Human Rights Violation Hearings — King William's Town — 1997-05-12

CHAIRPERSON: Nontobeko Brenda Noto, is she here?  Beatrice Tandiswa Maseti please come to the stand.  Mrs Maseti, who is with you?

PHILISA PATRICIA TUMSE GOBODO: I am Philisa Gobodo.

CHAIRPERSON: What is your relationship.

PHILISA PATRICIA TUMSE GOBODO: I am her sister.

CHAIRPERSON: We welcome you Mrs Philisa Gobodo.  We will hand over to Reverend Xundu to help you take an oath.

REV XUNDU: Let us start with you, Beatrice Tandiswa Maseti.

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Thank you.

PHILISA PATRICIA TUMSE GOBODO: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Thank you.  Mr Chairperson, they have been properly sworn in.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Sandi.

ADV SANDI: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  Mrs Maseti, you are going to talk about what happened on the 27th of September 1992.  Is that correct?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, that is correct.

ADV SANDI: This incident happened in Alice?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, that is correct.

ADV SANDI: In Gqumahashe in Alice?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes.

ADV SANDI: This happened to your husband, Ndodiphela Caswell Maseti.  Is that correct?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, that is correct.

ADV SANDI: He was killed, that is what you said in your statement?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, that is correct.

ADV SANDI: Please tell us the allegations that led to your husband's death.

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: He was, they alleged that my husband was a headman.

ADV SANDI: Who was saying this?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: It was one child who told my niece that my house was going to be burnt down.

ADV SANDI: Was there a headman at that time in Gqumahashe?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: There were two headman, Mr Shoyi and Mr Betshe.

ADV SANDI: Was there a Tribal Authority there?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes.

ADV SANDI: There was no problem or conflict.

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: At that time the Tribal Authority was not functioning.

ADV SANDI: Was he taking part in the Tribal Authority.

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, he took part then in the Tribal Authority.

ADV SANDI: At the time of, during the day of this incident you said in your statement you were not at home.

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, we were attending a funeral at my home.

ADV SANDI: Your husband was with you?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes.

ADV SANDI: Please tell us when you came back from the funeral, you found a house in flames.

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: It was on the 28th of September.  We found that my house was burnt down.

ADV SANDI: When did, when did this happen?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: This happened the previous night, but there were still flames when we arrived.

ADV SANDI: Was there anybody who told you what happened?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: The neighbours said that they did not see anything, they were sleeping when my mother asked them.

ADV SANDI: Did you manage to find out what exactly happened, who burnt down your house?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: No, but we suspected that the people who burnt down the house are the same people who killed my husband.

ADV SANDI: Your husband was attacked on the same day?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, he was attacked that same day.  Because there was a boycott we were not going to work at that time.  I was working for Reverend Notshe.  He then told us to go to ANC offices to report this incident.  He took me, my husband and my son.  We went to the ANC offices.  The Reverend said that he brought this man to report that his house was burnt down.  At the day of the Bisho massacre this man, my husband, was there.  At that time he was not working.  On that Bisho day the Reverend said that he was the one who took my husband at home, but the people in the village said that my husband was taken back home by the police car.
 One of his friends told him that you are going to be necklaced, because you are getting R800,00 as a headman.  I said that how can I do such a thing, because my wife is working for Reverend Notshe and she is getting R200,00.  I am not a headman.  My husband did not do anything about this, because he knew that he was not a headman.  After this, on the 28th, we found our house in flames.  When we came back from the office the Reverend told me to stay at home for a while.  It was on the 28th.  In the afternoon my husband told me that he was going to examine the damage in the house.  He was together with one child.  This child then came back home saying that there are people with petrol near the house and they were saying that they are going to burn my husband.  This child said that one of them said he cannot do this, he cannot burn a person to death.  
 We then decided to go to the police and to report this matter.  The phones in that area were not working.  We went to the taxi rank to take a taxi.  These people were still in front of my house.  When we were in Gqumahashe one of the people with me said that my husband was the one being chased by these children.  They were, they had tyres and petrol with them.  I could not see him at that time.  We then took a taxi, but this child said that, told me that these people set these tyres alight.  When we were approaching Mr Finca's house in town we saw the Reverend in his car.  I told the taxi driver to stop the taxi so that I can go to the Reverend. I told him that, Reverend, they have killed my husband.  The Reverend said to me, do not say that, because you did not see this.  He took us to his home.  He left us there saying that he was going to look at what was happening in that area.  
 The Reverend came back.  He asked me whether he must take me home.  I said, yes, he must take me home.  He took me to Didage at home.  I told my mother about this.  My mother said that we will, in the morning, the next morning we will go there and find out what happened.  My sister then came together with my cousin from Alice telling me that my husband died.   My sister would be the one who will know what exactly happened.

ADV SANDI: Before I talk to your sister.  Were there any people who were arrested concerning this incident?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, there were people who were arrested.

ADV SANDI: Were they taken to the Court of Law?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes.

ADV SANDI: What happened to that case?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: The case is still on.  It will be held on the 16th.  They sometimes tell us that the attorney representing these children is not present.  They would postpone the case now and then.  It will be on the 16th of May.

ADV SANDI: Is this case in Alice?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes.

ADV SANDI: What is the attorney of these children?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: He is Manjezi.

ADV SANDI: Who are the accused?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Zuko Makapela, Mawande Billie, Vuyisile Betshe and one Soleke man, Nkutalo Makapela and two from Sophile family, Temba Sophile and his brother.  I have forgotten the other two.  There are nine.

ADV SANDI: You said that they are nine?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, they are nine.

ADV SANDI: Is this case on?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: Yes, it is on.

ADV SANDI: How far did this case, how far is this case?  Are they waiting to be sentenced?

BEATRICE BRENDA MASETI: These children are going to be asked one by one.  Three of them are not, did not appear in court yet.  Some of them said that they know nothing.

ADV SANDI: Let us now go to your sister.  Do you have anything to add on this matter?