The National Prosecuting Authority has denied reports that the sentencing of Buyile Ronnie Blani could lead to the arrest and prosecution of anti-apartheid activists and leaders who failed to obtain amnesty.
”In April 2003, President Thabo Mbeki instructed the NPA to finalise cases that arose from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. These include cases of people who committed crimes related to human rights but failed to obtain amnesty for whatever reason,” NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said on Sunday.
Nkosi was responding to a City Press newspaper report which claimed that the sentencing of murder-accused and anti-aparthied activist, Blani, in the Grahamstown High Court this week, could lead to the arrest and prosecution of other freedom fighters including government officials.
Blani (41) was sentenced to five years in prison for the murder of an elderly couple — Koos and Myrtle de Jager outside Grahamstown in 1995.
He fled the country soon afterwards and his accomplices, Ndomiso Siphenuka (25) and Makhezwana Menze (42) were hanged.
He was arrested in 2003, City Press reported on Sunday.
”However, we are still in the process of developing prosecutorial guidelines with regard to dealing with such cases and these will need to be ratified first before being implemented.”
Nkosi said Blani was arrested before a decision was taken to put such prosecutions on hold. He said Blani had also pleaded guilty to the 1995’s murder of Koos and Myrtle de Jager outside Grahamstown.
The former African National Congress exile was sentenced to five years in prison in the Grahamstown High Court this week.
Asked whether there was a possibility that those who failed to obtain amnesty could apply for immunity to avoid prosecution, Nkosi said: ”We can’t rule out that possibility.”
Nkosi pointed out though that among the conditions for immunity would be full disclosure by applicants of what they did.
City Press reported that Blani’s sentence could ”unleash an arrest and prosecution frenzy” of ordinary activists and ANC officials such as Deputy President Jacob Zuma, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya and Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
The paper said these were among those whose general amnesty applications were rejected by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Others include the Pebco Three murder accused Kherman Barend du Plessis who is the former commander of the Port Elizabeth security police, former apartheid security branch operatives Gideon Niewoudt and Martin van Zyl. ‒ Sapa