S v Malepane and Another

• Jurisdiction: South Africa
• Citation: 1979 (1) SA 1009 (W)

S v Malepane and Another
1979 (1) SA 1009 (W)

1979 (1) SA p1009

Citation	1979 (1) SA 1009 (W)
Court	Witwatersrand Local Division
Judge	Le Roux J
Heard	November 7, 1977; November 14, 1977; November 15, 1977; November 16, 1977; November 17, 1977; November 18, 1977; February 1, 1978; February 2, 1978; February 6, 1978; February 8, 1978
Judgment	February 15, 1978

Flynote : Sleutelwoorde E

Criminal procedure — Evidence — Of accomplices — Approach by Court — Act 51 of 1977 s 208. F

Criminal law — Terrorism Act 83 of 1967 — Allegation of a relationship between an organisation and the accused — Request by defence for documents relating to such relationship — State's reply that none existed — State witness testifying to the finding of certain documents not particularised — Use thereof permitted under s 2 (3) (a) of Act and as part of res gestae. G

Headnote : Kopnota

Although s 208 of Act 51 of 1977 provides that an accused may be convicted of any offence on the single evidence of any competent witness it does not mean that a court is entitled to disregard the cautionary rules laid down in R v Ncanana 1948 (4) SA 399 (A) and it is still necessary to obtain corroboration on material aspects before accepting the evidence of a suspect accomplice.

H Corroboration of an accomplice's evidence must be on some material aspect: this corroboration may consist of any proven fact which tends to support the evidence of the accomplice and it may also consist of evidence given by other accomplices provided there is some corroboration in turn for their evidence.

The accused had been charged with (1) contravening s 2 (1) (a) of the Terrorism Act 83 of 1967 or, alternatively, with contravening s 21 (1) of Act 76 of 1962; (2) contravening s 2 (1) (b) of Act 83 of 1967. The State had relied upon a relationship between a particular organisation and the accused. The accused requested particulars of all documents relating to such relationship and of all material allegedly emanating from such organisation upon which the State relied. The reply was that the State did not rely upon documents as it was not aware of the existence

1979 (1) SA p1010

of any documents. In giving evidence for the State a member of the Police Force testified to the finding of a half-finished letter and a pad containing writing in the possession of accused No 1. The defence objected to the use of these exhibits as they had not been particularised.

A Held, that s 2 (3) (a) of Act 83 of 1967 assisted the State in the use of any document which is found in the possession of an accused person.

Held, further, that, in any event, as the documents formed part of the res gestae, they could be presented even though not particularised. B

Case Information

Criminal trial in the Springs Circuit Local Division. Facts not material to this report have been omitted.

T W F van Jaarsveld for the State.

B Spilg for accused No 1 at the request of the Court.

D'Arcy Ussher for accused No 2 at the request of the Court.

Cur adv vult.

Postea (February 15). C

Judgment

D Le Roux J:

The two accused that have appeared before me in this matter are charged firstly with a contravention of s 2 (1) (a) of the Terrorism Act 83 of 1967, in that they committed or attempted to commit, conspired to commit etc certain acts with the intent of endangering the maintenance of law and order in the Republic. In the alternative to the first count E they are charged with a contravention of s 21 (1) of Act 76 of 1962, that is the General Law Amendment Act which contains certain provisions relating to sabotage. The second count brought against them is for a contravention of s 2 (1) (b) of the Terrorism Act, in that they incited, instigated, commanded, aided, advised, encouraged, procured certain named persons to undergo training which could be of use to persons intending to endanger the maintenance of law and order in the Republic. Both the F accused pleaded not guilty at the inception of the trial and were thereafter represented by counsel appointed pro deo on their behalf. Both counsel acquitted themselves admirably of their task in defending the accused as will appear shortly in the judgment which I am about to deliver.

G After the plea of not guilty certain questions were put to the accused by me in terms of s 115 of the new Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and in general I think it is fair to sum up the replies given on behalf of the accused as follows: The first accused generally declined to furnish any information in reply to direct questions put to him in regard to the charge sheet save that he admitted the existence of the organisation known as SAFO (the South African Freedom Organisation), whereas No 2 accused denied any knowledge of the allegations contained in the indictment.

H It will be necessary to deal at some length with the indictment in order to understand the evidence which was led on behalf of the State. The indictment was drafted in the Afrikaans language and reads as follows. After setting out in short form the two charges against the accused with the alternative to the first charge, there is a general preamble which reads as follows:

"(1)

Nademaal die beskuldigdes lede van die South African Freedom Organisation, hierna SAFO genoem, is, en

1979 (1) SA p1011

Le Roux J

(2)

nademaal die hoofdoel van SAFO was om die wettige regering van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika in 'n gewelddadige rewolusie en deur ander onwettige middels omver te werp, en

(3)

A nademaal met hierdie hoofdoel voor oë verdere doelstellings van SAFO die volgende was:

(i)

om onwettiglik Staatseiendom te verwoes of te beskadig eu om lede van die SA Polisiemag te vermoor en/of

(ii)

om onwettiglik jongmense as lede van SAFO te werf met die B bedoeling om hulle te gebruik om die oogmerke van SAFO te bevorder en hulle na die buiteland en veral na Tanzanië te stuur vir militêre opleiding en/of

(iii)

om die ekonomie van die land lam te lê en skade te berokken deur veral sakesentrums en fabrieke onwettiglik te verwoes en te beskadig en deur die werkers te verhinder en te verhoed om hulle werk te verrig en/of

(iv)

C om onwettiglik studente te help in hulle stryd teen Bantoe onderwys, en

(4)

nademaal die beskuldigdes as lede van SAFO 'n gemeenskaplike doel gehad het om (i) die doelstellings van SAFO te bevorder en uit te voer en (ii) die misdrywe soos hierna uiteengesit te pleeg:

D I. Nou derhalwe is die beskuldigdes skuldig aan deelname aan terroristiese bedrywighede deurdat gedurende die tydperk Junie 1976 tot en met 3 Desember 1976 en te of naby Johannesburg, in die distrik van Johannesburg, die beskuldigdes wederregtelik die dade soos hieronder E uiteengesit of een of meer daarvan gepleeg het met die opset om die handhawing van wet en orde in die Republiek of 'n gedeelte daarvan in gevaar te stel en/of gepoog het om dit te pleeg en/of met 'n ander persoon of persone saamgesweer het om met die pleeg van sodanige daad of dade behulpsaam te wees of dit te bewerkstellig en/of te pleeg en/of 'n F ander persoon of persone uitgelok, aangestig, beveel, hulp verleen, aangeraai, aangemoedig en/of verkry het om so 'n daad of dade te pleeg.

Uiteensetting van dade:

(1)

Deur lede vir SAFO te werf en/of

(2)

deur in die algemeen die oogemerke en doelstellings van SAFO te bevorder en uitvoer en/of

(3)

G deur aktief deel te neem aan die organisasie en uitbreiding van SAFO en/of deur die oogmerke en doelstellings van SAFO te propageer en/of

(4)

deur vir Tony Bethuel Senne en/of David Mametsa en/of Philemon Mashile en/of Emmanuel Tidimalo Mpelo en/of Anthony Nkosi en/of H Michael Maleke op te lei in die vervaardiging en/of aanwending van bomme en/of deur bedoelde bomme te maak en/of

(5)

deur moontlike teikens vir sabotering te ondersoek en te verken en deur planne van sodanige teikens op te stel, en/of

(6)

deur gedurende Augustus 1976 vir Jeffrey William Madi uit te lok, aan te stig, aan te raai, aan te moedig en/of te verkry om met huurmotorbestuurders te organiseer dat hulle, die bestuurders, nie werkers na spoorwegstasies of hulle werksplekke sal vervoer nie, en/of

1979 (1) SA p1012

Le Roux J

(7)

deur gedurende September 1976 met Tony Bethuel Senne en/of David Mametsa en/of David Molefe en/of 'n ander persoon of persone aan die Staat onbekend saamgesweer het om die Mzimhlope Hostel met bomme of andersins te beskadig en/of te vernietig, en/of

(8)

A deur op of omtrent 3 Augustus 1976, te of naby die Mzimhlope spoorwegstasie, in sameswering met 'n persoon of...