Human Rights Violation Hearings — Grahamstown — 1997-04-07

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Thank you.

NODANILE GERTRUDE BAKAULI: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Thank you.

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Thank you.  Mr Chairperson, they have been properly sworn in.

CHAIRPERSON: We welcome you.  We will hand over to Ntsiki Sandi who will lead you with questions on behalf of the Commission.

ADV SANDI: Thank you, Mr Chairperson.  Let us clarify one matter.  When we were talking with you in the morning during a tea break you mentioned that you will choose one of you who will give us a background about what was happening in Bedford.  All the things that are going to be mentioned today that were happening in Bedford, you are going to tell us in which conditions were these things happening.  Who did you elect.  Was it Ntsikelelo?

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: Yes.

ADV SANDI: Mr Mentoor, briefly, in your statement you are going to tell us about what happened to you in 1986 when you were detained, you were tortured.  There are also incidents that happened before that.  Let us start with you giving us the background of what was happening in Bedford.  Give us briefly, thank you.

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: Thank you, Mr Chairperson.  Bedford is a small town surrounded by many farms.  In Bedford the struggle for liberation started in schools.  Students formed their organisations.  This was also happening in the community where we formed organisations such as Bedford Community Organisations.  In 1985 when Comrades like Matthew Goniwe and Comrade Stofile, they use to come to our area to tell us about what was happening in our country.  The Comrades met and discussed about the ways of fighting the past Government.  While we were still discussing this, Comrade Matthew was killed.  Their bodies were found burnt in Greenwater Bay.  Comrades got together after hearing this.  We wanted to find ways to identify the killers.  We decided to close down shops, consumer boycott.  People are not supposed to go and buy in town.  The trouble started.  White people cried in town.  They said that they were not gaining anything.
 Police vans and Hippos would come to the township at night while we were sleeping as it was dark.  We would wake up and we would see soldiers and they would come with their vehicles and light the township.  In the morning you would wake up and see a soldier in front of your house with a gun.  The whole township was surrounded by the soldiers.  This made people to be angry.  They boycotted the councillors. Everything that belonged to the Government was a threat or 
an enemy to the people.  We tried to bring back the dignity of the people and people saw beer hall and the police houses as enemy to the people.  Comrades wanted to fight against anyone who was working for the Government.  The police will shoot people and disperse teargas to old men and women.  They would be taken to the hospital and small children, the beer hall was burnt down and everything that was seen to be part of the Government.  
 The situation was very bad because people did not know how to live, how to survive.  We would hear gunshots all over and you would hear that certain people have been arrested and certain things have happened and the people who were connected to those who were working for the Government were also affected.  There are cases where people who were buying in town, they will be dealt with and people would be arrested concerning such incidents.  Things would happen in places such as Cookhouse and those things would give impact to our area in Bedford.  That was the situation in Bedford at that time.  People were fighting for their rights.

ADV SANDI: Thank you very much, Mr Mentoor, for giving us that picture of what was happening in Bedford.  Let us now focus on you.  You said that in 1985 under such circumstances you have just mentioned, you were arrested.  What happened to you when you were detained?  What reasons were given to you?