UNKNOWN
This is a press release issued by my office straight after the news broke out.  It's dated the 7th of September 1992.
"The Council of State of the Republic of Ciskei has learnt with shock of the shooting incident in the vicinity of the Bisho stadium after participants in the African National Congress march breached the conditions imposed by the magistrate for Zwelitsha for the conduct of the march and gathering.
 We express our sincere regret at the conduct of these marchers and at the shooting which ensued.  We further convey our sincere condolences to the injured and the families of the deceased.  The Council of State gives the first assurance that a full inquiry will be held as soon as possible to investigate and report on the incident.  The Council of State gives the assurance that law and order will be maintained and calls on all citizens to remain calm and to act within the law".
 Later it was reported to me that when the marchers arrived at the stadium and began to enter a group congregated outside the stadium while a further group ran through the stadium on the left and rushed towards Bisho and at the Ciskei defence force soldiers that had been deployed in that vicinity.  A soldier had been shot.  An order to fire was given after a report was made of gunfire from within the crowd as well as handgrenades having been used.  The action by the military was thus defensive in nature.
 I released a further press statement marked Annexure J which is self-explanatory where I express the fact that from reports gained that troops may have acted in self defence.
 Reaction to the massacre.  Re ANC alliance.  What happened in Bisho on the 7 September 1992 shocked the world.  I wish to place the following on record. 
 The ANC alliance had repeatedly been warned from various sources that their proposed march could have devastating consequences and result in bloodshed.  They ignored all warnings determined to achieve their objective.  The ANC alliance never had a peaceful march in mind from the outset and embarked on war talk.  The ANC alliance by their campaign of terrorising the military prior to the march might possibly have thought that the soldiers would not obey an order to shoot but should have foreseen that there was always a possibility that the soldiers could fire if besieged as they were.  
 Ronnie Kasrils was clearly not even concerned therewith and appeared to be prepared to risk any situation for political gain.  One of his many quotes justifying his behaviour was,
"Through history how has tyranny been toppled, never without casualties".
This comes from the Sunday Star of September 13 1992.
The behaviour of the leadership of the ANC alliance must be condemned in the strongest terms.  
 Re Ciskei military.  It is necessary for me to outline the defence force's situation so that there can be a better understanding of what occurred on that fateful day.  The Ciskei defence force did not consist of the most sophisticated or combat trained soldiers, and furthermore the defence force, because of its size and nature, probably led to Ciskei being targeted first for mass action by the ANC alliance. 
 As with any defence force they had a statutory duty to protect their country.  The Massacre was never planned and I strongly reject any suggestion of that nature.  
 I annex for the benefit of the Commission the minutes of a meeting held by the defence force of the 31st August 1992 to discuss the planning of the proposed march as Annexure K.  Mr Chairman due to the length of this document I would like only to point out that just by the composition of the, or the participants in the march, should be seen that it was a concerted action of all regional security force role players to ensure that all heads are brought to one to avoid whatever and to manage the situation as it arises.  This was done immediately after the August march to ensure that whilst another meeting was being canvassed lessons learned from the previous march must help in trying to make a better security arrangement for the next one.   There 
was there the deputy chief of the Defence Force, Colonel van der Bank, Colonel Ramond who was attached to Group 8 from the SADF, Colonel Berg from the SAP, Colonel van der Linde from the military, he was the military attache of Ciskei.