Human Rights Violation Hearings — Karoo — 1996-10-07

MARY BURTON: We welcome all of you back and any new comers who have arrived in the hall.  Could we ask - we know that there are not enough of the translation headsets for everybody in the hall.  If you understand Xhosa and can understand the witnesses' testimony, perhaps you would be so generous as to share your headphones with someone who doesn't.   Thank you.
 Good morning, you are Rose Mantysi.

MS MANTYSI: Yes.

MARY BURTON: Can you hear me all right.

MS MANTYASI: Yes, I do hear you.

MARY BURTON: You are accompanied by a member of your family.

MS MANTYASI: This is my sister Vivian Hans.

MARY BURTON: Thank you for coming and you are very welcome.  Ms Mantysi please will you please stand to take the oath.
ROSE MANTYASI Duly sworn states

MARY BURTON: Your testimony is going to be facilitated by Ms Seroke and I'll hand over to her.

MS SEROKE: We welcome both you and your sister.  We thank you for having come here today.  On the 16th  June 1985 you were at home with your children and police arrived.  They had come to tell you that your husband, Booi Mantysi had been shot.  Won't you please tell us what happened that day.

MS MANTYASI: Should I tell what happened that day.  It was the 16th of June.  There were riots - the police were beating people up.  They were beating children and elderly people.  They did not want anybody in the streets that day.  On the Sunday on Street 9, my brother was shot.  He was shot by Gangi.  Booi Mantysi was in Street 9 in another man's house.

MS SEROKE: Can I disturb you.  Won't you please come nearer to the mike.  Thank you.

MS MANTYASI: It was the 16th of June 1985.  There were riots.  The police were beating people up.  They did not want anybody in the street.  Elderly people or children.  
On Sunday on Street 9,  my brother Andile Hans, was shot.  He was shot by Gangi.  My husband was in a house on Street 9.  They then picked him up where he was shot.  They took him to my house in a car.  When they got there I asked who it was.  They said it was Andile - he was crying.  They put him on the floor.
They did not know what to do, because the police did not want cars in the streets either.  We then asked people to go to Max Hans, a brother of mine,  so that Andile can be taken to the hospital.  When I wanted to see exactly where he was shot -  two substances emanated from him.  I don't know what it was.  I was also very disturbed and confused - crying.  They asked me to hold these substances in my hand.
They took Andile to the hospital.  On the way back, they were stopped by police.  They stopped the car that my brother had been driving.  They asked him where are they from - where are they going.  Did they not know that they did not want anybody in the street.  They then explained that they taken Andile to the hospital - Andile who was shot.  In the van at the back there were other police.  They then said, here is Booi Mantysi.  He is the man that we want.   They roughly took him out of the car.
This is what Booi Mantysi related to me.  They held him by the chest.  They asked him what he wants amongst children.  Booi Mantysi then asked what children are you talking about.  They told him if you get out of your house - out of your yard - we are going to shoot you.  Today is the day that you die.  I do not know the name of the police, but they were white policemen.
My husband then told me what happened - he related to me - he related to me what happened.  He took this lightly - he then left.  He didn't tell me where he was going -  I could hear bullet sounds.  After quite a while, as I was home with the children, there as a whole lot of us watching television.  These police arrived - a number of them.  They were knocking hard on my door.  They said I must open my door, they are the police.  We opened the door.  These boers entered - Gangi was ahead of all of them.  
They asked if this is Booi Mantyasi's house - I said yes it is.  They asked where his wife is.  I had my twins in my arms - they were four years old then.  I said I am the wife.  They asked for him -  I said I do not know.  Where did he go, they asked -  I said I don't know, he's been away for a while.  They then said they had told him that he must not leave his yard.  They said he is amongst children.  We have now come to tell you that the police have shot Booi Mantysi.
We were all in shock - my sister-in-law was there as well.  They said they shot him at Street 9.  I was in shock - I asked is he dead.  They said no - he is still alive in hospital.  They told me that I can go the following day.  I asked why did you not bring him to me.  I want to see how you shot him.  They said they had shot him  amongst children - he was throwing stones at our van.
I asked again why did you not bring him to me -  I want to see him.  They said they did not know my house.  I told them that that's a lie, because how do now know where my house is.  They said that Gangi had showed them the house - the very same Gangi who shot my brother - they then left.  
The next day as I could not sleep I got up early.  I went to tell my husband's brother in Street 6 -  I told him that the police have come to me saying that they shot my husband, because he had been throwing stones at the hospital.   He asked what happened exactly -  I told him that they said his not dead - they took him straight to the hospital.  When I asked them why they did not bring him to me, they said they did not know my house.
I said then that I will start at the hospital and then I will go to work.  I went home to look for my sister - she had left for the hospital already.  When I got to Street 10, my sister was there in a car with someone else.  I can't remember the guy that was driving.   They said I must get into the car.  I then asked did you hear the Andile has been shot together with Zamani's father.
I got into the car - the car turned - drove past my home - got to my house.  When we got to my house, my sister then started crying -  I cried too.   I felt that something was wrong.  When I was inside the house, they told me that the nurses did not treat my husband.  By the time he got there he was dead - it is my brother that they treated.  
On the Monday - the Monday morning the police went to the hospital -  took the corpse to Bloemfontein.  On Tuesday or Wednesday, I can't remember exactly which day it was, they said I must sign they're going to send the corpse later.  They want to operate - have a post-mortem.  I told them not to do a post-mortem -   I am going to look for my own doctor.  I refused to sign - my father-in-law also refused to sign.
Between Thursday and Friday - I can't remember which day exactly - we went to the hospital and asked where the corpse was.  We were told that the corpse was taken on the Monday by the police.  I then told them what had happened - that is how my husband's case ended.

MS SEROKE: Were the shootings on the 16th of June 1985?   Ten years after the June 16th that happened in Johannesburg.  Were they commemorating the 16th  of June 1976.

MS MANTYSI: It is the police that were shooting.  Shooting at the people.  All I could hear were this gun shots.

MS SEROKE: Were they just shooting - were they shooting because of riots or what?

MS MANTYSI: No, there were no riots - at least as I perceived.

MS SEROKE: When they kept on saying that your husband was working with the children.  Was he a member of an organisation?

MS MANTYSI: Yes, DARA.

MS SEROKE: Was he really working with the children or was he just a member of the organisation.

MS MANTYSI: I don't think he was working with the children.  He was just  a member of this organisation.

MS SEROKE: After you had refused to sign the papers for the post-mortem, did they do it on their own accord, without your signature?

MS MANTYSI: Yes, they did.

MS SEROKE: In your statement, no inquest was made.  And up to this day you do not know who shot your husband.