION OF NATIONAL UNITY AND RECONCILIATION ACT, NO.34 OF 1995.

WILLEM WOUTER MENTZ     APPLICANT

(AM2775/96)

      DECISION

The Applicant applies for amnesty in terms of Section 18 of the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, No 34 of 1995 in respect of the following incidents:

1.    An explosion of a mini limpet mine at the Athlone Post Office, Western Cape on or about 15th of August 1989, causing damage to property;

2.    An explosion of a mini limpet mine at the First National Bank, Claremont, Western Cape on or about 15th August 1989, causing damage to an automatic teller machine.

At the time of the incidents the Applicant was a member of the Security Branch of the South African Police.  During August he received instructions from his commanding officer to assist in the above two operations under command of Captain David Baker.  The objective was to cast suspicion on and disrupt activities of the Mass Democratic Movement who at the time protested against a tour of a World Rugby team in South Africa.  Nobody was killed or injured in the incidents.

Both Captain Baker and Jacob Francois Kok applied for amnesty for the same incidents.

The Committee is satisfied that the Applicant has complied with all the requirements for amnesty, that the offences committed were offences associated with a political objective within the context of the conflict of the past as envisaged in the Act and that the Applicant has made a full disclosure of all relevant facts.

Accordingly amnesty is GRANTED to Willem Wouter Mentz for:

1.    Malicious damage to property as a result of the explosion of a mini limpet mine at the Athlone Post Office, Western Cape, on or about 15th August 1989;

2.    Malicious damage to an automatic teller machine as a result of the explosion of a mini limpet mine at a branch of First National Bank in Claremont, Western Cape, on or about 15th August 1989.

SIGNED AT CAPE TOWN THIS THE 10TH DAY OF MAY 2001

JUDGE ANDREW WILSON

ADV F BOSMAN

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