: DECISION
This is an application for amnesty in terms of the provisions of Section 18 of the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, No.34 of 1995 ("the Act"). The matter relates to a staged attack during 1986 upon the house of the then Chancellor of Vista University, Professor Stephen Puleramaileng Maphike. The background to the incident is briefly that the Student Representative Council ("SRC") of Vista University had a disagreement with Professor Maphike. An undercover policeman on the university campus, one Frank Langa, was instructed by the SRC to use his ostensible contacts with the African National Congress ("ANC") to arrange for an attack upon Professor Maphike. Langa's ostensible contact with the ANC was a cover story. It was used in order to boost his stature to facilitate his undercover work on the campus. Langa reported back to Willem Coetzee on the instruction from the SRC. In order to maintain Langa's front, the Security Police superiors decided upon staging an attack upon Professor Maphike.
A group consisting of Frank Langa and Manuel Oliphant, launched the ostensible attack upon Professor Maphike's house in the early hours of the morning on 6 June 1986. The group threw a Russian-made handgrenade towards the garage where the motor vehicles of Professor of Professor Maphike were parked. Some damage was caused to the garage and some of the vehicles. There were clear orders that the attack should be planned in such a way that there was a no risk of harm to anyone. There were indeed no injuries resulting from the attack. Lodewyk de Jager, who was a Colonel on the South African Police and the superior officer to the other Applicants, authorised the staged attack. The remaining Applicants played different roles in the incident, which is not necessary to specify for the present purposes.
Having carefully considered the matter, we are satisfied that the incident constitutes an act associated with a political objective as envisaged in Section 20 of the Act. In the circumstances amnesty is hereby GRANTED to the applicants in respect of all offences and delicts arising from the attack on the property of Professor Stephen Puleramaileng Maphike situated at or near 945 Moroka, Rockville, Soweto, on or about 6 June 1986.
In our opinion Professor Maphike is a victim in respect of the said attack and it referred for consideration in terms of the provisions of Section 22 of the Act.
DATED AT CAPE TOWN THIS 29TH DAY OF JANUARY 2001
