Human Rights Violation Hearings — Klerksdorp — 1996-09-26

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Yes, it was myself, my mother and my father.  The other chlid only got a very small scar.  And the other one was not injured at all.

MR POTGIETER: The house, was that burnt?
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ANNIE K MOGAPI: It was burnt.

MR POTGIETER: And the belongings in the house, were those also destroyed?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Everything was destroyed, Sir, nothing was left behind. The walls even fell.

MR POTGIETER: Now your father, what happened to him, was he also taken to hospital or what?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: The same night as I arrived at the hospital, he was at the hospital. He also got a few stitches. Nobody spent a night in the hospital, we all came back.

MR POTGIETER: You all had stab wounds.

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Yes, I was stabbed on the head. My mother was hit with a fist, she wasn't bleeding, but she was swollen in the face.

MR POTGIETER: Now why do you think this attack was launched on your house and on your family and yourself?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: When they got into the yard, they went straight to my father and to my mother.  There was no fight, there was nothing.

MR POTGIETER: Was your family involved in the conflict?  We have heard evidence about a conflict in Tigane between IFP and ANC, we heard about "no-go" areas and we heard about people being killed.  Now your family, was your family involved in that conflict?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: No, the family was not involved in this conflict.  I have mentioned that there was a boy, my first boy was working at the military base at Kommando and it was spread around the township that they don't like soldiers at all.  After he was attacked, because he didn't know his attackers he said I will not lay charges because I didn't see my attackers.
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MR POTGIETER: Okay.  Was it a big group of people that were involved in the attack on your home and on your family?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: At that time they were many throwing stones, but the rest of them ran away as we approached, but the three that I have mentioned, remained behind.

MR POTGIETER: Now just to round off the issue that I have raised earlier.  Do you think it is because of your membership of the IFP that you were attacked?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: That is the reason.  When Jonas realised that he was leading a hard life, he said to me Mom, I don't see any future here, it is better if I go to the IFP.  I said to him man, I am afraid, please don't join this IFP.  He said no, it doesn't help, I have to.

MR POTGIETER: What is the present situation in Tigane, is there still a conflict going on there between IFP and ANC people?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: No, we live peacefully together.  We went back to a normal life.

MR POTGIETER: Then there is another incident that you want to talk about.  That is the year following on this incident that you just spoke about.  It happened on the 29th of March 1993.  It concerns the son of your sister, Jonas Mogapi.  Would you like to tell us about that incident?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Jonas Mogapi's is my sister's child.  He was doing Std 10 at Gaitoli High School.  He was a very artistic person.  At times he would even sit down and draw a picture of me.  Every time he was finished with such a picture I would see that it was a picture of myself.  There was this television film called Raikona on the television.  Every time or every time after this film on TV, he would gather children around and he would teach them. He wanted
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prosperity for everybody.  He wanted the young people to be artistic as he was.  
 Now at the time of the attack he left very early.  He said to me he was going to the court of law.  He was together with his friend.  I don't think the name of the friend is written in the statement. It was Selele Petin. The two of them came to the court of law.  But before they could leave, he said Mom, listen here, please pray with me, but if you don't see me coming back home, know that I am not coming back any more.  At about four o'clock as I was lying at my place, I saw a person coming and when I looked at this person, I was staying in a very small shack, I only saw the back of the gun and I said what is happening now. This person said no, listen here, you have to run to a certain place, because Jonas has been killed. I said he was at the court of law, now what happened?  This person said to me I do not know what happened, he is quiet, he is no more.  I just kept quiet. I was so dizzy but I could run even though I was in that situation.  
 Another gentleman stopped me and said please, do not go to that place any more, the police will take the matter over. I went back, crying.

MR POTGIETER: Do you know who was responsible for the attack on Jonas Mogapi?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: The people who are responsible are the ANC people, because he finished when he was on the offices.  He was in a Kombi, then they made him to alight from the Kombi. They dragged him out of the Kombi.  The people who were with him were able to explain that to us.

MR POTGIETER: In which part of the township were they when this happened?
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ANNIE K MOGAPI: It was called the Makwateng, the old location next to our office.

MR POTGIETER: Was that a particular stronghold of a particular organisation, that particular part of the township?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Will you repeat your question, please, Sir?

MR POTGIETER: That part of the township where the attack happened, was it a stronghold of any of the two organisations, the ANC or the IFP?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: It was the ANC area, Sir.

MR POTGIETER: And Jonas, did he belong to the IFP?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Yes, he joined the IFP.

MR POTGIETER: Is that, do you think that is the reason why he was attacked and killed?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Can you repeat your question, Sir?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Do you think that he was called becuse of the fact that he belonged to the IFP?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: That's correct.

MR POTGIETER: Was there a court case about his death?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: With regard to Jonas?

MR POTGIETER: That's right, yes.

ANNIE K MOGAPI: With regard to Jonas' case?

MR POTGIETER: Was there a court case in connection with his death, his killing?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: It is now that they have started with the court case. I was told that it would take place on the 15th of November.

MR POTGIETER: Are there people or do you know the people who are charged?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: I do not know anybody, because when I asked the taxi driver he said it wasn't necessary, because he gave the KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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names to the police.

MR POTGIETER: How old was Jonas when he was killed in 1993?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: He was 21 years, if I remember very well.

MR POTGIETER: Did you say that he was at school, doing his matric?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Yes.

MR POTGIETER: And who was he living with, was he living with you and your mother and father?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: He was staying with me. He was my sister's child but he was under my guardianship.

MR POTGIETER: Is his mother still alive?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Yes.

MR POTGIETER: And where does she live?

ANNIE K MOGAPI: She stays in 15/35 at Tigane township, towards Moscow area.

MR POTGIETER: Mrs Mogapi, I just want to hear if my colleagues want to ask you anything.  Fazel Randera?

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Mogapi, I just want to understand the complete picture.  As I said in my opening remarks,   Hartebeesfontein is such a small place.

ANNIE K MOGAPI: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: In this area, that was the one community where conflict took place between supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party and supporters of the African National Congress. Can you just please try and explain to us how this happened or why it happened.