MS LOONAT
So he said in his application.  Lack of finance to procure the necessary weaponry was the only obstacle to obtaining peace, or so Mandla propagated at their meetings.  Mandla, a leader in the ANC, who trained  my client and supplied the shot gun and other weapons used by all the accused on that fateful day.  He planned the robbery and instructed that the spoils be handed to him to further the cause.  The instructions were not to use the firearms.  Human nature being what it is, things went awry and panic rained that day.
	My client admits to removing cash from the tills.  He was in charge of the cash at all times.  He did not assault anybody, including the lady who lost her gold chain.  It was not him, according to his evidence.  My client admits that the cash, all of it, was in a maroon bag which was in his possession at all times.  He knew that he had to hand over same to Mandla that day.  This was how the instructions, the political objective was planned and he knew that he would convince, or he thought he would convince his co-accused, in Mandla's presence, that the cash would be used to promote a peaceful climate to live in, thereby handing it all over to Mandla, the leader. 
	My client admits that Saturday was a busy day.  Lots more cash would be available and as no-one was to be injured, it made no difference that it was a busy, busy day.  Therefore it did not occur to him that more people's lives would be at risk, as a result of their actions.  My client did not fire at or injure anyone that day and he stands by that.  He's trying to make full disclosure as far as he can remember.  He still maintains that one shot went off from his gun whilst running away and that shot almost injured him.  He admits that whilst he was trying to enter late Mr Walters' motor vehicle via the passenger side, it was his co-accused number three, who did in fact shoot at Mr Walters in panic because he thought, that is number 3 thought the gentleman was reaching for a gun when in actual felt he was trying to loosen his safety belt.  He knows now that he was in fact trying to do his seatbelt.
	My client is deeply saddened by this tragic death, saddened by the whole event.  Money, not murder and mayhem was uppermost in his mind when he set out on this actions.  Money, not for personal gain, as he's been maintaining, but for the cause, peace and protection against attacks, political attacks in his section and surrounding.  The police did nothing to assist.  To quote the Honourable Judge Wilson on page 62, line 20:
"The killings were not committed during the course of the planned robbery, it was during the course of the get away, after arrangements had collapsed"
There was no mens rea until after the get away car wasn't there and foiled their plans, hence the death penalty was not imposed.  In fact my client was only trying to enter Mr Walters' motor vehicle to use as a get away, when the co-accused pulled the trigger.
	Indeed Mr Mahambane admits to hand picking his co-accused, without Mandla's instructions to pick these particular men, but he did not inform them deliberately that the proceeds had to be handed to Mandla for the course.  Mandla, the mastermind, who was my client's mentor, who trained him in firearm use and who had the wherewithal to procure more if necessary, all not for personal gain but for the cause.  My client except for that one shot that went off accidentally, injured no-one, not even when he fled in panic and things went awry.  
	Today he advises that he wish to express personally to the victims families his deep remorse, to Mrs Walters for the loss of her husband, whom his co-accused shot in panic and to the other victims that day.  At that time he was full of hate because of the political situation which existed in his area for several years in KwaMashu especially.  Today he's full of contrition.  The attack that day on the NBS was politically motivated in his mind, to obtain cash for firearms and ammunition for the cause, a far cry from that R4 that he stole.  He has made full disclosure today as far as he can remember.  He acted on an instruction from a leader who propagated ANC slogans, policies, at their clandestine meetings in the late 80's and early 90's.  I humbly submit that the honourable members of the Committee grant my client amnesty in terms of Section 20(1)(2)(a), (d), (f), (g) and (3) (a) to (f).
	Thank you.