Bongani Abednego Jonas, 31, the “Mr X” who refused to give evidence for the state against the 14 accused in the Yengeni terrorism trial, told the court he was shot by a member of this group. The work of Askaris, or the ATeam as security policeman Major du Toit called them, was to “go around the township acting on information from the security police to seek out and kill their former colleagues”. “Some of them said I was fortunate to be alive,” Jonas said.
There are at least two units of this group operating in South Africa. One is led by a Sergeant Balletjies and is based in Pretoria. The other, a Cape unit, operates from East London and covers the area from Cape Town to the Wild Coast, the court heard. “I was told there was another unit to be formed in Cape Town, which would work from Cape Town to George and near Beaufort West,” Jonas said. He said Askari members had told him they had killed people in Botswana (including a man called Naledi) and had shot a suspected “terrorist” in Guguletu in September 1988. Jonas was giving evidence in a hearing in terms of section 189 of the Internal Security Act to determine whether he has “just cause” to refuse to give state evidence. His refusal is based on the grounds that testifying for the state would by “humanly intolerable”. If the court finds Jonas has no “just cause” he faces up to five years’ jail. – Sahm Venter
Members of Askari included Stan Gwiji and “Neville” from the Transvaal, Lucky Mavimbela of Paarl, and “David”, said Jonas. He said he was shot in the left hip by “David” on September 17 1987, before being detained under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act. Security policemen had pulled, stood and jumped on his fractured leg. Jonas said he spent several months in hospital, much of the time chained to his bed. “David” later suggested he join the Askaris, Jonas told the court. “He said I would be given a house, security, will have the opportunity’ to marry, but my wife will have to stay in the base because I must understand that my life will never be the same again. Because in order to be protected by the state, we have to work in a team,” Jonas said. “I agreed, but in myself I never agreed because if I refused to work for. Askari then the police would have other suspicions of me. I had to play along; that humilated me.”
Jonas said he had been told by the security police that he would be a state witness. Since his refusal on April19 to give evidence for the state, all his privileges had been taken away. Jonas said Du Toit had instructed the police station commander “to keep me in conditions of section 29 though I am still (being held under) section 31”. The hearing threatens to become a marathon one, with the state announcing it will call about 30 witnesses to refute Jonas’ allegations.
This article originally appeared in the Weekly Mail.