Human Rights Violation Hearings — Heiderveld — 1996-04-25

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: Thank you - Madodomzi it seems you've taken an amazing responsibility and commitment to look after your wife's brother's son.  It is not very common, but especially when the mother is still alive.  But what it points to also just as a side line is the price that many woman finds themselves in, to have to choose between their children and a partner, to be forced to even be forced to make the choice.
And the fact that you have taken on this responsibility so amazingly and we have obviously commitments is something that is very special.  It's very difficult for us again to be dealing with yet another case of death, no idea who killed the person, no knowledge of how the person died, at least on papers and in the form of a death certificate.
But what strikes me about what you've been relating to us, is how the family was assured of a respectable way of informing them of the death of their son and brother. Many of the other cases discovered in the most unbelievable ways of the death of their sons, on TV to be sent up and down by police, to walk the streets of Cape Town trying to find where their kids are.
But you protected the family, you carried the burden of the pain yourself alone drove back with your wife and mother-in-law back to the township and to figure out how to tell them.  But most importantly to carry the message of your brother-in-law, his request for you to keep his son.  I think that's a very important task you have and I am amazed at the way you've carried it.  I'll ask you a question, do you remember the name of the prosecutor in the case of - in the inquest of your - of your brother-in-law.

MADODOMZI KAMA: No at that stage we didn't even know names of prosecutors, you were not allowed even to know them.  What you - what you could do it is only to describe them.  And if I could see that lady, I could point out that lady, even if she is aging by now, because I still have that clear picture of what she told me.

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: Thank you Madodomzi.

MADODOMZI KAMA: And in reality I don't want to lie and say that maybe I could forgive her or something, I wouldn't know what could happen between me and her, if she was sitting in that Commission, because she made me feel a pain, which only maybe time can erase.

CHAIRPERSON: Advocate Ntsebeza.
ADV

NTSEBEZA: Well I think my question will be directed to Richard Phikani.  I may just say to you Madodomzi, that I am pleasantly surprised to find such strength in a boy who I knew as a young person, growing up in [indistinct], keep it up, we need people like you, people with tenacity, people with courage, people who in spite of all odds, still want to find the truth.
I can only be proud of you and I can only be [indistinct]  and be proud of [indistinct] where having brought up a boy like you. Richard I just wanted to confirm with you, something that came out in the translation.  You said when  the people who kicked the door of your house, shone their torches into your face, then next thing they did was to hit you in the face with the butt of their rifles, is that correct?

MADODOMZI KAMA: Yes that is correct.

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: [indistinct] that you were thrown against the wall.

MADODOMZI KAMA: Ja.

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: You confirm that in fact you were hit with the butt of the rifles, of those who burst into the room, is that so?

MADODOMZI KAMA: Yes that is correct, here is the scar of that butt.

CHAIRPERSON: I will thank you - yes we have to repeat theses things once more.  We thank you for being here, we thank you for coming and expressing your pain to the people in the nation at large.  We also thank the fact that you don't have a grudge - may God bless you, thank you very much.