Eleven former security policemen and Vlakplaas police operatives have been granted amnesty for their role in the killing, torture, assault and illegal abduction of political activists during the apartheid era.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's amnesty committee said on Wednesday that amnesty was granted to Frank McCarter, Adrian Rosslee, Izak Bosch, Andy Taylor, Laurence Wasseman, Johannes Steyn, Hendrik Botha, Solomon Du Preez, Casper van Der Westhuizen, Roelf Visagie and Jacobus Voster.
They applied for amnesty for the abduction, assault and murder of Sipho Bhila in February 1987; the abduction from Swaziland and murder of African National Congress activists Phila Portia Ndwandwe, Phumezo Nxiweni, Sibusiso Ndlovu, Amanzi Vilakazi and Elias Matjale; and the disposal of their bodies using explosives.
The offences were committed between February 1987 and November 18, 1988 in and around Durban. The applicants also applied for amnesty for housebreaking, theft, and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
The committee said it found that the acts of the applicants were associated with a political objective and that they had all made full disclosure of all the relevant facts.
The committee has also granted amnesty to former Vlakplaas special police unit head, Eugene De Kock N as well as Willem Nortjie, Isak Bosch, Jacobus Kok, Jacob Kok, Wynand Du Toit, Willem Bellingan, Kobus Klopper and Simon Radebe N for the attempted murder of former policeman Dirk Coetzee, the culpable homicide of prominent lawyer Bheki Mlangeni and for defeating the ends of justice.
De Kock was further granted amnesty for malicious damage to the Community Centre Building in Cape Town in September 1988.
Dawid Brits, another former Vlakplaas operative, was granted amnesty for establishing an arms cache in Nelspruit and transporting arms from Namibia to the Vlakplaas base.
Former security policeman Kobus Klopper was granted amnesty for providing the Inkatha Freedom Party with arms, ammunition and explosives.
Former intelligence officer Jacob Van Jaarsveld was granted amnesty for conspiring to murder leading liberation activist Matthew Goniwe.
Van Jaarsveld on instruction by his superior Craig Williamson was ordered to investigate the elimination of Goniwe in Cradock in 1984.
Van Jaarsveld was refused amnesty for his role in a landmine explosion in 1986. - Sapa