Description
This was the first day of proceedings in 1964, following the three week adjournment called on 20th December, 1963. On this day court proceedings were concluded early as Mr Berrange was ill. As such Essop Suliman was recalled for cross-examination by Mr Berrange and Mr Chaskalson after which court was adjourned until the following morning.
Witnesses Called
19th State Witness: Essop Suliman – Private Taxi Owner. (Recalled).
Cross-examination by Mr Berrange and Mr Chaskalson.
Mr Berrange began his cross-examination by asking the witness exactly who engaged him to take people to the conference in Lobatse. Essop Suliman maintained that Accused No.2, Walter Sisulu, had been the one who engaged him first. Mr Berrange then informed the witness that he had given this evidence in court once before during the Fadana case and that based on a comparison of these two sets of evidence concerning the same events it would appear that the witness was in fact very confused about who engaged his services and when. Mr Berrange insists that Essop Suliman was either confused or deliberately not telling the truth.
Through reading multiple extracts from the evidence given by Essop Suliman in the Fadana case, Mr Berrange forces the witness to admit that it was not Walter Sisulu but Nokwe who first engaged him to transport people to the border. Mr Berrange pushes the witness to account for the changes in his evidence since the Fadana case but Essop Suliman merely replied that he did not know why he had given incorrect evidence in the Fadana case and was insistent that he was now telling the truth.
Following this line, Mr Berrange asked why it was that Essop Suliman had initially stated that on every occasion he was engaged by Walter Sisulu but now in his evidence for this case, the Rivonia Trial, he had claimed to have been engaged by Nokwe, Andrew Mlangeni, and Ahmed Kathrada, in addition to Walter Sisulu. The witness could not provide any satisfactory account for this change in his recollection of events.
Following the completion of Mr Berrange’s questioning, Mr Chaskalson raised and said the following to the court: “I don’t want to waste time by asking more questions but all the accused put this witness’s evidence in issue”.
No re-examination requested by Dr Yutar.
Sources
Dictabelts: (Vol.49/9A/114b) (Vol.49/9A/115b) (Vol.49/9A/116b).
Percy Yutar Papers:
Handwritten notes from the prosecution for January 13, 1964, (Ms.385/36/7).
Wits Historical Papers:
Evidence of Essop Suliman (AD1844.A11.3).
Handwritten Attorney’s notes on Essop Suliman (AD1844.Bb4.1).
As to Essop Suliman, typed notes (AD1844.Ba19.2).
Analysis of Evidence: Essop Suliman (AD1844.Ba19.1).
Essop Amod Suliman’s Evidence (AD1844.A6.4.1).
D1 – D25: Evidence by: Suliman Essop, Harry Bambane, Piet Coetzee, Caswell Zikle Nboxele, and Isaac Rani (AD1844.A7.1).
Key Words
MK Recruits, border crossings, Lobatse Conference, ANC in exile, Ahmed Kathrada, Andrew Mlangeni, Walter Sisulu.
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