

&#9;TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

&#9;UWC HEARING - DAY 2 - TUESDAY 6 AUGUST 1996



CASE NO:&#9;&#9;&#9;CT00405

VICTIM:&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;YAZIR HENRY

NATURE OF VIOLENCE:&#9;&#9;TORTURE AND DETENTION BY SECURITY &#9;&#9;&#9;

&#9;&#9;POLICE

TESTIMONY FROM:&#9;&#9;YAZIR HENRY



YAZIR HENRY&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;Duly sworn states

COMMISSIONER: Thank you very much, you may be seated.

MR POTGIETER: Yazir we've come to know each other the past day or so and if you don't mind I'll use your 

first name.

--- That's fine - it sounds a bit funny on this thing, it's fine.

&#9;The testimony that you will give relates to an experience which happened at a very young age and 

which has affected and fundamentally changed your life.But before we get to that, perhaps just by way of 

introduction, tell us about yourself, what do you do, who you are. --- Well can you hear me.

&#9;Yes. --- Well I think I am a committed member of the African National Congress and an officer of it's 

former Military Wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe.At the moment I am 26 years old and I am reading for an honours 

degree in Sociology at the University of Cape Town, in my statement I call it Political Sociology because for me 

everything is political.I don't know how in depth you want to me go about myself about where I am at the 

moment before I read my statement there is about two things I'd like to say.The statement is about my story it 

doesn't relate to some extend to my family who themselves have suffered tremendously.I have been estranged 

from my family for a long time.There are some friends in the audience who don't know me, we know me as 

Yazir, who know nothing about my history.Who have helped me to get this far.To them I want to say thank 

you, I don't mention them in my statement, to them I want to say thank you, they know who they are.And I 

also want to say that the process of coming here has been a long one and a hard one.A decision that I didn't 

take lightly, a decision that I took after careful consideration and lots of traumatic experience and discussions 

with the people who have helped me to stay sane if you can call me that at this point in my life.I want to say 

especially thank you to - for being with me.And to whoever may listen, ja I don't know I think maybe it's best to 

start so we can get into it.

&#9;Yes well [intervention] --- Because my statement will give you a history of where I am, where I come 

from.

&#9;Certainly, well thank you for those words of introduction.You've dealt with your history how you got 

drawn into politics at a very early age, how you got drawn into the structures of Umkhonto we Sizwe, time that 

you've spent outside the country and your eventual return and the events that happened after your return.So 

perhaps it's a good stage for you to take us through that process.--- Okay, with your permission I would like to 

read my statement which I made to you, which only captures a small skeleton of that process which might lead 

us as an introduction.

&#9;Certainly you can proceed.--- Ja and the statement that I read now, ja anyway.My former name was 

Mark Henry.In 1991 I changed it to Yazir Henry because Mark was a name that I could no longer live with.I 

said that this was on religious grounds, but it was much more than that.Mark was a name that brought me 

ostrasisation, it brought me shame and it brought me great danger. I am 26 years old now, I am currently 

reading for an honors degree at the University of Cape Town.In this submission I will attempt to recapture an 

experience at the hand of the state that has scarred me for life and has caused me immeasurable psychological 

trauma.This experience is very painful, especially since my existence and what happened to me continues to 

be ignored by the African National Congress, from which up until now I have not formally relinquished my 

membership.My experience, although I admit that there remains gaps in my memory, is the truth about what 

happened to me.it is the truth about what happened to me, that in order to have some chance of continuing

must be made known.And I hope that by telling it, I may be able to wake up from this nightmare that I have 

lived ever since November 16th, 1989.A brief history before going into exile.I was first introduced to active 

politics in 1985.At the time I was in Standard 7 at Wynberg senior Secondary School.i was 15 years ols.

This was a period of large scale political disruption and activity at schools, met with excessive state brutality.

After the banning of the Congress of South African Students - after the banning of COSAS, and SRC's, I 

became active in Student Action Committees which grew in response to the brutality of the State.I witnessed 

the impunity with which the State detained, with which they maimed and killed our people, that strengthened my 

resolve to resist and to fight back.I became increasingly more politically active and soon afterwards was 

recruited into the underground structures aligned to the ANC.At the beginning of 1986, following a spate of 

arrests, myself and two other members, Ashley Forbes and Peter Jacobs of our underground structures went 

into exile with the strong believe that we would return stronger and better equipped to fight the injustices of the 

State and to protect our people against it's brutality.Even though I was the youngest of the three, the level of 

trust I enjoyed was such that I was given responsibility to receive the most training and military specialization.

The plan was that they would come back and set up new structures and I would follow with the necessary 

military knowledge and expertise.We went to Swaziland, from there with the assistance of the United Nations 

High Commissioner we made contact with and formally joined the ANC in Maputo, Mozambique.Exile, after 

two weeks, after about two weeks, we were flown to Lusaka, Zambia where we were screened and 

subsequently discussed and concluded our political and military objectives with the Military Political structures 

of the ANC.We were then sent to Luanda, Angola where our group was split up in order to put into motion 

everything that we had planned.From Luanda I went to a training camp in what was known in ANC circles as 

the East.There I underwent my basic military training.About two months into my training I was recruited into 

the Security Structures of the ANC with the responsibility to look out for and to report directly to the Camp Chief 

of Security, any situation which might compromise the security of the camp.I was subsequently also selected 

to specialize in military engineering.At the beginning of 1987, at the age of 17, I was sent to the Soviet Union 

for a period of ten months for further specialization.There I specialized in Special Intelligence and Military 

Combat Work.During that period I was also appointed from Luanda, as the Political Commissar for a group of 

ten combatants.For me this was a very great honor and responsibility.On the one hand, this trust which was 

placed in me helped me consolidate and crystallize my own political understanding of our struggle, whilst on the 

other hand, this brought with it an awareness of the gravity of the tasks that was at hand.I was thrust from 

boyhood into a world that demanded constant vigilance, maturity and a very high degree of vigilance.This also 

demanded discipline and it demanded responsibility, nonetheless all this served to increase my commitment to 

our struggle for liberation.On completion of this training course I returned to Luanda, whereupon I was 

assigned to work with the Soviet Representative responsible for training cadres of the underground inside South 

Africa who had come to Angola for short periods of training.After a while the Soviet Representative left and I 

was given full responsibility for continuing this work.Towards the end of 1988 I was recalled to Lusaka, I was 

informed that I would be part of a technical working group, subordinated to Ronnie Ksrils, then heading the 

Political Military Council.I felt that this assignment would not fulfill the objective that I had initially gone into 

exile for namely to received extensive military training and specialization and return to the country.Secondly

the comrades with which I had originally left the country had been arrested.For these reasons, I requested to 

be reassigned to Military Headquarters.For these reasons I requested to be reassigned to Military 

Headquarters to put into practice what I had learnt and to continue as per our original plan to - the work of my 

comrades who had been arrested.Round about April, early 1989, I together with Anton Franz, known to me 

only as Mohammed, were infiltrated back into South Africa.Our group Mohammed and I, upon leaving 

Lusaka, were joined by other combatants.We traveled illegally through Zimbabwe and Botswana..In 

Gaberone the big group was split up and Mohammed and I continued on our own.We infiltrated South Africa 

through Botswana, through Bophuthatswana with the help of an MK operative, who took us across the border 

and returned to Botswana.Inside South Africa, we were instructed that upon arrival in Johannesburg we were 

to book into a particular hotel where we would be contacted.Our contact took us to his home which was in 

Bezz Valley, Johannesburg.After several days he informed us where and how we were to meet our contact in 

Cape Town.&#9;In Cape Town, we met our contact who took us to a house where we met others, it was two 

others.Contrary to my expectations there was no clear briefing as to what we were to do.Instead we were told 

that we were to be debriefed.During the debriefing we would have to inform them in detail of our training, our 

political and military experience gained in exile and practically instruct them in areas of combat with which they 

were not familiar.For example for me there was - there seem to be an expectation of writing training manuals 

as no time period was specified this task seemed impossible as it could go on for a very long time.As there 

had been no prior briefing in Lusaka, the process that was unfolding was extremely confusing.This was 

exacerbated by the fact that we were charged with all household chores, we were strictly confined to certain 

areas of the house only and were I think openly viewed with suspicion.As a result our interpersonal 

relationships became strained to the point that there was open mistrust and hostility.After living under these 

circumstances for about a month I decided to leave.My decision was prompted by the fact that a lot of the 

basic rules of conspiracy that I had learnt were being broken.I felt that I was being mistrusted and I no longer 

trusted them.I felt that my life was in danger and that as a matter of urgency, I needed to establish their 

credentials from responsible structures in exile.I left the place without their knowledge, contacted my sister 

who assisted me to set up a place on my own.I lived in a separate entrace under the guise of being a student 

coming from Johannesburg.One day, purely by chance, I met Mohammed in a shop.We spoke frankly with 

each other, I conveyed to him my concerns I conveyed to him the concerns that I had expressed.I conveyed to 

him the concerns I had expressed - I had had an expressed the willingness to meet with them.Mohammed and 

the people in the house insisting that such a meeting should happen on neutral grounds.His opinion was that 

since i had left in the manner that I did, I did not have the right to meet them on neutral grounds and that I 

should go back with him to his place.I literally begged him not to show me where he stays, but he coerced me 

into going - into going with him.And once there he refused to let me go, unless I tell him where I stayed.Once 

he had extracted this information from me, he informed me that I would be contacted at my house.Following 

this inter action and my exposure I felt compelled to relocate.I felt particularly vulnerable as the distrust 

between me and the other comrades and I stress - and the other comrades had not been dispelled, however, I 

had run out of funds, and after careful consideration I decided to relocate to my family home for a maximum 

period of about three days during which time I hoped to organize alternative accommodation.My arrest, about 

the second day, I am not exactly sure anymore about exactly the days, at my parent's home, at about 3:30 in 

the afternoon I heard a commotion at the front door.The door was banged open and several plain clothed 

Security Police forced their way in, holding my father as a human shield with a gun against his head.On 

seeing me they shouted at me to raise my hands above my head.They pushed my father out of the way and 

rushed towards me.I must have had at least seven to eight guns pushed into my body.They pushed me 

facing the passage wall and started searching my roughly.Once it became clear that I was unarmed they 

handcuffed my hands behind my back, several shouted questions at me at the same time asking where my 

weapons were.Meanwhile more informed - uniformed, plain clothed policeman entered the house, they were 

tearing things apart, pulling things out of cupboards, searching the ceiling, I mean they - they were all over.

They took me outside where there were even more police and they were constantly hurling abuse at me.Some 

of them were laughing, they were shaking hands and congratulating one another, hugging.The officer who 

seemed to be in charge sent radio messages saying repeatedly, die skaap is in die kraal, skaap is in the 

kraal,the sheep was in the kraal.In my mind I thought that this - this would be my end.I was - I was put into 

a car with three security policeman.In the car whilst driving off they continued questioning me about my 

weapons.They started questioning me about Mohammed.I told them that I had no weapons and I did not 

know what they were talking about.They took me -they first took me to Grassy Park police station and then to 

security police headquarters in Culemborg.Once at Culemborg the questioning continued, repeatedly, 

repeatedly they asked - they were asking me the same questions.They wanted to know about my weapons 

and the whereabouts of Mohammed, who they had identified as Anton Franz.They showed me photographs of 

myself, they showed me photographs, they showed me photographs of Mohammed, they showed computer 

printouts which they alleged was information that contained - that contained information about our infiltration 

into the country.This went on for hours, several of them questioned me, others interjected hurling abuse - 

insults whilst others observed.At one point somebody just walked in and said wat praat julle nog met die 

fokken donner why are you still speaking to this man, it wasn't a man, they said die fokken donner, they said 

why are you speaking to this fucking man.And he hit me, I think he hit me about twice across the chest, 

anyway, a Captain Liebenberg who seemed to be in charge, was the most vociferous, the most abusive and 

seemed to be - to be asking the most questions.Throughout this I maintained that I had no weapons and that I 

had no knowledge of Mohammed's whereabouts.After several hours of unabated questioning Captain 

Liebenberg informed me that my father had been arrested as well and that they would ruin him since he had 

aided and abetted a terrorist.Even then I maintained my position.I told them that Mohammed and I had 

disagreements and we had broken contact.At this point Captain Liebenberg told me that unless I co-operate 

and inform them of Mohammed's whereabouts, they would kill my mother and nephew who at the time was 

only 4.At the time because of what was happening to me, I did not see this as empty threat.I believed that 

they had arrested my father, the brutality and the tenacity with which they questioned me and my knowledge of 

what they had done to others, and were capable of doing, made their threat to kill my family very real.I was 19, 

I don't think that any 19 year old should have been given such a choice.I had no choice basically, on the one 

hand I knew that the disclosure of Mohammed's whereabouts would lead to his arrest, and on the other hand, if 

I did not tell them my family would be killed. Faced with the threat of them killing my family I agreed to telling 

them where Mohammed was.But only on the condition that my father be released and that they leave my 

mother and nephew alone.Even then I tried to stall time by saying that I didn't know Mohammed's exact 

location but could point it out on a map.Immediately thereafter I was taken handcuffed to Pinelands police 

station where I was shown a very big map of the Peninsula.I took a while and then I showed them- I showed 

them where he stayed.They then took me in the presence of a large contingent of Security Police to his house, 

upon confirmation that this was his house, many more police came.I was then forced onto the floor of the car, 

with my head between my legs and my hands cuffed behind my back, I thought that would arrest Mohammed.

To my knowledge they entered the premises without warning I soon heard gunshots, I could hear that the police 

were afraid, they were running, they were running up and down, somebody was shouting one of them had been 

shot.They started shouting at Mohammed to come out, they - what followed was a fierce exchange of gun fire, 

I heard grenades - several grenades exploding.i think it was then that I knew that it was not going to be about 

arresting him, somebody shouted that they could not get in, and that he had grenades.I heard a very big 

explosion it sounded like a rocket had been launched and then - and then there was silence.Somebody 

shouted that it was all over.In my head I heard all the time, and even now, although this time I am also asking 

the same question, who sold me to the police, who sold me to the police.Anton died, with that question on his 

mouth and I wake up night after night with the same question.After this -after all of this they took me to Athlone 

police station where I was left for about two - three hours in a room with a police guard.Thereafter I was taken 

back to Culemborg where the questioning continued again.They wanted to know about my weapons and the 

contact that I had made.I was not sure what and how much they knew but I was adamant that I was not going 

to give them any more information that could result in death.Probably late the following afternoon, with no 

break from the interrogations, I was forced to sign a document making me liable under Section 29.For the first 

time, since my arrest, I was allowed to sleep.Thereafter and for the following 2 - 3 weeks, they interrogated me 

for hours on a daily basis at Culemborg taking me to Ravensmead police station in the evenings, the line of 

questioning was always the same.Where the weapons were, what was my mission, who were my contacts.I 

stuck to the legend that I had broken contact, that I did not have any contacts.The interrogations lasted the 

whole day, this would be repeated, it would be repeated day after day.I would be so exhausted.I was tested 

all the time, I would be put through the same, through a set of questions the one day, the same questions would 

be put to me the following day by a different set of people.During that time I also came to know about a certain 

person who's rank I don't remember, his surname is Coetzee, Andy Roelofse and others who's name I cannot 

remember.During this period Jeff Benzien came to me and said in Afrikaans, and to that point I'd refused to 

speak a word of Afrikaans, ken jy vir my, do you know me, I said no, I looked at him straight in his face and I 

hated him and I said no, I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of recognition and he smiled at me and he 

said, I should then go and ask Ashely Forbes and Peter Jacobs because they knew him.Where was I - after 

witnessing what happened to Mohammed I could no longer believe that my family was not harmed.I requested 

to see my parents, this request was refused.I then embarked on a hunger strike for about nine days I refused 

to eat or drink anything before they gave in to a visit from my mother and father.This meeting happened at 

Culemborg on condition that the security policeman remains with us throughout the visit, and that I do not tell 

my parents about the hunger strike, thereafter I discontinued the hunger strike.Immediately afterwards the 

interrogations started again, but this time questioning happened both at Culemborg and Ravensmead, often 

late at night.For a while the questioning happened less frequently with long periods of silence in between.And 

then they started showing me thousands and thousands of photographs asking me to identify and place people 

who they alleged were members of the ANC, both internally and in exile.One day after this had been going on 

for several days, I was shown an album and asked to page through it, up until this - up until this day, they did all 

the paging, they had shown me the albums and were doing all the paging.This day they gave me this album 

and asked me to page through it.On about the forth or fifth page, I saw something that to this day, I live 

nightmares, I have nightmares about.The photograph was that of a severed head of a severed head of 

someone whom I had personally trained in Luanda.His lips and kidneys were rolled up alongside his neck, his 

eyes were open and there was dried blood on his lips.The rest of the album contained photographs of his body 

parts spread across his street.Present at this time was a Sergeant Aggenbach and two others who said they 

had driven all the way from Johannesburg just to see me.During this period I was taken to different parts of the 

country amongst others, Kimberley, Beaufort-West and Bophuthatswana, where they wanted me to point out 

where we had crossed the border.Despite the fact that I said that I could not remember where they said I could 

point anywhere and then they photographed me.Some time after this I was transferred to Pollsmoor prison 

here they continued to keep me in solitary confinement in a very small cell where the lights were never turned 

off.In the cell there was also a loudspeaker which was continuously buzzing day in and day out, day in and day 

out this thing buzzed, the buzzing noise had gotten into my head and was driving me crazy.My head at times 

felt like it was going to explode.At some point I was told by a warder that the prisoners in - held in that section - 

held in that section were all HIV positive.These were the same prisoners that were bringing my food.The 

possibility of me contracting aids became very real to me as one of the prisoners had cut himself with a blade 

and I was told that he had done it before.For the second time I went on a hunger strike, demanding to be 

removed from that cell.For about seven to eight days I refused to eat or drink anything until they removed me 

to Table View police station.Throughout this entire period I refused to make a confession.I was exhausted, I 

felt completely depleted of all energy and strength.All I wanted to do - all I wanted was for Section 29 to be 

over and to be formally charged either Aggenbach or Roelofse or one of the others I don't remember, I -said 

that if I sign a confession stating that I am a trained member of the ANC that I trained in the Soviet Union, and 

that I would agree to be video taped showing how to use arms, the case against me would be completed and 

they would forward it to the Attorney General and they will decide on prosecution.I don't recall the exact 

sequence of a lot of these events, but some time afterwards, I was taken to Culemborg where Roelofse asked 

me what I would do if they let me go right now.I laughed at him - I laughed at him and said they should stop 

playing games with me.He then asked me to sign a form which authorized my release, I signed it.And said 

that I would not leave unless my parents fetched me.I was informed that they could not get hold of my parents, 

whereupon they offered to take me home.Enroute Coetzee told me that he was not such a bad guy and said 

that the two of us could work well together.He then asked me if I would not join the Security Police.He had 

done this before even offering me a rank, he did not specify the rank.And just like I had done before, I refused 

his offer.And I swear that throughout this entire period I had not revealed any information that could of 

compromised the security of my contact in Johannesburg and those that I had contacted in Cape Town, whom 

I still could of had and had indirect contact with.My years of training and my insight into the operations of 

intelligence and security, afforded me to provide only information which would give credence to my legend 

whilst protecting information which I thought was crucial.To the best of my knowledge, at no stage did I reveal 

anything that could have led to more arrests or deaths.Throughout this period the security of people whom I 

had trained remained in tact.I should bear a testimony to my loyalty to the ANC and to the people's struggle for 

liberation in South Africa.At this point I'll say something and I'll mention a name, that's not in my testimony, 

can I do that?Whilst I trained in Luanda, whilst I worked in Luanda, training combatants, preparing them to 

come inside into the country and work, I trained a particular combatant, who broke one of the most cardinal 

rules of security and secrecy which I had[indistinct] and could have been arrested had I broken completely and 

given over to the police.Because she had appeared before my arrest on the front page of the Sunday Times, 

her name is Paula McBride.Should the TRC require further information, I'll be willing to comply.On the very 

day of my release I had a foretaste of what was to come.Some activist in the area came to see me.I 

remember one of them questioning them about what happened in prison and what I thought should be done to 

comrades who sold out in prison.I remember being extremely tired.I replied that I had just been released and 

that I was tired and that I'd give them a more detailed response at some other time.They left, they left me none 

of them came back.There is one person in the audience that has stood by my, I won't necessarily mention her 

name, she knows who she is, I have not forgotten you.I had similar encounters with other comrades, some of 

them - some of them seriously questioning my integrity and some even openly accusing me of being a sell out. 

I was told by a comrade who was extremely close to me that there were some people who were very angry 

about Anton's death and they were blaming me for it.At the same time openly and to my face, she said that 

people were being told that I am an askari.She mentioned a particular incident in which another person who 

was detained in Section 29 at the same time had been interrogated and constantly in his interrogations the 

police were using code Mike's Hotel, Mike's Hotel which had the same initials as my name.And they were 

interpreting it to be me who was giving this information.I was told by a comrade, it's fine I'll go through it again, 

that there were some people who were very angry about Anton's death and that they were blaming me for it.I 

realized that I was being viewed as a sell out and an askari.In the weeks following my release from Section 29 

I began to disintegrate.I lost weight, at one point I weighed 40 kg's even less.My self confidence, self-esteem 

and dignity was eroded even further.My ability to concentrate and remember was seriously impaired.It 

became impossible to sleep, I was and still am, constantly haunted by nightmares.I remember looking into the 

mirror and seeing somebody whom I didn't know.I could not accept that some of my comrades whom I had 

trusted could believe that I had become an askari and an enemy.I felt that maybe the two people who could 

attest to my integrity would be the ones with whom I had left the country in 1986, Ashley Forbes and Peter 

Jacobs.I went to see them on Robben Island hoping that there was something that they could do to help clear 

my name, they said that although they believed me, there was nothing they could do to convince others and 

that even on the Island they had been told that I had sold.I avoided all political activity and organization.I 

couldn't access any benefits such as AEPP grants etcetera which were being - which were opened to other 

political prisoners.I felt completely cut off from the organization and mistrusted by it's membership and 

leadership alike.I could not handle the contempt and the mistrust with which I was looked at, I refused to leave 

home and hide.I still hoped - I still hoped that according to the law of the underground a senior member of the 

movement would contact me and find out what really happened.But this never happened.At some stage it 

became to - it became known to me that an ANC Military Commission was to sit at the ANC offices in Athlone, I 

went hoping that I would have the - have an opportunity to relate what really happened and be able to clear my 

name.The Commission consisted of three comrades who were unknown to me.Although there were brief 

introductions I cannot recall their names and bear no knowledge of their rank or seniority.To the best of my 

ability I tried to explain but it appeared as though they were more interested in proving a verdict.We agreed 

that at a follow up meeting I should submit a written report, I wrote this report.Where am I - I wrote this report 

but did not have the confidence that if I were to include all the detail it would be understood in it's proper 

perspective.On submission of this report they started interrogating me and accused me of lying.I then 

requested to meet with a senior official who would be known to me and whom - and whom I could speak to in 

confidence, they were adamant that I should rewrite my report and that they had sufficient authority to deal with 

my case.They said that the report was not good enough and that they would only accept a report which 

contains the truth.They must of questioned me for several hours.It was really painful as it felt similar to the 

manner in which the boers had interrogated me.I left feeling very sick and angry because it appeared that 

basically all they wanted me to do was admit that I had killed Anton Franz.I decided not to go back and would 

try to make contact with either Chris Hani or Ronnie Kasrils.In my possession is the original draft of the report I 

submitted to the ANC.I am willing to make that available to the TRC.Some time later I learned of a march 

that was to take place in Cape Town.Amongst others to be led by Ronnie Kasrils.I had hoped that he'd be 

able to organize a fair hearing.And that I would be able to if he established my dignity, at the first opportunity 

during the march I approached Ronnie Kasrils in the company of Trevor Manuel.I very briefly explained to him 

what the issue was and that I could be contacted at my parent's home.He responded that he did not have 

much time, and he was returning to Johannesburg.I left with the impression that I would be contacted later.

For months I waited and nothing happened.Instead the rumors about me continued to be spread.I gave up 

hope that my name would ever be cleared.It has been hard living and not existing.I am alive but my existence 

continues to be ignored.I have a question, where does culpability rest?In retrospect, I believe that our 

infiltration into South Africa was poorly planned.I believe that our infiltration in South Africa was very poorly 

planned.I believe that the lack of adequate briefing regarding our mission inside the country, and the fact that 

we were infiltrated together with other groups, greatly compromised our security inside the country.I am also of 

the opinion that the lack of briefing contributed to the circumstances which led to my leaving the unit with which 

I was to work with in Cape Town.I am also concerned by the lack of concern the ANC displayed for the lives 

and the security of it's combatants, which had infiltrated into the country.Secondly, the untimely death of Anton 

Franz must be viewed in the political and psychological circumstances that prevailed at the time.I do not 

believe that I can be held solely responsible for his death.And that the role played by the Security Police must 

be exposed.My expectations of the TRC.I request from the TRC that they facilitate the following.That the 

truth of my experience in detention be established and that all the relevant documentation be obtained and 

reviewed.That the circumstances around the death of Anton Franz be investigated and that culpability be 

apportioned where it belongs.And that he be afforded the respect with which he died.That I am publicly 

cleared of all rumors that I am an askari and I want to reiterate that I have remained faithful and committed to 

the struggle of oppressed South Africans for the human rights and the human dignity.That there is public 

acknowledgment - where am I - of my integrity and the restoration of my dignity.I wish to be recognized for 

who and what I am so that the falsification of my history be rectified.That the truth about the circumstances 

leading to my arrest and the names of those individuals or individual who informed on me be made known to 

me.Only then would I be able to reconcile myself with my own experiences and with the death of Anton.That 

the ANC acknowledges and recognizes it's responsibility to me as a member of it's Military Wing.Also 

acknowledging the role it played in the events that led to my arrest, Anton's death and the pain and the suffering 

that I have subsequently endured.That the ANC publicly apologizes for the emotional damage the continued 

spreading of false rumors caused without actually having availed themselves to the truth.Especially since that 

became possible that my Military Status and rank as an officer be restored.Finally no - not finally - that the 

pain and suffering that my family and the friends, the few friends that have remained committed and that have 

remained trusting, be recognized and that their pain and suffering also be recognized and finally that the TCR 

grants me the possibility of waking up from this terrible nightmare that I have been living with for so many 

years, so that I too may benefit from and hopefully contribute to the process of healing that is taking place in our 

country.I trust - I trust that you will afford me the opportunity - well you doing this already, that is what I've 

written down here anyway - to relate this experience at a public hearing of the Truth and Reconciliation 

Commission. Should you at any stage require additional information or clarification, please feel free to contact 

me.

&#9;Thank you very much Yazir, we have listened intently and carefully and with understanding to what 

you've said.It's quite clear that the experiences that you've referred to have been weighing very heavily on you 

and probably still are doing that.I sincerely hope that the opportunity that you had, that you've requested to 

share that story and to tell that story, will bring some peace to you and would assist, I'd hand you back to the 

Chairperson, thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, is there any - Yazir thank you very much there is not much that one can say we - 

all of us are deeply moved by your own readiness to expose yourself in the manner in which you have done.

They say sometimes it's easy on a full stomach to[indistinct] fasting.And those of us who have not undergone 

experiences such as the one's that you have been recounting, might sometimes be very[indistinct] and they 

sort of things that we - we might say.But what I think everyone of us realizes is the incredible cost - the very-

very heavy price that has been paid for getting us where we are.And especially by young people like yourself 

the cost has been enormous.And we salute all - all of you young people we salute people like yourselves, who 

have paid that price and we - the fruit of your contribution is being enjoyed by all of us now as we live in this 

new dispensation.We hope I mean that we in the Commission may be able to put some of these things to the 

bodies that you referred to and try and ascertain what the various truths might have been.We hope that having 

spoken and told your story as you have told it, that there will be a lifting of your spirit and the public sort of 

acknowledgment which is a gift of the spirit, is a grace to be ready to have spoken as you have spoken.That 

somehow will have the effect of some healing for you, that there will be a little lightning of the burden that you 

carry and that maybe some of the nightmares might reduce.I don't want to speak likely, glibly.But we hope 

that there will be some curtsies in the telling - telling to people who have listened with the very deep reverence 

for who you are and for your story.Thank you.







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UWC HEARINGS&#9;&#9;TRC - CAPE TOWN

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