Stefaans Brummer
FORMER police chief General Johan van der Merwe this week hit back at the Goldstone Commission for linking him to “criminal and despicable” police actions before the elections, charging Judge Goldstone with “the rape of the most basic principles of human rights”.
Van der Merwe, who retired as police commissioner in March this year, said of the secret report that was revealed by the Mail & Guardian last week: “As with the previous report of the Goldstone Commission (the March 1994 “Third Force” report), this report of Judge Goldstone lacks facts and details and denies all the basic principles of our law, not to mention
“It clashes sharply with the provisions and nature of the interim constitution and I would like to know what our judges and legal people in general have to say about the report.
“There are also several irregularities with the handling of this report. Firstly, the report was addressed to the International Investigating Team for further investigation. The report is based on the untested testimony of dubious witnesses, but the judge still makes certain far- reaching recommendations without giving those whose rights are affected any opportunity to protect their rights.
“This is rape of the most basic principles of human rights and the principles of law. The report was not published since it could possibly have harmed the further investigation, but already it was in circulation, including with some witnesses of the commission.
“What also strikes me is the fact that pertinent questions about the activities of the Goldstone Commission that arose during the trial of Colonel Eugene de Kock, among others in the Sunday Times, are now conveniently being forgotten. That creates the impression that this is not about the truth, but about the propagation of specific interests and staid views.”
* The Support Police Action Group (Spag) of Avril Budd this week strongly denied it had been a security police front, as alleged by Judge Goldstone in his secret report.
Budd, known for her numerous letters to newspaper letters pages, and campaigns backing police in their “anti-revolutionary” struggle and for better police pay, this week branded Goldstone’s remark as “such a ridiculous little allegation with nothing to back it up”.
She said the allegation would hamper her efforts to negotiate amnesty for imprisoned police members with Justice Minister Dullah Omar in return for their committment to testify to the Truth Commission and “say who gave them the
Budd admitted ties with former police commissioner General Johan van der Merwe and informing the Security Branch of her activities, but said: “I had no problem with that as we had nothing to hide.” She denied receiving money from the police.
But former security policeman Paul Erasmus, on whose testimony Goldstone based his allegation, said he stood by what he had said. He said he had been asked in 1991 to take over “handling” Spag for the Security Branch and that he was aware of police monetary and material support for Budd.