TRC Final Report

Volume 6

Section 3

Chapter 1

Subsection 18

Eastern Transvaal Security Branch

180. The divisional headquarters of the Eastern Transvaal Security Branch was based at Middelburg, with branches in Ermelo (a sub-branch in Piet Retief), Witbank, Nelspruit, Secunda, Lebombo and Burgersfort. Members of the Eastern Transvaal Security Branch were also based at several border posts, including Oshoek, Golela, Houtkop, and Nerston.

181. Seventeen members of the Eastern Transvaal Security Branch applied for amnesty for fifteen incidents committed between the late 1970s and 1988. These incidents included twenty-five killings, seven abductions and at least three instances of torture and/or severe assault.

182. With minor exceptions, the applications relate to cross - b order action against MK operatives in Swaziland or entering South Africa from Swaziland. The ANC submission records a total of at least fifty-two deaths of Swaziland-based MK operatives ‘at enemy hands’. A further eight on the list were killed near Piet Retief while infiltrating South Africa, as were several other MK combatants. The above applications account for only fourteen of these.

183. Members of the Eastern Transvaal Security Branch sought amnesty only for operations that were conducted jointly with other Security Branch divisions, principally C1/Vlakplaas, and for which the Amnesty Committee had already received applications.⁷³ Amnesty was granted in thirty-eight cases, partially granted in two and refused in one instance.

184. One case involved ANC intelligence operative Jabulani Sidney Msibi, a former bodyguard of ANC President Oliver Tambo. The situation arose because members of the Branch suspected that they had been infiltrated by the ANC. When suspicion fell on a Nelspruit Security Branch operative, Warrant Officer Malaza, he allegedly confessed, naming Msibi as his handler. He was then instructed to set up a meeting with Msibi in Swaziland. Msibi was abducted and taken to Daisy Farm.

185. Although the Eastern Tramsvaal Security Branch claimed that Msibi became an informer, De Kock denied this at his amnesty hearing. Addressing Mr Msibi’s family, he said:

And I just want to tell you that his dignity and his integrity, his faith and his loyalty in the ANC, remained unscathed consistently and that is how he died. He was the sort of man who I, at any time, would have wanted in my life with me at my darkest hours. That is the kind of person I would have wanted with me. In my limited capacity as a human being, he has all the respect that I could muster and I believe that if any of my members have the courage of their conviction and if they would speak the truth, they would underwrite what I have just said, that he is worthy of respect of the party and the people whom he served at that time.

Within my limited capacity as a human being and my even more limited capacity due to my special circumstances, I would like to say that regarding me, he was one of the ANC’s and the country ’s most loyal supporters. He stubbornly refused that anything should break him or his loyalty, and I would just like to tell the family that. (Hearing, August 2000.)

186. Shortly after his release from detention, Mr Jabulani Msibi was killed in unknown circumstances.

Far Northern Transvaal Division

187. The Far Northern Transvaal Security Branch was based at Pietersburg and had branches in Nylstroom, Thabazimbi, Ellisras, Louis Trichardt, Messina, Tzaneen, Phalaborwa and Giyani. Its area of operation included three international borders : Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

188. Nineteen applicants from the Far Northern Transvaal Security Branch applied for amnesty for two separate incidents.

189. The first was for the killing of six MK operatives at Alldays on 10 July 1986 and for perjury committed during the inquest into the deaths. This matter was investigated by the Transvaal Attorney-General after one of the participants in the ambush made a statement to the effect that he had led the six into the ambush without any intention of arresting them. Several of the applicants had been advised by the investigating team that charges of murder were being considered. Only five out of fourteen applicants were granted amnesty for the Alldays ambush [AC/1999/176].

190. A second set of applications involved two acts of illegal entry and theft from the ANC and COSATU offices in the 1990–92 period. One applicant sought amnesty for both incidents. Six applicants were granted amnesty for the latter incident [AC/1997/071; AC/2001/234].

Western Transvaal Security Branch

191. The divisional headquarters of the Western Transvaal Security Branch was based in Potchefstroom, with branches and sub-branches at Zeerust, Rustenburg and Klerksdorp. Security Branch operatives were also based at the Derdepoort, Kopfontein and Buffelsdrifhek border posts with Botswana.

192. Eleven members of the Western Transvaal Security Branch applied for amnesty. The eleven included two divisional commanders and the branch commander of Zeerust. The thirteen incidents applied for involved thirty-three killings, numerous attempted killings and several counts of assault or torture.

193. Amnesty was granted in thirty-four instances, refused in two and partially granted in three .⁷⁴