SALLY SEALEY
Basically there were two phases to the defence of Thokoza.  Originally in 1990 when the violence began there were no Self Defence Units in the East Rand.
	Primarily what happened in the beginning is that returning members of Umkhonto weSizwe tried to organise cells of people to try and defend the community and initially that is how the units began to evolve.
	However later when people began to become more organised, residents started collecting money and this money was then used to purchase weapons.  These weapons were purchased from areas like Polla Park, areas like the Vosloorus hostel.  These weapons were then purchased by the community to be used in defence.
	Shortly after that, towards about the end of 1992, the beginning of 1993, a document was developed by the African National Congress entitled "For the Sake of our Lives".  That is when the Self Defence Units started to become a bit more organised.  In Thokoza for example a Central Command was set up.  
	Now the Central Command consisted of 14 sections.  The Thokoza township was divided up into 14 sections, Lusaka-A being one of those sections.  Each section had a commander and a deputy commander which sat at the Central Command level. Also at the Central Command level the political leadership of the ANC, the South African Communist Party as well as the civics had a representation at the Central Command.	  How the central - the Central Command used to meet every Tuesday at a local school. 
	Now the way the Central Command worked - sorry, the Central Command also had an overall commander by the name of Bonga Nkosi.  It also had a secretary by the name Seko Thulo.  It also had a head of logistics, Sydney Nemorani and a deputy commander, Michael Lucky Siepe.  Then each section had a commander which represented the SDUs from that area.
	Each of those commanders that represented the 14 sections had a certain amount of autonomy.  Obviously when they were faced with attack they couldn't run to the central command to get orders, so basically they relied on their own commander to issue orders down to the SDU members.  So when they used to meet on a Tuesday they then would report back to the Central Command the activities of the week and what had been happening.
	Also the Self Defence Unit commanders were issued with walkie-talkie radios and hence there was communication between the various sections.  So if for example Penduka, which is the area closest to the hostel and which has been named Thambo and Slovo Sections, is the area that most affected by the violence.  Often they would radio for reinforcements to the other sections and then the commanders would send  his Self Defence Units to those areas.
	So the Central Command didn't necessarily act as a war cabinet issuing out orders and commands to the various Self Defence Units, it was more of a co-ordinating body which co-ordinated the activities of the Self Defence Units.
	It also acted in many senses as a, people were allowed - for example, if there were any complaints about Self Defence units, for example if a Self Defence Unit member had fired a firearm unnecessarily or had pointed it at, had pointed it at someone or had used the weapon for criminal activities then that issue would be raised at the Central Command level and they would try to resolve that issue there.