HERE are extracts from Goldstone’s report given to then=20 president FW De Klerksome weks before the April=20
Commisssion of Inquiry regarding the prevention of=20 public violence and intimidation. Report to the=20 International Investigation Team.
1. Introduction
1.1 In the first report dated 18 March 1994, the=20 Commission set out prima facie evidence of the=20 involvement of elements within the SAP and KwaZulu=20 Police and the IFP in public violence and intimidation.=20 Three senior generals were named as being implicated in=20 the illegal activities which included the supply of=20 illegal weapons, arms and ammunition.
1.2 The allegations in that report led to an=20 international team of investigators being appointed by=20 the South African Government and the Transitional=20 Executive Council. The Commission has furnished the=20 international team with the information which it had at=20 its disposal.
1.3 Since then the Commission has come into possession=20 of a mass of detail which:
1.3.1 Materially corroborates the allegations contained=20 in the first report; and
1.3.2 Establishes that the Security Branch of the SAP=20 (now renamed the Criminal Intelligence Service) has=20 been involved for many years in the most serious=20 criminal conduct including murder, fraud, blackmail and=20 a huge operation of dishonest political disinformation.
1.4 It is possible to set out only some of the evidence=20 in this report. A full investigation into all the=20 matters will take many months.
1.5 In terms of the statute under which the Commission=20 operates (Act 139 of 1991) the Commission is enjoined=20 to investigate incidents which have occurred since July=20 1991. However, the Commission is empowered to=20 investigate incidents which occured prior to that date=20 if they are relevant to current violence and=20
1.6 In this report there will be reference to criminal=20 activity by the Security Branch of the SAP in the=20 1980s. They are highly relevant because:
1.6.1 they explain some of the current public violence=20 and intimidation;
1.6.2 an unfortunately large number of police officers=20 currently holding high office, including the=20 Commissioner of Police, were not only aware of some of=20 the earlier criminal activities, but must have approved=20 it and the funds which were necessary to have made it=20 possible. So, too, according to the Commission’s=20 evidence, the then Minister of Law and Order, Mr A=20
1.7 The further evidence taken on oath and referred to=20 in this report was heard by a Committee of the=20 Commission consisting of the Chairman and Mr G Steyn,=20 or the Chairman alone. Both Committees were appointed=20 with due concurrence of the Minister of Justice.
1.8 The evidence includes that of Mr Brood van Heerden,=20 Mr Chappies Klopper, Mr Willie Nortje, a former member=20 of Vlakplaas and still a member of the Counter- Intelligence Unit in Pretoria, and Mr Paul Erasmus who=20 was a member of the Security Police for 17 years until=20 he was discharged from the SAP for health reasons in=20
(Editor’s Note: At the request of our sources, the=20 evidence in the report which may be sub judice in the=20 light of the trial of Vlakplaas Commander Eugene De=20 Kock and other possible prosecutions, has been=20
7. Comments
7.1 We would draw attention to the fact that Erasmus=20 has opened only one window into the frightening=20 operation of the Security Police in South Africa. Their=20 involvement in violence and political intimidation is=20 pervasive and touches directly or indirectly every=20 citizen in this country. The documents we have been=20 given by one warrant officer can be but a tiny sample=20 of the whole.
7.2 The whole illegal, criminal and oppressive system=20 is still in place and its architects are in control of=20 the SAP. It cannot be coincidence that in the most=20 senior ranks of the SAP there is such a predominance of=20 officers who have led the Security Branch over the past=20 couple of decades.
7.3 It is a bleak prospect that this country enters its=20 first democratic election with this security structure=20 in place. Appropriate steps are necessary and urgent to=20 attempt to neutralise the effect of it before the=20 election and to cut it out root and branch at the=20 earliest possible time.
7.4 The Commission is in possession of the names of=20 many police informers. Their names are not mentioned in=20 order not to put them in physical danger.=20
7.5 The Commission is not aware of any members of the=20 SAP outside of the Security Branch who were involved in=20 the criminal and despicable actions referred to in this=20 report. We make this observation not to minimise the=20 distaste and horror which we and any decent people will=20 experience at the disclosures. At the same time it is=20 vitally important to acknowledge that the Security=20 Police component of the SAP is some 7 percent of the=20 total Police Force. It is to that component that urgent=20 attention must be given.
7.6 Perhaps the worst feature of this investigation is=20 that members of the Commission and its staff fear for=20 their lives. So, too, obviously do the people who have=20 given testimony to the Commission. This figure=20 illustrates the depravity of the leadership of the SAP=20 and elements within it. Witnesses, some with their=20 families, have gone into temporary exile — an=20 unpleasant experience which the Chairman witnessed=20 during his visit to them last week.
8. Recommendations
8.1 Urgent and immediate steps must be taken to=20 neutralise the activities of the CIS. The leadership of=20 the SAP, including its Commissioner, General Van der=20 Merwe, are patently unsuited for their positions and=20 should be effectively relieved of their positions=20
8.2 One of the first acts of the new government after=20 the forthcoming elections should be to establish a=20 Commission, the task of which should include:
8.2.1 The exposure of the system which has caused so=20 much misery, death and destruction of people and=20 property in South Africa;
8.2.2 The identification of the victims of that system;
8.2.3 The appropriate compensation to be paid to such=20