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Cassim's June 26 testimony

MR CASSIM:(continued)school I ran a small stall in Plein and De Villiers Streets, Johannesburg. 3.2 I was also employed at Teltron in Selby, Johannesburg where I worked as a storeman for approximately one and a half years. 3.3 I thereafter joined my brother running a tuckshop. 3.4 I was married according to Moslem rites and I have three children born of my marriage. 3.5 I have a daughter presently aged 22 years as well as two sons aged 16 years and 18 years respectively. 3.6 From approximately 1981 to 1987 I was employed at a firm as a store manager. 3.7 I moved to Azaadville in approximately 1981 and I am presently still residing there at ....." Mr Commissioner can ...(intervention)

MR WITZ: You don't have to read your address into the record.

MR CASSIM: 3.8 "In order about 1987 to 1994 I was working with cousins of mine in a pharmaceutical business in Hillbrow called Hillbrow Pharmacy. 3.9 I also opened an electronic business near Highpoint Hillbrow in 1994. 3.10 I am presently running a sweet shop in Fordsburg, Johannesburg called Sweet Junction. 3.11 I was previously in or about 1991 also taken in for questioning by the members of the South African Police who required information from me on a certain Mac Maharaj which related to an incident called "Operation Vula".

MR WITZ: Now Mr Cassim just briefly there, then the reason for you mentioning it in your statement, I want you to just give a very brief background to the Commissioner what this is all about. Is this the same Minister, Maharaj, that is referred to? Just tell us briefly if it is what this related to.

MR CASSIM: That's correct it's Minister Mac Maharaj, who was the Minister of Transport, who used to come to the pharmacy with a friend of - was a friend of my cousin, Yusaf Mohamed, and we developed a relationship and from there on I used to look after him, we used to go out for meals and we had a lot of things in common where I used to talk to him. He used to always come to the pharmacy for his medical supplies and from there on we developed a good relationship.

MR WITZ: What happened in connection with the police, why were you taken in for questioning?

MR CASSIM: I was taken in for questioning because they thought I knew a lot of information regarding Mr Maharaj and regarding Operation Vula.

MR WITZ: And you were detained for a period of time and then released when they realised that you couldn't assist them any further in relation to their enquiries is that correct?

MR CASSIM: That's correct. They were detaining me under Section 29 for about 36 hours.

MR WITZ: Now Mr Cassim I want you to just deal very, very briefly now with paragraph 4, that is your own sporting activities, what sports you participated in and I think possibly to put something to rest, if you can assist the Commissioner, where the nickname of "Banjo" comes from. I see you've been referred to many times as "Banjo" Cassim.

MR CASSIM: "BRIEF BACKGROUND HISTORY RE SPORTING ACTIVITIES" 4.1 In my school life and thereafter I only played soccer. I started off playing in Ophirton and I thereafter in my later years played for Dynamos as a goalkeeper. I further, as a result of my love for soccer, ended up having a share in the Dynamos Football Club". Mr Commissioner the nickname "Banjo" came while I was playing football. I was playing goalkeeper and we saw a movie and in the movie was a game and there was a goalkeeper in the movie and thereafter all my friends kept on calling me "Banjo".

COMMISSIONER: I take it that Dynamos Football Club is not the Moscow Dynamos, is it?

MR CASSIM: No, not. "4.2 In the years that I grew up in South Africa it was at the time of the sports isolation and sporting boycotts and during my school career there were no facilities for cricket at my school".

MR WITZ: Now Mr Cassim this might possibly be the most difficult question that you have to answer today. You are obviously aware in consultations we've had Mr Blumberg, your attorney, supports Arsenal, I support the champion side, Manchester United, are you prepared to disclose to this Commission which side in the Premier League you support?

MR CASSIM: Advocate Witz are we going to go through this again?

MR WITZ: Just tell the Commissioner briefly please.

MR CASSIM: My love for football and the team I support is Liverpool.

MR WITZ: Now it is not just a matter of supporting, obviously you've seen them play on the television, I'd like you to tell the Commissioner in particular, whether you have ever seen them in real life and what you've done in connection with the team that you support.

MR CASSIM: Yes, in real life I have seen Liverpool play. Round about 1991, a friend of mine, who has good connections with Liverpool arranged to get us two tickets to go and watch a match at Old Trafford. It was something that I would never forget for the rest of my life. We went to London. I thought he was joking with me when he told me he's got two tickets for the match. I remember, recall we went to a hotel called the Crown Plaza in Manchester, waiting at the hotel I thought this friend of Amed is joking with me. A gentleman came up to us and Amed introduced - they spoke to one another and when I realised who the gentleman was it took me back. He was the Chief Executive of Liverpool, Mr Peter Robinson. He gave us two tickets for the match, to sit with the directors of Liverpool at Old Trafford. I still could not believe it that we had two tickets to go and watch a match at Old Trafford and sit with the directors of Liverpool. It is something I can never forget.

MR WITZ: Now besides the actual match and besides the actual result what I would like to just establish from you, did you do anything further, did you collect any memorabilia, photographs, anything in relation to the FA Cup? If you can just briefly tell the Commissioner how far you went in this regard.

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