Human Rights Violation Hearings — Rustenburg — 1997-05-07

LOUISA MALEBO: (Interpreters did not commence interpreting for some time).
 Police came to my house and they knocked and they said they were looking for Manko.  I wanted to refuse to go with them, because I wanted them to arrest me during the day and they should tell me what they are arresting me for.  I said to them I wanted a wanted a warrant of arrest from them and they pulled me around.  They did not even want to wait for me to dress.  I went with them without my shoes, that is on the 31st.  I only had an overall over my body.  
 I was taken to the Phokeng police station.  When we arrived there, I was put in a cell.  There were already other people there whom I worked with and they had already been arrested.  After locking us in there, they went away and when they returned they separated us claiming that we have been talking and planning what we were supposed to do, or were going to do after we got out of there.  
 What they asked me is that is what I know about Rocky.  I told them Rocky is my leader.  He is the leader of the organisation that I had joined.  They asked me if I knew whether I knew that Rocky and Lebone gave the soldiers money to overthrow the Government.  I said, no, I do not know anything about that and I do not know if Rocky is a friend to this guy - that is Lebone.  And they said, me and Mr Lebone's house, Mr Lebone's wife were going to live in Boputhatswana.  
 I stayed fourteen days in the cell, that is in Phokeng.  They released me and we never went to the court.  I then came back home.  From that time, I lived under severe conditions.  That became a norm.  A week would go by and the following I would be arrested.  I would be asked where Rocky was and I would answer by saying I do not know where he is.  And they said because I was close to him I must know where he is.  I told them I do not know where he is.  I did not have - I did not live a normal life.  
 There was one day which I will never forget among all the days.  It was in June, I just forget the date.  We were watching TV together with the children.  Three policemen came and when they entered they said they are looking for Manko.  Because my huts we are all the same at home, then we said we do not know her and she does not stay here.  Even the children were not free.  Then they left, they left for a few minutes.  Maybe they asked somewhere that if you are looking for Manko, that what kind of a person she is.  She is this kind of a person, she has this scar on her chest.  They entered again and knocked.  It was around 11 o'clock.  Then they said they are looking for Manko.  We looked at each other.  My daughter said it is me.  Then she said it is not you, you are Joyce.  Then they said to me, you are the one.  Let us go.  
 I asked them to take a blanket when I left, they took me to Phokeng police station.  They put me in a very cold room.  The window panes were broken.  I was alone in that cell.  They left me there.  They did not ask me anything.  They gave me two blankets.  Then at dawn they came to me.  You are going to tell us the truth today.  What did you say you did by giving the soldiers money together with your chief and Malabane Metseng and your people to overthrow the Government?  But I told them that I do not know anything.   And they said again, what is your intention?    What are you thinking?  Because this is, our Government is still governing.  I told them that I do not think anything.  Then they said to me I should sever a leadership with Triple P.  Then they said to me, you will see, you will know our Government well.  Then they locked that cell and left.  
 The following day in the morning they took me with a van and took me home.  We did not go to court.  On the 16th of June 1990 we had a rally at Phokeng.  At that time I was a member of the African National Congress.  For me to join the African National Congress I mobilised the people I was working with.  Then we decided that one night we should meet and God gave me power that day, that night, that all members of Triple P met.  Then we decided that this time we are going to fight against the Boputhatswana Government.  We were many women.  
 That day we decide to meet, the police heard, but they did not know where we were going to meet and how.  God give us power to use tactics until we meet.  We travelled the distance to Janeng, Luka, Bubumja or Falagatla.  I was going to various people, that even if we are detained or arrested that the truth will remain.  At ten o'clock, the police came to my house, we thought we were going to meet at one o'clock at night.  At ten o'clock when the police came I was still at home and they knocked, they entered.  They did not tell us what they were looking for.  They found me in the house, but they just said we are just coming to look for you.  Then we kept quiet.  Then they went away.  We did not deny to open doors for them, but they came.  
 At about quarter past twelve we met where we decided that we would meet.  At that time we said we were going to look for help, but we said to ourselves where are we going to look for help and to whom?  But we decided that there is an organisation called ANC and where are we going to find the ANC so that it will come and help us.  We deliberated which way we can take.  We told ourselves that we should go up to Johannesburg.  We will appoint a committee which will go and look for ANC.  When in Johannesburg we will ask.  
 At that time we were together with Malabane Metseng's brother who is George Metqcine.  We thought again of Mr Seremane at Khotso House.  Even if he is staying in Johannesburg, but he is from Boputhatswana.  We knew that at Khotso House you cannot just go there.  You must make an appointment first so that you will be able to see that person with your problems.  
 I went with George, we were two of us.  We left at five o'clock in the morning.  We took taxis.  Then we went to Johannesburg and arrived at Khoto House.  We found a security, then we asked him to look for Mr Seremane.  He asked us where we came from.  We said we are from Rustenburg.  And it was cold.  
 We met with Mr Seremane and explained our problems.  He referred us to a South African Council of Churches in Rustenburg.  He said again Boputhatswana cases are dealt with by Priscilla Jana.  
 We came back home and then we waited until it was dusk.  At dusk when arrived at home I was arrested.  They took me to Mogwase.  I stayed for fourteen days.  They knew that I was together with George on that day.  I was put in a cold room again.  They did not give me food, they did not give me water, and they were telling me that I was messing up the  whole of Phokeng, but I tolerated the fourteen days.  At home they did not know where I was.  When I was arrested they said that they are taking me to Phokeng.  My children did not know where I was.  They went all over they could not find me.  After that fourteen days, I was released.  They did not even interrogate me.  
 When I arrived at home, on that day I proceeded to look for George.  The way I was tortured was giving me courage, because if they were prepared to shoot me they could have shot me.  I proceeded to look for George.  I could not find him at home.  I put up at the location.  Early in the morning I looked for him again and then I found him.  We went to Mr Seremane again.  Then he said to us, if possible, we should meet at Welgespruit.  That is how we can solve your problems.  
 I mobilised the people again to meet people who would help us.  That is how we found the way to join ANC.  We went to Welgespruit.  We started going there on the 15th of October 1989.  That is where we started to meet.  I forgot the names who briefed us and showed us how to protect ourselves against the police.  Then we came back.  Then we started the ANC.  We mobilised and recruited people.  Then I was arrested again.  
 The other day which I will not forget is the 16th of June, that is 1990.  I will never forget that day.  We had a rally in Phokeng.  Whilst we were still at the rally visitors came to my place in a combi.  They were from Johannesburg.  They were just visiting my place to find out about my problems and why I was arrested.  We were at the rally at the Roman Catholic Church.  Those people who were at home then, the police said they were - those people came with a combi were ANC bringing guns to my place.  At that night it was for the first time I saw so many policemen.  My house was surrounded by the police and they were forcing me to give them guns and the AK 47's which I hid in my house.  I did not even see those people who came in the combi during the day and I did not even meet those people.  
 I was arrested together with my children and everybody at home.  We were taken to Phokeng police station.  Whilst we were there at the Phokeng police station they returned the children.  I was left with one daughter of mine.  The following day, she was released and I remained for a month at that Phokeng police station and I was not eating or drinking.  
 I returned home after a month.  I think I stayed for a week and I was arrested again.  That was when Rocky was supposed to come to Phokeng.  At that time, I did not know that Rocky was supposed to come to Phokeng because I had been arrested and I came back after all the arrangements had been made and I did not know about them.  I was only at home for a week.  I was then taken to the police station at Phokeng.  On that same night they put a cloth on my face and they took me to Mwagase.  When I got to Mwagase I met Tlakane.  
 Even though they did not beat me the treatment is what made me ill.  We had to wash with cold water in the morning at about four o'clock and we were washing from water, cold water from the tap.  And you had to be naked by then, even though you were a women.  I stayed there for fourteen days and had the same treatment.  Before that fourteen days had elapsed I heard there were people looking for me outside and there was a lawyer who phoned from Johannesburg who heard that I had been arrested and that is when Tlakana said I must open a docket. 
 When I got to the office I met a reverend from the Roman Catholic Church, the Reverend Selepedi.  Those were the only two people I met.  And they asked me what was happening, how I was treated and I told them all that happened.  
 From there they took me to the Council of Churches here in Rustenburg.  People from the Council of Churches took me to Johannesburg in Wanderer(?) Street, which is where I met Dr Taborangaka.