Human Rights Violation Hearings — Umtata — 1996-06-18

CHAIRPERSON: Of these homelands of this homeland Government, when everybody was talking about freedom, it was at the time when the Governments were looked down upon, at that time, at the time your husband died, when he was trying to fight for the country, but he didn't die, his death was not in vain, at least there was a message for him, now I am going to give you a chance. Your husband didn't die in vain, my sister, we also thank you for coming over here so that we can tell the whole country, so that all the generations can be able to say, "we will never again do something like this, never again will these things happen again to us", at the time now we will be able to say, to recognise the dignity of a human being. We understand that your husband wasn't just struggling on his own, you were also part of this. I would like to make you take the oath. Could you please stand.

NOMBASA SANGONI: (duly sworn in states)

CHAIRPERSON: Nombasa in the statement before us, we see that you are going to give statement about the death of your husband who died on the 5th February 1988. Could you please take a minute to tell us about yourself, your family and your husband. Please tell us so that we can be able to know, who, what kind of a man he was.

NOMBASA SANGONI: Zolile Sangoni is the son of Mr and Mrs Sangoni, at the time of his death he was working at the SAB in 1988. He used to be committed very much in the struggle, he was a member of the ANC at the time. A man, a Mr Zokqua, was a friend of his at the time. Lots of things happened in Butterworth at the time, we used to be detained lots of times because we used to stay together. At another time he was detained for two weeks, I was also detained with him and then I was released on the second week. Now because of policeman like Madikizela from Butterworth, now before prior his death he used to be warned by this Madikizela.

PANEL MEMBER: Why did Madikizela warned your husband?

NOMBASA SANGONI: My husband and Madikizela used to know each other. Madikizela used to just pretend to be my husband's friend, but knowing that he was trying to get information from my husband, at the time he used to, he used to yell at his name and say Zolile, and then warn him, and after that they killed Temba Lozokwe.

PANEL MEMBER: Let's go back to the time when this incident happened here in Umtata, do you know why your husband was here in Umtata?

NOMBASA SANGONI: On the 7th of February 1988, he woke up very early but he had a problem with his car, that's why now he left his car and he used the Honda Ballade which was brown. He was going to Umtata because he was a rep of the SAB. On his way to Umtata he gave Thozamile Nkume a lift, he was also resided in Umtata. They both went to Umtata. When they got to Umtata there was another man who he was detained with, a Mr Mayaphi, now this man, they were going to see this man in jail Mr Mayaphi, there was another housed that they used to stay in at Mbokwe, the policemen came to this house and they just sprayed the whole house with bullets, thinking that my husband and his friends were in the house. Now around lunch time, around 1.00pm my husband called me just before lunch, called me, telling me that he was coming back to Butterworth, so during lunch time they decided to have a braai at Ncambedlana, at Mbuqe. Now on their way to the braai, they saw a white 4 x 4 and another white Kombi also with tinted windows, Number Plates - XF. There were four in the car, it was himself, Zona Wetle, Thozamile Nkume, Zonwabele Mayaphi and another one, and also Zolila Sangoni and there was another man called Gift, I can't remember his another name, he is the one who used to say "do you guys see that we are being followed", when they got to Mnado they braai'ed, they continued with the braai and then from there, from the braai spot, this Kombi and this 4 x 4 was also following them, still watching them. The Kombi started to flicker at them, then Zolile started saying "you guys, do you know who knows anything about this Kombi, because now it was starting to flicker at them. One of them answered "No, we don't know anyone in that Kombi. Again the Kombi started to flicker and then later they started to stop. The Kombi's also stopped, Zolile was still in the car, the sliding door of the Kombi now was started to open, there was a flood of bullets, it was non-stop. It seemed like the reason why they shooting like this, they didn't want anybody to survive in the car. The bullet shells that were found there were more than 30. Most of these bullets were aimed at him, this is now, why now he couldn't survive he died on that spot and this other man Mr Mayaphi who was in pain, now this people from this 4 x 4 and the Kombi ran away, left him there, one of them was Mbulelo Wana and the other one was Madliwa and Captain Le Roux. There were other three girls who were in this Kombi that they didn't show. One of those girls was Ntlola Shosha. The Transkeian police arrived on the scene but they didn't want anybody to be taken out of the car, now while the man was still in excruciating pain, they were still asking them questions, they were asking to be taken to hospitals, but the police didn't care at all. At a later stage they were taken to hospital, but only one survived, the other three were already dead. The pathologist who was taking care of the bodies described that the bullets as strong as to pierce an iron rod, it was my first time to see a person who has been shot such that a bone was hanging outside, that's how my husband Zolile was, he was shot in the thigh, the way he was swollen he looked like a pig, it was because of all the bullets that were sprayed all over his body.

PANEL MEMBER: About the people who shot them, it looks like a there was a place that they went to. Do you know this place?

NOMBASA SANGONI: Yes, the police who shot my husband and his friends ran over to the police, though they denied this.

PANEL MEMBER: Then what happened after that?

NOMBASA SANGONI: Weeks and months passed, we were trying to find out who were these people were, but later the police said it was Madliwa and the rest who did this.

PANEL MEMBER: Now what happened to those people who shot - who fired?

NOMBASA SANGONI: There was an inquest and the inquest was about Madliwa, that's where Madliwa said when he was lying the reason why they were shooting at my husband and friends, they said they were having firearms within the car, but they are the one's who planted these firearms so that they can be able to say these firearms belonged to them.

PANEL MEMBER: Now did the inquest find out that these other people who killed your husband and friends?

NOMBASA SANGONI: Madliwa confessed, especially Madliwa he is the one who confessed he used to have smiles, especially when he was taking about saying that he is the one that killed them, and then after that he would smile, then after that Squia was very angry at him because he used to ask them "Are you happy about what you did, seeing that you are smiling so much". What hurts me about the inquest is that they were found guilty but there was nothing done about them.

PANEL MEMBER: Was there any Court case?

NOMBASA SANGONI: Yes, there was a Court case and they were found guilty, but they were not charged and they were not sentenced, in other words they are free they are still out there, yes, they are still out there, this is why actually why Madliwa was also shot, its because he was just roaming around out there.

PANEL MEMBER: About Thozamile Nkume who survived, do you know anything about him?

NOMBASA SANGONI: They found Thozamile Nkume at his place in his village, he promised me that he'll be here, but when we got there, we were told that yesterday that "No he has already left", so that is why Thozamile is not here.

PANEL MEMBER: I am sure you already have a wish by coming to the Commission, what is that wish?