JOHAN H LE ROUX: (sworn states)
CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, you may be seated.
EXAMINATION BY MR VISSER: Mr le Roux, you are also an applicant. In your application on page 88, you have stated that you cannot recall whether the incident took place in 1987 or 1988, are you satisfied to accept that it took place in March 1988?
MR LE ROUX: Yes, I accept it as such, Chairperson.
MR VISSER: At that stage, what was your position in the Security Branch?
MR LE ROUX: I was the Divisional Commander of the West Rand Security Branch.
MR VISSER: Where were you stationed?
MR LE ROUX: Krugersdorp.
MR VISSER: Was Mr Jan Coetzee one of the members who served under you?
MR LE ROUX: That is correct.
MR VISSER: Can you tell the Committee what you recall of this incident?
MR LE ROUX: Chairperson, that Major Coetzee came to me apparently during the afternoon, and that he informed me that Brig Schoon had requested him to establish an arms cache in our area for the purposes of a Defence Force cross-border operation.
MR VISSER: You have referred to a Defence Force cross-border operation, what do you mean by that?
MR LE ROUX: That the Defence Force was aiming to launch a cross-border operation.
MR VISSER: And how would the arms cache have formed part of this?
MR LE ROUX: The arms cache had to appear to be an ANC arms cache and we had to disclose this with much publicity so that it would truly appear to be a genuine ANC stockpile.
MR VISSER: In order to provide a justification for the attack?
MR LE ROUX: Yes, that is correct.
MR VISSER: Very well, you have just heard that there was a Security Head Office order, what was your viewpoint?
MR LE ROUX: I agreed with that.
MR VISSER: Did you associate yourself with the execution of this fraudulent exercise with the idea that an attack would be launched in Botswana?
MR LE ROUX: Yes, that is correct.
MR VISSER: Did you know who would launch the attack in Botswana?
MR LE ROUX: No.
MR VISSER: Who did you suspect it would be?
MR LE ROUX: I suspected that it would be the South African Defence Force. I cannot recall that it was specifically told to me who and what would be responsible for it.
MR VISSER: Did you later discover who indeed it had been?
MR LE ROUX: No, on the following day however, I also heard about it on the news. I heard that there had been an attack. I do not believe that it was specifically mentioned who or what was responsible for the incident.
MR VISSER: Were any of your members or were you in Botswana?
MR LE ROUX: No.
MR VISSER: With the execution of this operation?
MR LE ROUX: No.
MR VISSER: Very well, what was your task?
MR LE ROUX: My task was to create as much publicity as possible.
MR VISSER: What happened during the night?
MR LE ROUX: Chairperson, at a certain stage, as it was agreed, Maj Jan Coetzee the now Col Jan Coetzee, telephoned me and stated that this discovery had been made and the orders were then for all the service officers to be notified as well as the media liaison officers, and I did so.
MR VISSER: What took place the following day?
MR LE ROUX: Basically we went to the scene immediately and then the media liaison officer arranged that among others Chris Olckers from the SABC, people from the press and other members of publicity teams would be there.
MR VISSER: This media liaison officer, I think it was Mr Tienie Greyling?
MR LE ROUX: I think it was him, yes.
MR VISSER: Whatever the case may be, regarding you, you state that with both the establishment of the cache and during the attack, no persons were killed or injured?
MR LE ROUX: Yes, that is my recollection.
MR VISSER: Thank you Chair.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR VISSER
MR HUGO: No questions, thank you Mr Chairman.
NO CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR HUGO
ADV STEENKAMP: No questions Mr Chairman.
NO CROSS-EXAMINATION BY ADV STEENKAMP
CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, you are excused.
MR LE ROUX: Thank you Chairperson.
WITNESS EXCUSED
CHAIRPERSON: Is that all your witnesses?
MR VISSER: Yes, Mr Chairperson, as far as I've got it.
MR HUGO: Thank you Mr Chairperson, I then call Mr Eugene Alexander de Kock, he will testify in Afrikaans.
