This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.
Goldstone Commission press release - Jhb violence March 1994
EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE PR18/94
PRESS RELEASE BY THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE R J GOLDSTONE, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF PUBLIC VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION
1. The Commission is considering holding a preliminary inquiry into the shooting incidents which occurred during a march that took place in Johannesburg on 28 March 1994.
2. The Commission is hereby requesting interested parties, especially the SAP, ANC and IFP, to furnish it with written submissions before or on 15 April 1994 on the following aspects:
2.1 whether any party, especially the SAP, received any 1nformation indicating that violence might erupt prior to, during or after the march.
If so, which precautions, if any, were taken by the relevant parties to avoid the outbreak of violence;
2.2 whether permission was sought and granted for the march. If so, relevant particulars are required, especially as to the route that was to be followed;
2.3 the reason(s) for the participants of the march to pass the ANC headquarters at Shell house and the PWV offices of the ANC in Jeppe Street.
2.4 the direct and indirect causes which led to the initial shooting and to the subsequent shooting incidents;
2.5 the person(s) responsible therefore;
2.6 the immediate steps which could have been taken to avert the shooting incidents;
2.7 the immediate arid long term steps which should be taken to avert a repetition of such incidents, with due regard to planning which has already been carried out in this regard or which is in the process of implementation.
2.8 any other relevant information that has a direct bearing on the said shooting incidents.
3. In the light of the required submissions, the Commission will determine what further inquiries, if any, are required in order to enable it to make recommendations on steps which should be taken to avoid such further occurrences.
TO ALL MEDIA
EMBARGO: FOR IMMEDIATE USE
MEDIA RELEASE BY ME H J COETSEE NP, MINISTER OF JUSTICE REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF AN INVESTIGATION TEAM TO DEAL WITH A REPORT OF THE GOLDSTONE COMMISSION
As envisaged in principle by the State President and after consultation with the Transitional Executive Council, I hereby announce that Dr 3' A van S d' Oliveira SC, Attorney-General of Transvaal has been appointed in terms of section 8(3) of the Prevention of Public Violence and Intimidation Act, 1991 (Act 139 of 1991) to receive and consider the Interim Report of the Goldstone Commission regarding alleged criminal political violence by elements within the South African Police and the KwaZulu Police. He will lead the further investigation to gather evidence in terms of the authority of an Attorney-General to ascertain whether any criminal offences have been committed.
Apart from supporting personnel, he will be assisted in his investigation by advocate A Chaskalson SC, Mr J Aubry (Commissioner of Police, Paris France), Assistant-commissioner F B Mapuranga (Zimbabwe Police) and Major-general M J Nel (SAP). Further appointments in this regard may be made after consultation with the Transitional Executive Council.
ISSUED BY THE CHIEF LIAISON OFFICER DEPARTMENT OF' JUSTICE AT THE REQUEST OF THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE
MEDIA STATEMENT
Delegations of the South African Government, KwaZulu Government, Inkatha Freedom Party and the African National Congress met in Pretoria today. The delegations were led by Minister Roelf Meyer, Dr Ben Ngubane, Mr Joe Matthews and Mr Cyril Ramaphosa.
The delegations agreed to make the following proposal to their respective principals:
That a meeting between the State President, Mr F W de Klerk, the King of the Zulu Nation, King Goodwill Zwelithini, Chief Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi of KwaZulu and the President of the ANC, Mr Nelson Mandela should as a matter of extreme urgency take place on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning (30 - 31 March 1993) to address the following:
Ø. The current escalation of violence and the appalling killing of people in our country;
Ø. The necessity of creating a climate under which free and fair elections can take place; and
Ø. The need to find urgent solutions to the political differences which underlie the current tensions such as the position of King Goodwill Zwelithini under the new constitutional dispensation.
The meeting was appalled by the killings which occurred in Johannesburg today and call for an immediate cessation of violence and a commitment to lawful and democratic means of solving problems.
ISSUED BY THE MINiSTRY OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OF COMM1JN1 CATION.
PRETORIA
28 MARCH 1993