DURBAN South Africa AP A Cabinet minister in President Nelson Mandela's government on Tuesday told a human rights panel how he organized vigilante groups to protect supporters of the African National Congress. But Jeff Radebe minister of public works told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that he had little control over the groups' actions once they were armed. More than 5000 people died in clashes between the so-called self-defense units and Zulu nationalists of the Inkatha Freedom Party Zulu in the several years before 1994 elections ended apartheid. Radebe is seeking amnesty for his role in organizing the units which mainly operated in KwaZulu-Natal from 1990-1994. He is the first ANC Cabinet minister to appear at a public amnesty hearing. ``This place was in flames. Almost every Saturday I used to bury comrades'' Radebe said. Radebe claimed in his amnesty application that no one died as a result of his actions. Local ANC supporters of the minister greeted him as he entered the hearing room and snickered at questions posed by a lawyer for the Inkatha party. Radebe's amnesty hearing was held in Durban the major city of KwaZulu-Natal which is located on the Indian Ocean. A number of top-ranking ANC government officials including Deputy President Thabo Mbeki and Justice Minister Dullah Omar applied for amnesty in a last-minute submission before the deadline last year. They were among 37 ANC officials who were granted blanket amnesty by the committee last year. The amnesty was withdrawn after a court challenge by the opposition National Party claiming the decision violated the requirement that applicants name specific crimes. The officials had claimed only broad political responsibility for actions taken during the anti-apartheid struggle. It is not clear when or if their amnesty applications will be heard. Radebe applied for amnesty separately from the 37 officials. The Truth Commission in October released a report assigning major blame for human rights violations to the National Party apartheid's architect. But it also cited the ANC for excesses. The commission has the power to grant amnesty to those who confess to specific crimes and can demonstrate a political motive a process expected to last well into next year as decisions are made on over 7000 amnesty applications. pr/djw APW19981201.0815.txt.body.html APW19981201.1048.txt.body.html