Amnesty Hearings — Boksburg — 1998-06-25

SYDNEY LESLEY ONTONG: Well, we are, we were a very close family, we are very close now, even more so.  Their health, their personalities have changed to such an extent that they cannot believe what actually happened, it is so unreal.  You read about these things in the newspapers and you never realise, until it happens to you, how close it is.
	I mean there has been many accounts of people being killed, not property, this is the point, it is not property, it is people that is being killed.
	They never realised that it would be so close, that it could happen to anybody and naturally it happened to Paul, very close.

MR BRACHER: Mr Ontong, you sat through the evidence of the people responsible for the Germiston bomb, what is your attitude towards them and the evidence that you have heard this week?

SYDNEY LESLEY ONTONG: Anger, I feel very angry about the applicants.  As far as I am concerned, not one of them has shown any kind of remorse, not one of them in this past week and a day, has come forward, they have seen me outside the hall, not one of them has had the courage to come to me or to my wife, and apologised for what they had done.
	I am not saying that I would have accepted his apology, I don't think so, but not one of them has come forward and to me, this is a cowardly act.  They are all cowards as far as I am concerned and the anger that I feel towards these men, is tremendous.  But I will not lower myself to their level.

MR BRACHER: Did you hear any kind of remorse in the evidence that they gave?

SYDNEY LESLEY ONTONG: Not at all, not at all, there is no sign of remorse in the evidence they gave.

MR BRACHER: Mr Ontong, I just want to put it on record, your son was neither working for the State nor working in State property at the time of his death?

SYDNEY LESLEY ONTONG: No, definitely not, it wasn't State property.

MR BRACHER: Thank you Mr Chairman.

MR BRACHER: .

CHAIRPERSON: Ms Van der Walt?

MS VAN DER WALT: I've got no questions, thank you.

MS VAN DER WALT: .

MR PRINSLOO: No questions, thank you Mr Chairperson.

MR PRINSLOO: .

ANDRIES STEPHANUS KRIEL: No questions.

ANDRIES STEPHANUS KRIEL: .

MS CAMBANIS: No questions, thank you.

MS CAMBANIS: .

ANDRIES STEPHANUS KRIEL: No questions sir.

ANDRIES STEPHANUS KRIEL: .

MR PRIOR: Just one aspect.  Mr Ontong, can you think of any way in which some form of reparation or some, in whatever way, could be effected in this matter, that might lead to some form of reconciliation?  It is irrespective of whether amnesty is granted or not?

SYDNEY LESLEY ONTONG: The only way that I can think of some kind of reparation, that these men should sit and serve their full sentence and not be granted amnesty, because to me, it was a cowardly act.  They went out as was led in evidence, they are a splinter group, as far as I am concerned, they are a splinter group, they went out and placed the bombs at their own will.
	They knew what they were doing, they placed the bombs at their own will, they knew what they were doing and the only way they are going to find out is by sitting in jail, and thinking about it over the years.

MR PRIOR: Thank you Mr Chairman.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR PRIOR

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Ontong, I can fully understand your anger.  All I can say is that I hope with time, the hurt you feel, the anger that you experience, will dwindle and I can only hope to God, that you can come to terms with your losses.
	I thank you for your interest in this hearing.

SYDNEY LESLEY ONTONG: Thank you Mr Chairman.

<UNKNOWN>: .

MR BRACHER: Mr Chairman, I have an affidavit here by Mrs Ontong, she finds it too painful to give evidence.  I was expecting this to be done tomorrow, so I only have one copy, I have given a copy to the Advocates for the applicants, but can I just hand that up and leave it at that?  Thank you, then that will be all.

MR SINJATSI: Mr Chairman, thank you very much.  For the record, I have been formally briefed today to assist Mrs Phungula, first name Mavis.

CHAIRPERSON: Can you give us an address?

MR SINJATSI: She comes from Katlehong, Moleleki Section.  I will perhaps just get the number when I put her through the cross-examination, just to get the full details of the address.  Katlehong Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Mavis Phungula?

MR SINJATSI: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Phungula, do you prefer to speak English or Afrikaans or Xhosa or whatever other language?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: I will speak Zulu.

CHAIRPERSON: Zulu?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: (sworn states)

MR SINJATSI: Mrs Phungula, you are a victim or you were a victim in the Germiston bombing is that correct?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes, that is correct.

MR SINJATSI: Before you proceed to lead your evidence, would you just give the exact residential address, your exact residential address?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: I reside in number 3474, Moleleki Extension 1, Katlehong.

CHAIRPERSON: Can you repeat that, 34?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: 3474, Moleleki Extension 1, Katlehong.

MR SINJATSI: Do you have a phone number at home?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: No.

MR SINJATSI: At work?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes.

MR SINJATSI: May you give the Chairman your number?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: 8256702.

MR SINJATSI: Do you have a postal address?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: I only use the one at work, that is where I get my mail.

MR SINJATSI: You may give that to the Chairman as well.

MAVIS PHUNGULA: It is number 89 Odendaal Street, the name of the shop is Fair and Quick Bulk Supermarket, in Germiston.

MR SINJATSI: I believe you are married, is that correct?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes, that is correct.

MR SINJATSI: Can you give, can you tell us what happened to the blast.  I mean you were injured in this incident, how did it happen?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: It is a little difficult for me to talk.

CHAIRPERSON: Maybe we will take a break until she is okay.  We will adjourn.

MR SINJATSI: As you please Mr Chairman.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Phungula, I hope you are feeling a little bit better now.

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes, that is correct.

CHAIRPERSON: Are you able to proceed?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes, yes, I can continue.

CHAIRPERSON: If you do feel that you need to take a break or to - you want a rest, please indicate when you want to do so.

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes, I will do that.

CHAIRPERSON: Okay, you can proceed.

MAVIS PHUNGULA: (still under oath)

MR SINJATSI: (cont)
	I believe you were pregnant when this incident took place, is that correct?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes, that is correct.

MR SINJATSI: How many months were you pregnant?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Seven months.

MR SINJATSI: Is it also true that this trailer which carried the bomb, was parked in front of your shop?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes, that is correct.

MR SINJATSI: Are you now in a position to tell the Chairman and members of the Commission how it happened on that particular morning, just in brief?

MAVIS PHUNGULA: Yes, I will be able to do that.

MR SINJATSI: Proceed please.