The following day, Vinez was flownto Pretoria and taken to the Military Intelligence College, where I met him.

I found him nervous and tried to calm him down, byhaving a casual conversation, and telling him about the plans for the day.

Vinez spoke no English, but I found him very well informed about South Africa.

The following day, he was taken to aMilitary Intelligence farm/base outside Pretoria called Fontana. Once there, he was again examined by a Military Intelligence medical doctor and found in perfect health, only complaining of a shaving rash. He was told not to shave!

His interrogation started. Some days he was not veryco-operative, even to the point of asking us once,if we ever heard of the Geneva Convention. Without ever using any physical measures,our "chief" MIinterrogatorsoon had him talkative.

He had been trained in the Soviet Union, was based in Lubango and complained about the discrimination, that the Angolan pilots were subjectedin their own country by the Cubans. Nothing was shared between the Angolan and Cuban Squadrons. The Angolan living conditions, rations, logistics,aircraft,maintenance, etc, were very poor comparing to what the Cubans had available to them.

I found him evasive in general, and trying to come across as a person who was not very bright. He was alsoarrogant and unfriendly, to the point of refusing to build a model of his aircraft in his "spare" time, to be displayed alongsideseveral Sovietmodel tanks at Fontana's pub, which had been built bya Cuban POW.

Let me add, that while he was our "guest" his living conditions and food were of the best that Fontana had available. He had many lunchs with us, eating at our table. When not having his meals with us, his food was cooked at Fontana's kitchen andwas the same that his SAAF Police guards got.

Once MI/SAAF was finished with his interrogation, Vinez was taken to the SADF military detention barracks in Boksburg, where he remained until being swopped for a SADF soldier being held by the Cubans.

Boksburg detention barracks. Photo PARATUS

I said my goodbyes to Vinez in his cellat the Boksburg DB.

The SADF interrogation team came to the conclusion, that Vinez got lost after loosing contact with his ground radar station. As a pilot, they concluded that he was below average andpoorly trained by the Soviets.

As nobody understood Vinezas I did because of the language barrier, I still have my doubts about his flight intentions that day back in December of 1988.

Were Vinez and his partner sent on a mission that day to check the SAAFinterception capabilities?

The SAAF claims that the two Angolan MiGs were on their radar screens and that one broke away back to Angola, after also entering South West African airspace.

Were there no South African Air Force fighters available that day in northernSouth West Africato intercept the Angolan MiGs?

Or was the SAAF certain that the Angolan MiG(s)posed no threat?

On the 31st March 1989 in Ruacana, Lt Vinez alongside 11 Angolans and 3 Cuban soldiersheld by UNITA, was exchanged for a single South Africansoldier being held by the Cubans, Private Johan Papenfus.

SADF Rfn J Papenfus, being walked by FAPLA officers into SWA, to be exchanged for Vinez, 11 FAPLA servicemen and 3 Cuban soldiers. Photo PARATUS.