Human Rights Violation Hearings — Durban — 1996-08-30

DR MAGWAZA: It's not very usual that when children have been through such trauma would thereafter be normal.  If it's possible for you we would request you to go to school and try to find out what their performance is like, because it's possible that at times, as a father, you tend to overlook certain things, especially with regard to children.  You may not be very close to your children, especially that they are girls.  Maybe it could help if you could go to their teachers and find out as to their progress.

WITNESS:   I will do that, because I do have a sister who is teaching at that particular school, and I have never got a negative report, but I'll nevertheless follow it up.

COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible) ... all day for us.  I said earlier on, when Mrs Sithole gave her evidence, that there was something particularly awful and cowardly about a woman being shot, and your wife was a victim.  Not satisfied with that they then shot your two little daughters.  And, as I have said before over these past three days, it's very difficult for us to understand and come to terms with that sort of behaviour.  You have said that the people who killed your wife knew nothing about politics, and I think that you are quite correct.  Politics and democracy is about learning to live with each other's political differences, and there are a lot of people in this country, and particularly in this province, who believe that they are politicians, but in fact are no more than thugs.

COMMISSIONER: As Dr Magwaza and Mr Lax have said, it's our job to make recommendations to the Government about how people like you, your family, especially your two little daughters, should be assisted and rehabilitated, and we will be making recommendations on your behalf.  So we thank you very much for coming in to talk to us today.

WITNESS:   Thank you very much.  I would appreciate it if you would pass these requests forward to the State President.  Maybe he could help me, support me with my children's education.  Thank you.

COMMISSIONER: Mr Ndimande was the last witness today.

COMMISSIONER: The next witness is Jabu Ndlovu, Mrs Jabu Ndlovu.  Mrs Ndlovu, we welcome you here.  Thank you for waiting for so long to tell us your story.  You are from Newtown, Inanda, is that right?

JABU NDLOVU: That's correct.

COMMISSIONER: You have come to tell us about the murder of your husband, Bhekukwenza Raymond Ndlovu, in 1983.

JABU NDLOVU: That's correct.

COMMISSIONER: Can you stand up to take the oath before you give your evidence.

JABU NDLOVU: (Sworn, States)   (Through Interpreter)

COMMISSIONER: It's Mrs Gcabashe now who will help you with your evidence.

UNKNOWN: Good afternoon, Jabu.

WITNESS:   Good afternoon to you.

UNKNOWN: I will thank you for your patience.  Since this morning you've been waiting, and also thank you for being brave enough to come in front of this Commission.  We know very well that you've brought a sad story that may perhaps bring the past back to you and make you feel even more bad.  Before we get started I will first ask you to tell us concisely about your family.

WITNESS:   I have three children.

UNKNOWN: What are they, girls or boys?

WITNESS:   It's one boy and two girls, twins.

UNKNOWN: What's the boy's name?

WITNESS:   Simu.

UNKNOWN: The other one?

WITNESS:   Thembeka, the girl, and Thandeka.

UNKNOWN: Oh, you have one boy?  Are they still schooling?

WITNESS:   Yes, they are at school. All of them?   ---   Yes.

UNKNOWN: What standard is Simu?

WITNESS:   Simu is in standard eight.

UNKNOWN: And the other one, Thembeka?

WITNESS:   Is in standard two.

UNKNOWN: What about Thandeka?

WITNESS:   Both of them are in standard two.  They are identical twins.

UNKNOWN: You are so fortunate you have twins.  Are you working?

WITNESS:   No, I am not working.

UNKNOWN: How old was your husband at the time of his death?

WITNESS:   He was born in 1959.  I don't know the exact age.

UNKNOWN: Now, relate to us that before this took place in 1983 how was the situation at the time where you were living?  Please raise your voice.

WITNESS:   We were staying at the tents at A.  He was a member of IFP.

UNKNOWN: Was he a member of IFP?

WITNESS:   Yes, he was a member of IFP.  Now, around that time UDF was already formed, and UDF proclaimed that they were sweeping, and they wanted to get rid of IFP in Inanda.  The day when he got injured he was going to work when he got murdered.  It was on Saturday.  I think it was going for seven, or quarter past six, around there.  We did not have a house at the time.  We were staying at a sister's house.  We just heard a voice, a screaming voice, screaming and shouting - and shouting and saying, "Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, I am dying."  We got out to see what was happening, because we could identify that it was his voice.  We could not speak and talk to him because he was already lying by the gate.  When we were looking we saw a group of young men running away, far away.  We could not even chase them or run after them.  We wanted to attend to the one who was lying down.  Suddenly his sister and the husband suspected he had died already.  They were whispering.  They did not want me to hear that.  They rushed to look for a car, and it was late, the car could not - we could not take him into the car, but the police vehicle came.  He was just stabbed once.  There were not many wounds, just on the left-hand side.  It did not look like he was stabbed by a knife, it looked like it was a screwdriver.  His mother had come already, and she gave the statement at the Police Station Mtshebeni, but I don't remember if there was any case conducted.

UNKNOWN: Let's go back and retrace.  According to your statement you say it was not the first time that he was harassed by the UDF.  Tell us about the other incidents.

WITNESS:   Oh, the first time it was before we got married.  It was in 1981.  They stabbed him several times that day.  I found him at the hospital already.  I was at home, because we were no married yet.  I went to King Edward.  That's where he was admitted.  He was under critical care, probably in the ICU.  How long was he admitted in the hospital?   ---   A week or so.

UNKNOWN: Why was the UDF after him?

WITNESS:   He was a prominent figure in the area.

UNKNOWN: What was he known of?

WITNESS:   He was someone who was intelligent, and people knew him to be very intelligent.  And also he would stand for his rights.

UNKNOWN: In your statement you make mention of Thembeka.  Who is Thembeka?

WITNESS:   Thembeka is my child.

UNKNOWN: What happened to Thembeka, because she is mentioned in the statement?

WITNESS:   No, the statement-taker was asking me how many children do I have.  Then I mentioned her.

UNKNOWN: Now you say you went to the police.  Who reported the matter to the police?

WITNESS:   It was his brother-in-law.

UNKNOWN: The police are the ones who took him to the mortuary?

WITNESS:   Yes.

UNKNOWN: Was there any case opened or something, or probably others being arrested due to this?

WITNESS:   I don't think there was anyone who was arrested.  This died off.

UNKNOWN: No policemen who came to your place?

WITNESS:   No.

UNKNOWN: Did - was there any kind of inquest, or probably the doctors who came to tell you about his death?

WITNESS:   You mean did they call us?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

WITNESS:   No, they did not call us.

UNKNOWN: Did you get a certificate, death certificate?

WITNESS:  Yes.

UNKNOWN: What was written on it?

WITNESS:   No, I did not read much from the death certificate.  You see the death certificate we received is the abridged one, and they said they were still investigating the matter.

UNKNOWN: Was there any result of the investigation?

WITNESS:   No.

UNKNOWN: You said you are not working.

WITNESS:   Yes, I am not working.

UNKNOWN: Tell us how do you survive, how do you make ends meet at home?