Human Rights Violation Hearings — Alexandra — 1996-10-29

YASMINE SOOKA: You also later on in your statement talk about the policeman's children nothing happened to them. Is that the same policeman that you are talking about?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: Yes, it is the same policeman.

YASMINE SOOKA: Those were not your children?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: He has got six children.  This policeman has got six children and they are all alive.

YASMINE SOOKA: There is one more thing you said which I just need to get clarity on.  You said that at your home in Hammanskraal the then head sent policemen to guard your home.  Now why would they want to guard your home?  Do you have any understanding of why that should happen?
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LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: I think the reason was that Mangope sent the police to guard my home because he thought that this child was a comrade and he was going to be buried in Hammanskraal.

YASMINE SOOKA: Do you think that the policeman who was living with you had anything to do with your son's death?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: They shot my son, it was on Saturday and this police left my house at that time.  He was not staying there at that time.

YASMINE SOOKA: Do you have a suspicion that he was involved?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: Yes, I think he was involved because in that same week he told me that he was going to act before Ruben acted because Ruben told him that the police were not allowed in the township.

YASMINE SOOKA: Mama was it difficult for you at that time in the township, given the fact that the civic associations, that young comrades had said that policemen should not be allowed any contact in the townships.  They should not have anything to do with women of the township, how did you manage that, were your neighbours friends with you or were you isolated?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: My first born is a daughter and she is married to the police and Ruben did not like this policeman and he used to say to this policeman I don't know why you married my sister because I don't like police, I have a problem with the police.  And this policeman was my son-in-law.  He couldn't stay with us because Ruben did not like him. That is why he was staying at the back.

YASMINE SOOKA: You yourself, Mama, what happened?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: Can you please repeat your question.  I did not understand clearly.

YASMINE SOOKA: Earlier this morning one of the witnesses who testified said that there was a move towards isolating
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policemen in the township, that nobody should speak to them, that they should in fact move out.  Now what happened to you, were you left alone by the comrades or were you also the subject of harassment?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: They were not harassing me because I think Ruben used to tell the comrades that he was fighting against my son-in-law. He did not like this policeman staying with us.  But they were harassing this policeman but they were not harassing me.  Even when he was leaving the township his clothes were taken by the Casper.

YASMINE SOOKA: This policeman who lived with you, were you living with him or was he simply boarding with you?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: We were paying a rent to the councillors.

YASMINE SOOKA: Did he ever come back?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: Yes, he came back but he just stayed for a short time and he left again.

YASMINE SOOKA: Do you want to give us his name or would you rather give that to our statement takers?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: I don't know his address.  His name is John Pahlale, he is working in the Wynberg police station.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you very much.

MS MKHIZE: We have already talked about Michael and Bongani.  Were they friends, were they visiting each other?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: I knew Michael but I don't know Bongani.

MS MKHIZE: Do you know Ruben's friends?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: Yes I do.  Most of his colleagues were staying at 3rd and 4th Avenue. I know them.

MS MKHIZE: Are they still alive or are they still around?  Do you know how many of them have been killed by the police at that time?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: Three of them have been killed.  Three of his
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friends have been killed and they were all buried at that same time.

MS MKHIZE: When the teachers came to your house did they tell you anything about what was happening at school?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: I don't know about other houses but when they came to my house they did not get a chance to talk to us because when they came in the police, the white police came and they asked him what were they doing there and the teachers told them we are teachers of the school where Ruben was attending and the police told them not to stay for a long time.  So they did not say anything to us, they just prayed and they left.

MS MKHIZE: Mrs Madlana told us when they found Bongani the police showed her a grand grenade in Bongani's hand.  Did you see Bongani with a hand grenade at home?  Did you see Ruben with a hand grenade at home?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: When we were trying to clean at home after the funeral I saw under the table that he has written down UDF, ANC and we also saw that the letter I was telling you about where he wrote about the political stuff.  And I had this letter from 1986 until this year in June and in June someone came to me telling me that he is a member of ANC, he came to take this letter and he told me that he would return this letter to me but up to now he did not return it.

MS MKHIZE: If I understand you clearly you said that you never saw Ruben with a hand grenade at home.

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: No, I never saw him with anything like that.

MS MKHIZE: You said it was said that the people must stay away from the police, is that so?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: Yes, that is correct.

MS MKHIZE: The way I look at this matter the people were
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crying for all their children.  That is the most painful thing that happened.  There is no other question that I am going to ask.  Thank you very much.

YASMINE SOOKA: You mentioned that you were told that an inquest was going to be held in Randburg on the 29th March.  But in your statement you say you were not allowed to go into court.  Can you just tell us a little bit about that.

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: I received a letter telling me that I should go to Randburg at 8 o'clock.  There was an inquest held there.  I went there and they showed me a room where I was supposed to be.  I went to that room and I stood outside that room until 5 o'clock and nothing happened.  I went back home.

YASMINE SOOKA: Did you make any enquiry from the person inside the room?

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: I went to three offices and asked people there and I saw that they were not doing anything and since it was the government of apartheid no one was willing to help me. So that is why I decided to go back home.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you, Mama.

LESORO HILDA MOHLOMI: Thank you, Mam but before we end up I would like to say this.  Most of the people when they are making their statements they have a request to this Commission.  Can you please tell us what is your request to the Commission.