I decided to go to Walvis Bay on 1 May 1986. That day I left Ehafo village in the morning and passed through Oshipumbu sho Mugongo village, where Simon Daniel gave me a lift in his Ford truck at around 09h00. He dropped me off at the tarred road between Ongwediva and Ondangwa near Shipepe cucashop to wait for public transport to take me to Ondangwa, where I would board a minibus to Walvis Bay that same day.
After about 30 minutes of waiting, a minibus came from the direction of Ongwediva. I stopped the minibus, but when I opened the door, alas, there were four black Koevoet soldiers.
The Koevoet soldiers were fully armed with their R-4 rifles and wore camouflage. Since I had already opened the door, I had no option but to board the minibus. Declining to board the minibus could have made the Koevoet members suspicious, as two of them were sitting near the door. I took the nearest seat to avoid standing out in the bus and eventually drawing the attention of the enemy soldiers.
After driving about four kilometres, we came across two Casspirs parked along the tarred road, just a few metres east of Opoto cucashop, near Shipepe cucashop. Koevoet soldiers stopped us, but on realising that there were fellow soldiers on the minibus they allowed us to proceed, as there were two more checkpoints ahead.
The Koevoet members also disclosed that they were looking for the ‘terrorists’ who had blown-up electricity poles near Adolofi cucashop about five kilometres to our east. “We are going to follow those terrorists and kill them all,’’ shouted one of the Koevoet members in the minibus.
When I heard of the two checkpoints ahead, I immediately sensed trouble, as there was a likelihood that captured PLAN fighters, including Peter Michael, were posted at these checkpoints. I got so worried that when one passenger stopped the minibus to drop off, I also got out.
I was carrying my briefcase and a radio tape recorder. There was a homestead nearby where I had passed through sometime back, so I decided to go into this homestead until the security situation normalised to continue with my trip.
The homestead, which was situated in Ekolyaanambo village about a kilometre from the tarred road, belonged to Lusia Shikumba, a staunch supporter of the liberation movement in the area.
The moment I greeted her from the entrance, she came running towards me, warning me that PLAN fighters who had blown up the electricity poles near Adolofi cucashop had passed through there. Therefore it was unsafe for me to stay in the homestead, as it was highly likely that the enemy would trace the fighters’ footprints.
As Lusia briefed me while we stood at the Oshiwambo traditional gathering place (olupale), we heard the sound of approaching Casspirs (armoured military vehicles) driving towards us. As there was no other option, I immediately took my briefcase and radio into Lusia’s bedroom to hide.
The casspirs were already approaching the mahangu field pursuing the guerrilla fighters’ footprints. They drove through the mahangu field towards the homestead. On realising the unavoidable situation, I told Lusia and her daughter my cover story, mainly repeating my personal particulars, which they already knew, where I was coming from and who I was to them.
Before I could finish speaking, some of the Koevoet members were already shouting, “The homestead should be cleared, including the chickens. If we find anyone hiding inside, we are going to shoot him.”
The Koevoet members, who were following the footprints, entered the yard while the Casspirs surrounded the homestead.
“Come out, come out, we are going to kill everyone if you don’t come out”, the Koevoet members surrounding the homestead shouted while standing on top of the Casspirs. Five Koevoet members, who entered the homestead, came straight to us before one of them said, “Thanks, this is the terrorist we are looking for. Come on, stand up, who are you? We are going to show you that we are real men.’’
As they quizzed me, they were already pushing me out of the homestead gripping my shirt, while one started punching me with fists on my head. I kept my usual calm although the pulling and punching were more than I could bear. I knew I had all the necessary documents and that I was not carrying any weapon or anything suspicious.
The Koevoet soldier took me outside the homestead where I found a white Koevoet soldier standing on top of one of the Casspirs. The white soldier directed my captors to position me about two metres from the Casspir looking at the small window of the vehicle, before the white man dropped into the Casspir, probably to consult someone there.
A few minutes later, the white man, without saying a word, jumped straight on top of my head, though I swayed forcing him to fall down. That was the moment when the serious beating started.
The white man, who was seemingly the commander of the group, started beating me all over the body with the butt of his rifle and boots and fists, demanding that I produce my gun and other weapons. He also demanded that I reveal the whereabouts of the other ‘terrosists’ who blew up the electricity poles.
As I was being subjected to the serious beating, two or so Koevoet soldiers were asking Lusia whether I was the ‘terrorist’ that blew up the poles. Since Lusia and her daughter were also brought out of the homestead, I could hear them denying that I was a “terrorist.” Lusia went on to tell them that I was her brother who had just arrived from Grootfontein to visit them.
Despite her denying that I was a “terrorist”, the white commander continued his assault on me to the extent that I started vomiting blood and later had difficulty breathing. After the beating I was loaded into a Casspir parked nearby. The black Koevoet soldiers tied my hands behind my back and blindfolded me.
They continued beating me until I fell unconscious. Later, I found myself lying on a bed in a small room surrounded by two armed white soldiers. My hands were handcuffed, while my legs were tied to the steel bed on which I lay. Despite the beating and harassments, I kept denying that I was a PLAN fighter.
As it grew darker three black soldiers came into the room. One of the soldiers was Peter Michael. Michael greeted me by name before he urged me to cooperate with the soldiers, as he did when he was arrested in order to avoid suffering. Michael and the other two black soldiers wore South African military uniforms, although they had no rifles, unless pistols were hidden under their clothes.
I looked into his eyes trying to figure out whether he was trying to lure me into admission or he had completely changed and forgotten his original assignment.
Although I was not sure about his assignment before the enemy captured him, I had a feeling that his assignment was similar to mine. When I received my assignment, I was instructed that if ever the enemy arrested me, I should tactically cooperate as long as I did not reveal sensitive information surrounding my clandestine activities.
Even when I took oath of allegiance in Lubango, I promised never to reveal information about my clandestine assignments.