TRC Final Report

Volume 6

Section 3

Chapter 2

Subsection 5

PART TWO: ANALYSIS OF AMNESTY INFORMATION: 1960–1989

UMKHONTO WE SIZWE (MK) AND THE ANC: 1960–1990

32. The Commission received a significant number of applications relating to the activities of MK in the period 1960 to 1989. One hundred and eighty persons, including eight females, sought amnesty for 420 incidents in the period 1960 to 1989.¹¹⁷

33. Applications ranged from individual operatives applying for amnesty for one or more acts, to units of operatives applying for a range of activities, to applications from command personnel based in the neighbouring states and in Military Headquarters (MHQ) in Lusaka, Zambia.

34. The regional breakdown of incidents was as follows:

35. The annual breakdown was as follows:

36. Of the 420 incidents, 338 relate to actual attacks, while eighty-two relate to associated activities such as leaving South Africa illegally, escape from custody, possession of explosives or involvement in ongoing activities such as military training, infiltration of arms and operatives and aiding MK operatives. Included in the eighty-two are seven persons who applied for amnesty with respect to their convictions for terrorism without detailing specific acts. Three persons also sought amnesty for acts of sabotage.

37. The 338 attacks involved some 1276 separate incidents:

38. Possession of illegal arms and ammunition is not specified in these attacks since all such MK attacks involved such possession. Most applicants were granted amnesty in this regard .

39. Amnesty was granted for 412 of the 420 incidents, seven were refused, and one was partially granted and partially refused. Two applicants were struck off the hearings roll. Mr John Itumeleng Dube [AM5310/97] was refused permission to add two additional incidents to his amnesty application.