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The Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission today has granted amnesty to four people for incidents ranging from illegal infiltration of the country and illegal possession of AK 47's refusal to be trained by the apartheid government's army.

Two Inkatha Freedom Party members Obed Mbatha and John Mbatha have been granted amnesty for illegal possession of weapons including AK 47 assault rifles at Kempton Park and Albatroos Roads in 1993 respectively.

Naomi Nonhlanhla Xaba, a former Umkhonto we Sizwe operative, for infiltrating the country from Swaziland with the aim of toppling the previous government between 1986 and 1987. Tom Wiltshire Robbins, a former member of the National Union of South African Students (Nusas) for refusing to report for military training by the former South African Defence Force in January 1993. In his amnesty application, Robbins argued that by reporting for conscription he would have served to bolster the former apartheid regime.

The amnesty applications were processed in chambers as the offence do not constitute gross human rights abuses as defined by the TRC Act.

Inquiries: Vuyani Green, media officer, 082-452-7858

Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 12 March 1999
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