AC/2001/177

      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.

KOBUS KLOPPER     APPLICANT

(AM3762/96)

                                                                                                   DECISION

The Applicant, a former Security Branch policeman, applied for amnesty for a number of incidents, the majority of which have been dealt with at hearings.  The present application which concerns the providing of arms and explosives to the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) doe not involve any gross violation of human rights and is therefore dealt with in chambers.

During the period 1990 - 1992 the Applicant was a member of the Vlakplaas Unit of the Security Branch under the command of Colonel Eugene de Kock who has also applied for amnesty in respect of this matter.  He, the Applicant, became involved in the packaging and provision of a wide range of arms, ammunition and explosives to the IFP following orders from De Kock.  The Applicant also attended meetings where providing arms to the IFP was discussed.  The arms included both arms of foreign and South African origin as well as some hand-made guns.  The guns were made by "a contact" of Lionel Snyman and "Snor" Vermeulen also Vlakplaas operatives.  Both the last-mentioned have also applied for amnesty in this incident.

The Applicant states that he was not personally a supporter of the IFP but he perceived the IFP to have been an ally of the former government and that the general objective was to strengthen the IFP in its power struggle against the African National Congress, the enemy of the government of that time.

After considering the Applicant's application and all relevant documentation relating thereto, the Committee is satisfied that he has complied with al the requirements for amnesty.  The Committee is also satisfied that the acts applied for were acts committed with a political objective as envisaged by the Act and that the Applicant has made a full disclosure of all material facts.

Accordingly, amnesty is GRANTED to the Applicant for all statutory offences flowing from the above regarding the provision of arms, ammunitions and explosive devices to the IFP as well as any other offence or delict involving the provision of arms to the IFP committed by other members of Vlakplaas which on the evidence may render the Applicant a co-perpetrator or accessory.

SIGNED AT CAPE TOWN THIS THE 17TH DAY OF MAY 2001

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