TRC Final Report

Volume 6

Section 3

Chapter 6

Subsection 23

Attacks on schools

265. Amnesty was granted to BWB members Mr Cornelius Gabriel Volschenk [AM2759/96], Mr Rowland Keith Robinson [AM 2758/96] and CP member Mr Gerhard Pieter Daniel Roux [AM 0094/96] for the bombing of the Melkrivier School near Nylstroom in the Transvaal and the Perdekop School near Volksrust in Natal, and for the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and the manufacture and supply of explosives [AC/1999/0009; AC/1996/0013; AC/1996/0014]. BWB member Mr Carel Willem Andries van der Merwe [AM3718/96] was also granted amnesty for offences committed in the district of Nystroom on or around 2 January 1992 and for the bombing of Melkrivier School [AC/1998/0001].

266. Conservative Party members Mr Jacobus Johannes Christoffel Botha [AM1703/96] and Mr Carl Mathinus Kriel [AM6699/97] and AWB members Mr Petrus Jacobus Judeel [AM5240/97] and Mr Andries Stefanus Kriel [AM2893/96] were granted amnesty for various acts of ‘terrorism’ relating to the bombing of the Hillview School, Cosatu House and the Verwoerdburg and Krugersdorp Post Offices during 1991/92, and for the theft of explosives at the Rustenburg Platinum Mine in the Transvaal during 1991 [AC/1996/0012; AC/1998/0017].

267. AWB Commander Mr Pieter Stephanus Albertus Nel [AM2733/96] was granted amnesty for the theft of explosives and being in unlawful possession of explosives, including a homemade bomb, on 28 December 1991. Together with two AWB colleagues, he stole explosives and detonators from a coalmine and used these to manufacture a homemade bomb [AC/1998/0094].

268. On 16 January 1992, the applicant and a colleague place the bomb on the premises of the Calvary Church School at Nelspruit. The bomb was defused before it exploded and caused no damage.

269. The applicant was charged with and convicted of the offences in the Regional Court in Middelburg. On 4 April 1995 he was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, conditionally suspended for five years for the theft of the explosive material and to five years’ imprisonment, also conditionally suspended for five years, for the possession of explosive material and the homemade bomb.

270. The applicant testified that his motive for committing the offences was to enable him to make direct attacks against racially mixed schools and churches with the view to derailing the government’s democratisation process.

271. The Amnesty Committee was satisfied that the offences were committed by the applicant in the course of the conflicts of the past and with a political objective, and that the applicant had made full disclosure. Amnesty was granted in chambers.

Explosion in Bronkhorstspruit

272. Two BWB members from Cullinan, Mr Leo Hendrik Froneman [AM0395/96] and Mr Pieter Johannes Harmse [AM3275/96], also a commander in the BRL, were jointly convicted for an explosion at an Indian business complex in Bronkhorstspruit on 17 September 1993. One police officer, Mr Abraham Labuschagne, died in the explosion and six people were injured. Froneman was convicted of culpable homicide for which he was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. Harmse was convicted of murder, attempted murder, the unlawful possession of explosives and malicious damage to property and was sentenced to an effective eighteen years.

273.The bomb was homemade and one of a series made by the BWB cell. The BWB planned a coup d’état and a part of their plan entailed interrupting the country’s power supply. During the amnesty hearing, the applicants handed in a video of a BWB meeting held in 1993, in which it was said that the party would declare war against the government which, ‘wanted to hand the country over to the ANC/SACP alliance’. At other meetings, members were instructed to collect explosives and create chaos in their own areas.

274. Harmse told the Committee that, in September 1993, he received a telephone call from the BRL informing him that the war had started. He had been warned at meetings to expect such a message. He instructed Froneman to choose a target that would involve Muslims, which is why the Indian Shopping Centre at B ronkhorstspruit was selected. They set about preparing the bomb and at 03h00 the following morning they set off to plant it.

275. The trial judge and the regional magistrate who convicted the two applicants regarded the incident as political. Under cross-examination, Fro nema n explained that he had selected the target because he believed that the majority of Indians were Muslims and ANC supporters. By attacking this target, they would show the government and others that the BWB was intent on taking their country back by force if necessary. In doing what he did, he was carrying out orders given to him through Harmse.

276. The Amnesty Committee was satisfied that the applicants did what they did in the belief that they were acting on instructions given to them by the BWB, a publicly known organisation, and that the act was done in furtherance of the policies of that organisation. They were granted amnesty [AC/1998/0039].