Human Rights Violation Hearings — Duduza — 1997-02-07

CHAIRPERSON: Good day to you Mr Ntombela, it's been a long wait, thanks for your patience.  Would you like to introduce the person who is accompanying you, who's on the platform with you?

MTHOKOZISENI NTOMBELA: She's Rejoice and she's my aunt.

CHAIRPERSON: Welcome to your aunt. I'm going to hand you over to Mr Hugh Lewin who's going to assist you with your statement.

MR LEWIN: Thank you Mr Chairman. Mr Ntombela I'd like first ask you to stand and take the oath.

MTHOKOZISENI NTOMBELA: (sworn states)

MR LEWIN: Again thank you very much for waiting to tell us the story which actually concerns events that we have been hearing a great deal about in the last few days and in particular in the last two days here in this area, and specifically relating to what happened to your brother and cousin in June and November 1993.  If you could please in your own words in your own time tell us that story, thank you.

MTHOKOZISENI NTOMBELA: I come from Ntabanzimbi 1355 Malinde street, that's my home, I was born and I grew up there.  In June 1993 when the violence broke there was a boy by the name of Sipho and he happened to be my brother and he was killed at home.  He had gone to Vosloorus because there were rumours that Zulus were not wanted in the location.  I had refused to go anywhere because I told myself that I don't have any altercation with anyone so I'm a peaceful resident and I will stay here.  The next thing I saw was that my sister and I were the only ones in the premises because of the situation. We moved to Pendula leaving the house vacant.  He came to check on us at home and he met boys from Ntabanzimbi, the same street and they said that they had finally found him and took him home to show him that they had already broken the windows of the house and told him that was his last day to live.  He was suddenly shot, burned and taken to the grave yard.
 We heard rumours that Sipho was lost somewhere in Vosloorus.  Three weeks later (witness emotionally overcome)

MR LEWIN: Take your time Mr Ntombela.

MTHOKOZISENI NTOMBELA: After three weeks we went to the government mortuary and that's where he was, his corpse had already decayed because he had stayed for quite some time at the grave yard before being taken to the mortuary.  In November after my brother's funeral we also had a cousin who lived with us by the name of Mosandule, they went to fetch him at work and they killed him as well because he was Zulu-speaking. We also recovered his corpse two weeks later in the grave yard as well.
 Sipho was the bread winner at home and was the one taking care of my parents and I was not working anywhere. At the time we were living in Penduza whereto we had moved because we were scared for our lives since we were Zulu-speaking. They destroyed the house completely, every single possession we had was destroyed and we are destitute.

MR LEWIN: Mr Ntombela could I ask how old Sipho was at the time that he died?

MTHOKOZISENI NTOMBELA: He was 21 years of age.

MR LEWIN: And Musa?

MTHOKOZISENI NTOMBELA: He was 42 years old.

MR LEWIN: And where are you now, I mean where are you living now?

MTHOKOZISENI NTOMBELA: I'm destitute I don't have any place to stay.

MR LEWIN: How are you actually surviving?

MTHOKOZISENI NTOMBELA: My life has been highly affected by all these traumas I underwent.  I used to be a vendor.

MR LEWIN: Mr Nombela would it help if I, I know this is very difficult, if I could just ask you please a couple of other questions to try and clarify this.  You mention that the difficulties, particularly the rumours began to circulate about the Ntombela family.  This began in 1991, the two years Sipho and Musa's deaths, can you explain, I mean for those of us who don't, who haven't seen that sort of situation, how did it happen, who were the people spreading the rumours, how did you hear about them? Did people come and tell you?