amntrans AMNESTY HEARINGS 2000-07-11 PRETORIA 5 JOHAN H LE ROUX 4148/96 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=54331&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/amntrans/2000/200711pr.htm 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.