Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1997-06-10

BONGANI FINCA: Our next witness is Knosinathi Gontshi.  It looks as if Knosinathi Gontshi is not here so could we call Francina Wheeler?

REV XUNDU: Francina Wheeler will you stand to take the oath?

UNKNOWN: (Sworn states)

BONGANI FINCA: June Crichton?

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  Good morning Francina, you are here to-day to tell us about your husband Boyce Michael and his death on this day on the first of May '93, is that correct?

UNKNOWN: That's correct.

JUNE CRICHTON: How are you feeling are you feeling relaxed?

UNKNOWN: Nervous.

JUNE CRICHTON: Nervous.  Well just relax and I'm going to ask you one question before you start and then I'd like you to go through you story.  I see you have a statement there do you, that you'd like to read?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: The question I want to ask you relates to something that is in your statement which I'd like to clarify.  How did you hear about your husband's death?

UNKNOWN: Through his friend that was with him.

JUNE CRICHTON: I see because in the statement it says something different.  Will you continue now and tell us exactly was happened.

UNKNOWN: My children and I were at home watching videos and my husband had gone to the High Gate for the first time.  One o'clock came and the children had gone to bed so I went to bed.  I was fast asleep when I heard banging on my door so I got up thinking it was my husband who had lost his key.  I opened the door and saw my husband's friend who had gone with him to the High Gate and he asked if he could come in.  I opened up and we went through to the lounge and sat down.  I knew something was wrong.  He said to me Dave is gone and I didn't understand and when he said Dave is dead I apparently fainted.  When I came around he told me what had happened.  He said they were sitting having a drink and their backs were facing the door.  They heard like fire crackers and apparently my husband still said someone is happy they are shooting fire crackers.  Just then they burst in and started shooting.  My husband saved my friend's life because he was sitting next to her and he pushed her down on the floor and that's when he was shot.  He died instantly.
 For two weeks I was on tranquilisers and I didn't know what was going on.  People came to see me but I cannot remember who came.  From then on we suffered.  I lost my car because I could not afford to pay it as my husband used to pay it.  I couldn't afford the rent so I had to sell some of my furniture and move in with my father who had a small house.  My children suffered at school.  Their marks were down as they were out of school for two weeks and they are still very bitter.

JUNE CRICHTON: Is that your statement completed?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: Alright.  Some questions to you, what was the age of your husband when he died?

UNKNOWN: He was about forty two.

JUNE CRICHTON: Was he working?

UNKNOWN: Yes, he was working.

JUNE CRICHTON: Where was he working?

UNKNOWN: He was working at Grosvenor Ford.

JUNE CRICHTON: Were you assisted by the firm after his death?

UNKNOWN: No.

JUNE CRICHTON: Not at all?

UNKNOWN: No.

JUNE CRICHTON: You've spoken about the effect on you from an economical point of view but how has it affected you emotionally?

UNKNOWN: I'm still very bitter and upset because of what we've had to go through and what we've lost.

JUNE CRICHTON: In terms of treatment for that have you had any psychological treatment, any care in that respect?

UNKNOWN: No.

JUNE CRICHTON: Was your husband on a medical aid?

UNKNOWN: Yes, but the day he was killed the medical aid fell away.

JUNE CRICHTON: So he wasn't on any kind of pension scheme at work either?

UNKNOWN: No.

JUNE CRICHTON: You've heard the other witnesses from that event being asked questions about their attitude and you've said that you're bitter but just as they were asked I would like to ask you too what your feeling would be about being faced with the perpetrator asking for forgiveness for what they did?  How would you feel about that?

UNKNOWN: No, I wouldn't like it.

JUNE CRICHTON: You wouldn't want to either receive a request such as that or to accept it.

UNKNOWN: I wouldn't like to see them, I wouldn't like to come face to face with them.

JUNE CRICHTON: Are you feeling the same way as the other witnesses about amnesty?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: Would you like to just explain what you're feeling?

UNKNOWN: I think that those who were involved should actually be punished.

JUNE CRICHTON: So you're not happy about the amnesty process not for anybody?

UNKNOWN: It doesn't matter what colour you are everybody must pay for what they do wrong.

JUNE CRICHTON: What are your expectations from the Commission Mrs Wheeler?

UNKNOWN: I would like financial help for myself and my children.

JUNE CRICHTON: Would you like to explain what kind of financial help, in what area for our children?

UNKNOWN: School fees and medical aid.

JUNE CRICHTON: Are you working at the moment?

UNKNOWN: No.

JUNE CRICHTON: Where you working before?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I'm starting work on the first of July.  I've been out of work since October last year.

JUNE CRICHTON: As a result of the effects this has had on you?

UNKNOWN: No, the company closed down.

JUNE CRICHTON: Oh I see so you are actually starting another job?

UNKNOWN: In July yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: I'm glad about that.  Is there anything else you would like to say Mrs Wheeler to the nation because you are speaking to the nation about this event?

UNKNOWN: I just hope there's going to peace in the world amongst all of us.

JUNE CRICHTON: Do you have that hope that there will be?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I'm sure that there will be.

UNKNOWN: And in this country particularly?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you very much I'm going to hand you back to the Chairperson now.