DECISION
The above Applicants apply for Amnesty for an arson attack on a side hall to the Administrative offices of Soyco in the Ipelegeng Community Centre.
A decision was taken, sanctioned by general Ignatius Coetzee, the 4th applicant to quell the activities of Soyco, whose members were, according to intelligence reports, involved in attacks on policemen, councillors, in arson and riots, in intimidation activities and in crash military training courses. They were joined by Special Forces operatives Naude and Robey and having prepared a mixture of petrol and diesel to set the offices of Soyco alight, drove to the Ipelegeng Centre in Soweto. The precise date could not be established but according to the applicants it was in the last 2 weeks of December, either 1986 or 1987.
After reconnaissance, they decided that it would be too risky to access the offices and then, after establishing that no individual was present, threw the firebomb through the window of the hall adjoining the Soyco offices. Investigation the next day showed that minimum damage was caused and although they regarded the operation as unsuccessful, they nevertheless later formed the opinion that Soyco did curtail their activities at the Community Centre.
The Committee is satisfied that the explosion and arson was associated with a political objective as envisaged in the Act and that the Applicants made a full disclosure of all relevant facts. Amnesty is GRANTED to all the applicants accordingly.
SIGNED AT CAPE TOWN THIS THE
: DAY OF
: 2000.
