Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1997-06-12

ADV SANDI: You said that under this harassment and your family was also harassed. 
 You left this town.  When was this Mrs Jako?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: I went to Johannesburg in 1970 from the Transkei.  I worked in 
Johannesburg from 1970 until 1976.

ADV SANDI: You went to Botswana?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Yes, I went to Botswana.

ADV SANDI: Were you harassed while you were in Botswana?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: No.

ADV SANDI: Where was your husband, Nkululelo Jako, the one you were talking 
about?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: At the time I was, I went to Botswana he met us in Botswana.

ADV SANDI: Did you go with your children?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Yes, I went with my two children. I left my younger child behind, 
because that child was still very young.

ADV SANDI: At the time how old were these children, the one you took with?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: The other one was ten years old and the other was 15 years old.

ADV SANDI: Where are these children now?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: My one child is married in Swaziland.  The other one is married.  She is 
in England.

ADV SANDI: You came back in 1993?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Yes, I came back in 1993.

ADV SANDI: Where are you staying now Mrs Jako?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: I am staying with my cousin's child.  I do not have a place to stay since I 
came back.  I have been trying to look for a place to stay.  I am not working.  I have 
nothing.  It is very difficult for me to get employment.  I do not have a place to stay.  
My husband passed away in England.

ADV SANDI: Mrs Jako, would you like to repeat your requests?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: First of all, I would like my husband's bones to be exhumed.  I would 
like my husband's bones to be exhumed, because my husband was fighting for this 
country.  I would like his grave to be in this country so that people in this country can 
be able to see his grave.  Secondly, I would like to be helped to find a place to stay and 
I would like financial assistance, because I have nothing.

ADV SANDI: Thank you Mrs Jako.  I could see that that is all you have to say.  
Maybe if there are any questions from my co-panellists, you will be asked questions.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Sandi.  Are there any questions?

BONGANI FINCA: Thank you Chairperson.  I would like to ask Mrs Jako did you stay in 
Tafalehashe in Elliotdale?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Yes, I got married there.

BONGANI FINCA: Were you a member of PAC?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: I joined PAC, but at the time I was staying in Tafalehashe I was not a 
member.

BONGANI FINCA: Who was the leader there, was it Nkululeko or yourself?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: It was Nkululeko?

BONGANI FINCA: He was the leader in PAC?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Yes.

BONGANI FINCA: Do you have a knowledge whether a PAC had a policy?  Excuse me 
Chairperson.  Do you have a knowledge of whether PAC had a policy to rob banks so 
that it can take this money to send it so that weapons can be bought?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: No, I know nothing about that.

BONGANI FINCA: According to your knowledge, nothing like that happened or there was 
no policy such as this in the PAC?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: No, I know nothing about it.

BONGANI FINCA: Thank you Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Jako, I would like to make an announcement that Mr Donald 
Card, you mentioned in your testimony, sent his statement through his lawyer.  He 
wanted to answer and to dispute some of the allegations.  Unfortunately, he is not here 
as he did in the previous days.  I would like to ask Mrs June Crichton to read out the 
statement of Mr Donald Card.

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you Madam Chairperson.  The statement is as follows,
 "I, the undersigned, Donald John Card do hereby state 
I am retired, 68 years of age, and reside at 5 Avon 
Road, Woodleigh, East London.
 I have been served with a notice by the Truth and 
Reconciliation Commission in terms of Act 34 of 
1995, wherein I am informed that one Shumikazi 
Sarah Jako will be testifying before the Truth and 
Reconciliation Commission and would be implicating 
me.  Once again, it is difficult to answer to lies when 
so little information is made available to me by the 
Commission.
 Also, the date makes no sense because from June 1962 
to 17 December 1962 I was stationed in Port Elizabeth 
and did not work in this area at all.  When I returned in 
December 1962 I was immediately put in charge of a 
serious murder case where two young girls had been 
burnt to death and then in January 1963 I was sent to 
Pretoria for over a month.  The name Jako does ring a 
bell, but I cannot remember if it was a lady from 
Tafalehashe, near Elliotdale, or a lady from Zwelitsha. 
 Both these people were connected to a plan brought 
from the PAC in exile (Lesotho) by a man by the name 
of Clippard Komsana.  The PAC required money and 
plans were set afoot for the Good Hope Textile's 
wages to be robbed, as also the Debe Neck Post 
Office.  Both these ladies were involved, but none of 
them were assaulted by me or anyone else in my 
presence.  The story that they were assaulted in order 
to establish where there husbands was nonsense, 
because Clippard Komsana told us all about the 
intended robberies, and had a message from the 
husband, so there was no reason for assaulting them.
 I cannot believe that the complainants speaks of other 
policemen, yet only mentions my name.  Why is only 
my name remembered?  I find it strange that a number 
of people made false allegations against me and I 
request the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to 
investigate and to find out who is behind this whole 
affair and to have those who are found to be making 
false allegations charged with purgery.
 Signed by Donald John Card.".

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you June.  Mrs Jako, I hope that you have understood this 
statement and you heard it.  I am going to ask a question.  Clippard Komsana is 
mentioned here.  Do you know him?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: I know Komsana.  After exile I was in Umtata trying to find out about 
the subsidy, because I wanted a house.  He took me into his car to the taxis as I had 
gone to his office.  As we were chatting about Card torturing people he asked me if I 
remember Card speaking in Afrikaans, quoting in Afrikaans.  I said I cannot 
understand Afrikaans.  What did Card say I asked.  Card apparently was saying I 
should be raped.

CHAIRPERSON: Where do you know Mr Komsana from?  Did you know him prior 
to your arrest or did you just meet him in Umtata?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: I did not know him.  I would hear of him, because he was a PAC 
member.  I was referred to him, because of the story about the subsidy.

CHAIRPERSON: Did you find out where he was when Card was saying you should 
be raped?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Apparently he was present, but I did not ask him.  I asked my daughter-
in-law.  When I was leaving when we were arrested he got in.  My daughter-in-law 
was together with Komsana.  Komsana had gone to identify him.