Durban - The Hawks have started looking for witnesses and next of kin as it starts investigating several cases committed by the apartheid security police which were unearthed during the sittings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in the mid-1990s.
This comes after the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, revealed in a written parliamentary reply last year that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has referred some of these cases back to the Hawks for further investigation.
The Hawks have issued a statement where it has called for assistance in its probe into some of the killings carried out by apartheid police.
“The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team responsible for investigating cases emanating from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission requests the assistance of the public in tracing witnesses and next of kin of victims of apartheid crimes.
“Most of the victims are reported to have committed suicide while in detention and others were allegedly shot while escaping from lawful custody,” the elite crime-fighting unit said in its statement.
Some of the cases where the Hawks are looking for witnesses happened in Manzini and Mbabane in Swaziland (now eSwatini) in the 1980s and in Lusaka in Zambia and in Botswana in the 1970s.
“Philip Nwanemantsu, Busi Mzala Majola and Sipho Dlamini, were allegedly killed on June 4, 1986 at a place called Dalraid (officially called Dalrich) Section in Mbabane, Swaziland.
“Petros and Jabulile Nyawose, were killed in a car bomb on June 4, 1982 in Matsapa village near Manzini in Swaziland.
“Gwaza Duckworth Thwalo, who was a medical doctor in KwaZulu-Natal, disappeared between 1978 and 1979 in Zambia where he went for military training.
“He left the country in 1972, allegedly met Adias Josias Chabalala, Buti Johannes Malebo and Mkhwezi Macdonald in Francistown,” it said.
The Hawks are also looking for witnesses in the case of Mohammed Faizel Abrams (Abrahims) who had an altercation with police in 1988 and during the argument, he was shot and killed in Standerton in Mpumalanga.
It’s a similar plea in the case of William Nomedi Tshwane who was shot and injured, allegedly by apartheid police while he was trying to escape.
According to the Hawks, Tshwane later died in Modderbee Prison on July 25, 1976 following his arrest for possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
Also on the radar of the Hawks is the case of Jundea Bolowa Tubakwa who died in Pretoria Central a day after his arrest for alleged terrorism acts.
He was found dead after reportedly committing suicide.
Another case is that of Nonoath Ntshintsha who allegedly committed suicide in 1977 at the notorious John Vorster Square, and Hanguala Shonyeka or James Hamakwayo who died in Pretoria Central in October 1966, also by alleged suicide.
The Hawks said anyone with any information about the deceased is requested to contact Colonel MB Nkuna on 071 330 2219 or alternately email Nkuna on [email protected].
Current Affairs