Amnesty Hearings — Vanderbijlpark — 1999-05-17

MIRIAM MOLETE: No they had already left.

CHAIRPERSON: Okay.  These are now the two men who were at the door and one who had attacked you?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR STRYDOM: How many attackers or how many people did you see in the vicinity of your shack?  We know now of the people that came in initially, the three people, we know of the person that attacked you and the other two that stood in the door, apart from those did you see other attackers?

MIRIAM MOLETE: There were many people outside.

MR STRYDOM: The other people outside can you give any description of what they were wearing?

MIRIAM MOLETE: No.

MR STRYDOM: Didn't you see headbands?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I saw them the first time when I was peeping through the window while they were still smashing the windows next door, that's when I saw them.  They had red headbands and others had white headbands.

MR STRYDOM: But when you came outside after the attack, did you still see many people in that vicinity of the shacks and of your shack?

MIRIAM MOLETE: They were not far away from our shack, they were being followed by a Hippo in the direction of the firms.

MR STRYDOM: So when you got out of the shack, the people had already left and there was a Hippo in between you and them, is that what you're saying?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I was behind the shack, they were at a distance from the shack.

MR STRYDOM: If you look at Exhibit J and bearing in mind where you indicated where your shack was can you give an indication where you saw this Koyoco and you just mentioned, you said Hippo?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR STRYDOM: Can you just point out more or less that we can establish the position?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I don't understand this because I cannot see clearly.  They were moving along Bakwena Street, I was standing behind the shack.

MR STRYDOM: Yes, now if you accept that at the top of this map you'll find the factories, you see the top street running on this map is Amatola so beyond Amatola you'll find the factories and you remember where you pointed out the position of your shack, now can you in relation to your shack and the factories if Bakwena Street is shown to you, point out where in Bakwena Street did you see the Koyoco or the Hippo?

MIRIAM MOLETE: We were moving in the direction of the firm in Bakwena Street but at the moment there are taps and a tree there, it's no longer like it was before, that's where I saw that Hippo because other people had left that place so I can no longer remember how the place is now.

MR STRYDOM: Do you know where the church is at the end of Batswana Street?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Are you referring to AME Church?  Yes I know it.

MR STRYDOM: I'm referring to the church that's indicated there at the end of Batswana Street.  Can you just point that out?

MR BERGER: I think it is the AME Church you're referring to.

MR STRYDOM: Now that Hippo was it close to that church or where?

MIRIAM MOLETE: No that place is far from our shack so we are unable to see when you are at my shack.

CHAIRPERSON: Is the AME Church far from the shack in which you were?

MIRIAM MOLETE: It is far.  When I look at this map there was a caravan there before.

MR STRYDOM: But looking now at the map, can you give an indication where you saw the Koyoco in relation to your position?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I was at number 17 behind the shack and that Koyoco was next to the place where there was a caravan.  It was moving slow and there were people behind it moving in the direction of the firms.

MR STRYDOM: Yes I understand that but do you see Bapedi Street and do you see Batswana Street?  In between these streets, along street block is formed.  Now I want to know if you can indicate where you saw the Hippo?

CHAIRPERSON: Didn't she say she saw the Hippo near the caravan?

MR STRYDOM: She said that but I'm not sure where the caravan is Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Is it not indicated on the map?

MR STRYDOM: No Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes I think it's opposite house 133 I think it is.  Is it Bakwena Street?

MR STRYDOM: I'll find it here.

MR BERGER: That is correct.

MR STRYDOM: What I want to put to you, in that area you won't find any Apollo lights, is that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR STRYDOM: Now from your position behind your shack to that position where you say the Hippo was, how was it able for you to see that vehicle?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I said this Apollo light in Slovo Park and there was also moonlight so we were able to see everything.

MR STRYDOM: The lights of this vehicle was it on or off?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Yes they were in front of this vehicle and it was moving slowly and the Apollo lights were also on.  You could see that there were people in front of this Hippo although you could not see who they were.

MR STRYDOM: Apart from the front lights could you see any other lights on this vehicle?

MIRIAM MOLETE: No.

MR STRYDOM: So you did not see the tail lights which normally will be red, of this vehicle?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I could not see them.

MR STRYDOM: Can you give any explanation why you did not see the tail lights of this vehicle?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I said I only saw the front lights.  When you are at Slovo at night you could see the people in front of this vehicle.  You could see that people are moving in front of it because it's headlights were on.

MR STRYDOM: I want to put to you that the applicants I appear for said they were in Boipatong that night, well the majority of them were in Boipatong that night and whilst they were in Boipatong and some of them in Slovo Park, they never saw any police or military vehicle close to them but you still maintain that you saw people and this vehicle?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Yes, I still maintain.

MR STRYDOM: And they have also testified already that when they attacked houses there was no Whites accompanying them?

MIRIAM MOLETE: They were there.

MR STRYDOM: What I want to put to you is that either you are making a mistake about these people you thought to be Whites or you're not telling the truth?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Mr Strydom, may I ask you a question?  If I'm allowed to ask you a question, I don't know whether I'm allowed?

CHAIRPERSON: No, you're not allowed ma'am.

MR STRYDOM: After the attack ...(intervention)

CHAIRPERSON: You can just answer the question, what he's putting to you is that you are either making a mistake when you say that you saw this motor vehicle and Whites or you are not telling the truth.  So what's your comment on that?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I am telling the truth.

MR STRYDOM: How soon after the attack did you make a statement in regard to what you saw that night to the police or to any other institution?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I only remember one statement when we were first by the police and they took us to the Civic Centre at the court.  That is the only statement that I remember.  I was sick at that time, I did not want to make that statement but they told us they just want to help us.

MR STRYDOM: I just want to get clarity.  Now was that the statement taken at the Civic Centre you didn't want to make but you eventually made?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I only remember that statement that I made at the Civic Centre.

MR STRYDOM: Is that the Boipatong Civic Centre?

MIRIAM MOLETE: There is no Civic Centre in Boipatong, it's here in town.

MR STRYDOM: In Vanderbijlpark?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR STRYDOM: And the person who took the statement, was that a policeman or a representative of some other institution?

MIRIAM MOLETE: They were policemen, they were White and Black policemen.

MR STRYDOM: Why didn't you want to make a statement?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I was angry at that time and I was also sick after the attack, that is why I didn't want to make the statement.

MR STRYDOM: I know it's very difficult to say but can you remember how long after the incident did you make this statement, was it still the same year or year thereafter?