Human Rights Violation Hearings — Johannesburg — 1996-04-29

DR RANDERA: You also mentioned that you were hit with an iron bar on your head.

GERALD THEBE: On the head ja, at Compol building.

DR RANDERA: That's all I want to ask.

DR BORAINE: Are there any other questions?
JOHANNESBURG HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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YASMINE SOOKA: I notice from your statement you said that the beating lasted for four weeks, did they kick you and beat you up every single day?

GERALD THEBE: Ja they were beating us every day.

YASMINE SOOKA: And did they do anything else to you?

GERALD THEBE: Ja they kicked us. .... and you could not manage to jump or do anything.  They just kick you and beat you.

YASMINE SOOKA: At any time were you ever examined by any doctor?

GERALD THEBE: They took us to the doctor during the night.  I don't know that hospital at Mafikeng, but it was a special for security police after interrogation.

YASMINE SOOKA: What did the doctors do when they examined you?

GERALD THEBE: I was ill at that time really I can't remember.

YASMINE SOOKA: And nothing happened after that, you were taken back for beating.

GERALD THEBE: Ja, they took me back to the police station the same night.

YASMINE SOOKA: Apart from the tablets that you take you say because of your nervous condition, in terms of your body were there any lasting after effects?

GERALD THEBE: Ja, you know the problem after interrogation I hear the people talking with myself and I am replying to them, it's the problem which I am facing just now.

YASMINE SOOKA: I see.

GERALD THEBE: Ja.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you.

GERALD THEBE: Thank you.

DR BORAINE: Dr Randera.

DR RANDERA: Gerald I am sorry I just want to come back to just a couple of questions.  You very clearly explained and
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expressed what happened to you after the interrogation, that had nerves already by the time you went to Robben Island and since then you've been receiving treatment, you referred to psychiatric treatment, has any doctor said to you there's a relationship between the beating and the torture that you underwent and the illness that you have now, even up to now?

GERALD THEBE: No in fact the doctor has asked me what caused me, what made me to have nerves, what caused the nerves for me, I relayed to them what happened after interrogation.  It's what I told them.  Because it's when they were investigating, asking me what happened and when did it happen and when did I start to be ill.  I said after interrogation even at the court, the lawyer asked the magistrate that I must be taken to the mental hospital because I was critically ill at that time.

DR RANDERA: And my last question is related to what you said, that you were sentenced to Robben Island for five years or to imprisonment for five years, what were you sent to prison for?

GERALD THEBE: For terrorism and for addressing the students under the Communism Act.

DR BORAINE: Are there any other questions, Mrs Mkhize?

MS MKHIZE: Sir according to your explanation after they have assaulted you you were not mentally well, can you please explain to us, you have just said now you are sick in the head, what actually happens?  As we speak with you now you look normal.

GERALD THEBE: I get treatment every month.  Sometimes I am okay and sometimes I am not.  Sometimes I shake. When that moment comes of shaking I have to drink tablets.

MS MKHIZE: Can I ask you furthermore, while you were still JOHANNESBURG HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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growing are there any people maybe in your community that would say you were not normal while you were growing up?

GERALD THEBE: No, I was healthy as I was growing up.

DR BORAINE: Mr Thebe I don't like to do this to you because you are very important, but we have a very important visitor, I am not sure is he's appearing before the Commission or if he's visiting the Commission but President Mandela has just joined us and I'd like us to just stop for a moment.
APPLAUSE

DR BORAINE: Will you be seated please.  We are just waiting for the Chairperson Archbishop Tutu to resume his seat so he can tell us what we should do.

CHAIRPERSON: Madiba we thank you for being here.  ....because then people are not going to listen to what is happening.  We are deeply grateful because we know that matters of State are keeping you busy and that you are very generous in coming here.  We are particularly grateful because especially the small people, the people whom the world has sometimes made out to be nonentities, the people who are marginalised, the people who have been trodden down, many of them have come here, have come with their relatives to tell harrowing stories, but also some beautiful stories, and your presence will say to them they are important.  The President of the country thinks that they are important, important enough for the President to leave all his work.  We know we are worrying about all sorts of things but you have left all of that in order to say by your presence, I don't know that we wanted Madiba magic here, but I mean we probably ...(intervention)
LOUD LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE
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 We might not ask you to take the stand but it would be good Mr President, I am willing to suspend the proceedings for just a little while so that our President may say a few words.  People would butcher me if I let you go without saying anything. 
 I will agree that you sing one revolutionary song to welcome him here.  Come up boys with a song.
SONG ABOUT PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA IS SUNG