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D’ATH, GeorgeAge Description You did nothing unlawful. You helped colleagues whom you had a duty to assist and you assisted them. // That is correct. // Therefore you did no wrong. // That is correct. // Then why on earth did you apply for amnesty for an assault which you did not commit? // As I’ve already said I used ... By the time of Mr. Hani’s death, more than three months had passed since you wrote that list of 19 names. // Yes. // Did you write a letter to anyone of the 19 asking for an appointment? // No. // Wouldn’t a simple telephone call to them, whether they would be prepared to give an interview ... There is a perception amongst NGO’s and amongst certain members of the legal fraternity that a large degree of impunity exists in KwaZulu-Natal in terms of the lack of prosecutions and a lack of convictions. What’s your response to that? // I would like an opportunity to discuss that with the ... Have you apologised about wasting a valuable life that might have made a valuable contribution to the people of South Africa? // No, how can I ever apologise for an act of war. War is war. There’s a difference, is there, between killing people in war and killing people by assassin. // There is Mr. Chairman, there is. // Is that a form of your conservative party logic Mr. Derby-Lewis? // Mr. Chairman, assassination is an act of war, it can occur during a war situation. // Murder is ... On Thursday Advocate Bizos continues his relentless cross examination of Snyman and puts it to him that it was not Biko’s refusal to answer questions that led to him being injured or beaten up but simply his determination to remain seated after his white interrogators had ordered him to stand. // ... Have you apologized about wasting a valuable life that may have paid a valuable contribution to the people of South Africa mister Derby-Lewis? // Mister Chairman, with respect, may I ask is this a condition and is this something over which the Committee should then be subjected to evidence? My ... Mr Siebert, did you assault Mr Biko? // No I did not. // Did you cause his death? // His death was caused by the incident which took place. // I asked you a simple question, did you cause his death? // I would not be able to say if I was responsible, there were a few of us present there. If you feel that you’ve done nothing wrong is it really necessary for you to apply for amnesty? // Frankly, it’s not necessary. The only thing is I did it because I was involved in that little struggle. // Whose idea was it that you should apply for amnesty Mr Marx? // Niewoudt. No plan, no envisaged plan, no joint venture of that nature was ever discussed with me at all. // I’m not aware of any case where the Defence Force and the police would have acted together internally and where people had been killed and had not been discussed with me. // I in my more than 35 ... The raids in Lesotho, 1982, 1985; the raids in Matola 1981; the raids in Swaziland; the raids in Mozambique; the raids in Angola; the raids in Zambia; the raids in Zimbabwe; the raids in Botswana; all were because of the policies of PW Botha. We must never forget our history. Although she denies all knowledge of the assassination plan Derby-Lewis told the Amnesty Committee that she believed it was politically inspired. This is what she told the police during her interrogation in 1993. // We had minimal contact with the right in terms of being involved with them. I ... Under cross-examination, Advocate Bizos asked Snyman why Biko had been spread eagled and chained to an iron grill after it was clear that he’d been injured? // It is possible that we acted in an inhumane manner. // Well that is one of the franker answers that you’ve given the Committee. Can we ... Massacre has become a cheap word in South Africa. There have been too many instances where a dozen or more people were killed in one incident of political violence. But there is no other word for what happened in the Natal midlands in 1990. 200 people died in the single biggest massacre in our ... Your motive for killing Mr. Goniwe was to restore peace in the Eastern Cape. // That’s correct Mr. Chairperson. // After Mr. Goniwe’s death an increase in violence and one of the fruits that you reaped as a result of his murder, you and the country reaped, was a declaration of a state of ... … Because in my mind a murder docket is never closed, it is always alive and it will receive attention sporadically. Did you lie to your attorney? // I did Mr. Chairman. // Nobody compelled you to lie to your attorney? // No one compelled me Mr. Chairman except for the fact that I was busy with an armed struggle and I was determined to give as much opposition as possible under any circumstances. // What support ... Your evidence was that Col Snyman reported that there was discussion at the JMC in which the Defence Force people put in the JMC, put the security police under pressure and suggested that the security police were unable to stabilize the position. Do you recall that? // Yes. // Now ... of this ... But telling the truth is not enough for amnesty. Derby-Lewis must prove that he was working within the structures of an accepted political organisation. // Let me read the words that you would no doubt have come into your notice Mr. Derby-Lewis when you committed this murder as to the policy of the ... Mr van Zyl, 63 stab wounds were inflicted on the four people you murdered on the night of the 27th 1985. Do you agree with the District Surgeon’s report with that? // I cannot disagree with that Mr Chairman. // Do you agree that the 63 stab wounds is evidence of barbaric conduct? // Mr ... |
