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APLA attacks

Explanation
During the early 1990s, the PAC proclaimed a military strategy of a 'protracted people's war', which involved the infiltration of APLA guerrillas into the country to conduct rural guerrilla warfare. The initial targets of such attacks were members of the security forces and white farmers who were perceived to be the frontline of defence for the former apartheid government. A 'repossession unit' was also set up, in which APLA cells conducted armed robberies on the instructions of the APLA High Command to raise funds andor obtain weapons and vehicles to enable APLA to carry out its military strategy. Civilians were killed or injured in many of these robberies. In 1993, attacks on civilians increased sharply with a series of high-profile attacks by APLA cadres on public places, including restaurants, hotels and bars, in urban areas. These were usually, but not always, places frequented by white civilians. The PAC/APLA claimed that the attacks were not racist in character, but directed against the apartheid government as all whites, according to the PAC, were complicit in the policy of apartheid. The 1993 attack on the St James' Church, Kenilworth, Cape Town, produced the highest number of casualties, with 11 people dead and 58 injured.

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It is not in dispute that the applicants were all members of the PAC and members of APLA. It is also not in dispute that prior to the Heidelberg Tavern incident, the applicants were involved - together as a unit, in attacks on the Nyanga East Army Base and the Lingelethu West Police Station. It ...
... patrolling the township in the P.E. area and these orders came from the PAC and they were carried out by ...[indistinct] military wing, the ...
MS COLLETT: The attacks of APLA, were they aimed at these enemies?
MS COLLETT: You see, Mpahlele's evidence at the High Court was also that whilst the PAC was campaigning for the elections it was quite correct despite the fact that it was denied, that there were attacks and things taking place in the name of APLA. What do you say to that?
He had indicated that orders had gone out to members of the PAC armed wing to seize all military operations and the reports of attacks from APLA were being made not by APLA people, but by other people, are you able to comment on that?
MR PRIOR: That is in line with the policy of APLA, for secrecy so that the Police couldn't follow up on these attacks, because to keep you uninformed was also their protection, that was the way it worked, is that correct?
... people working for business in Sterkspruit and they seemed to be attacked in more-or-less the same manner, by the same or similar groups within the APLA movement. Are you able to comment at all on that allegation or to give the Committee your perception or your view on ...
MS COLLETT: Now you had been a member of APLA for a period of time at this stage, did those attacks appear to be in line with APLA policy?
... the Heidelberg Tavern attack which occurred in December of ‘93, there was a strong suggestion made by various victims and other witnesses that APLA in planning these attacks, had been infiltrated by the security forces, whether that was the security branch of the police or military ...
... is a common thread that runs through all these incidents, including the Claremont restaurant attack, that they were given instructions by senior APLA leaders, that these instructions were not questioned. Whether they came from the High Command to the Commander of the Unit or instructions ...
... the attack on the Heidelberg Tavern and similar attacks which occurred in the 1990s, were specifically ordered and were within the knowledge of the APLA high command. Is there a contradiction here between this submission and the position that you have put forward this ...
I faithfully and diligently carried out the instructions which I was given by those in the APLA command. As far as I was concerned, the attacks was to get the land back from the whites who had taken it away from the African people through violent means.
MR ARENDSE: If I may just deal with this also. There were also a number of attacks around that period, St James, Heidelberg, the Newcastle Disco, was that part of a pattern? Was that part of the same pattern of attacks that were now being launched by APLA?
... the investigating unit from the police and from the Station Commander. The purpose of the meeting was mainly to question why were the people of APLA out of control and nobody was trying to control them. But the answer that was given by the Station Commander was the fact that it is difficult ...
MR LEBEA: The Task Force is part of APLA. It was established to protect the community against the attacks. As you know very well that the previous regime was attacking the Africans, it was basically to protect the community and to assist APLA with ammunition.
I was involved in four APLA operations before the Heidelberg Tavern incident. The first one was in Boipatong in Gauteng, the second one was in Heilbron in the Free State and then lastly the Nyanga East army base and Lingelethu West police station attacks. At all times the targets to be hit were ...
MS COLLETT: Did he confirm that certain attacks took place after the armed struggle and before the people were, the APLA soldiers were communicated with?
... Gate Hotel in East London.  All these attacks were going to be directed at whites in accordance with what the Applicants say was the policy of APLA.  The orders were issued to the Applicants' unit which had now been joined by Msizole Mafu (alias Luvuyo).  They state that they were issued ...
Now those are known by the Committee, it has many a times - unfortunately this time I could not call somebody in the higher hierarchy of APLA, because of the death of one of the members of the High Command during this week, they are busy preparing for that. I normally call somebody in the High ...
Dunside Farm Attack - During about the 19th December 1992 I was commander of Apla unit that launched an attack on a homestead on a Dunside Farm. We were a unit of three. It was myself as a commander armed with R4, Roger armed with pistol and Jabu armed with revolver and we also had a stick ...
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