Human Rights Violation Hearings — Uitenhage — 1996-08-27

CHAIRPERSON: We are going to call our next witness.  The next one is Nomangesi Sylvia Gavu.  Ms Maya is going to lead you Nomangesi.

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: (sworn states)

MS MAYA: Thank you very much Mr Chairperson.  I greet you Nomangesi.  According to your statement you are going to talk about your brother,  Mzwabantu Gavu, who was also shot on this particular day.
 We noticed that you said as a family at home you heard the gunshots outside.  You went out to see what was happening, is that correct?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: Yes, that is correct.

MS MAYA: When you went out what was is that you saw?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: I went down the Maduna Street.  There were people lying next to Station 16.  The police didn't allow us to get closer to see what was happening.  We were next to the hall.  The ambulances were there and they were transporting people.

MS MAYA: When did you discover that your brother was also injured?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: On that particular day, the others who went with
UITENHAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
2 N GAVU
him came back, but he never came back.  My other sister by the name of Nomsola went with that particular car to search for the people who did not come back.

MS MAYA: How old was Gugulethu?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: He was 18 years old.

MS MAYA: Was he attending school?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: No, he was not at school.

MS MAYA: When you found him in that mortuary in Port Elizabeth, what happened to you, were you also called to the Jubilee Hotel?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: Yes, my mother went to the Jubilee hotel.

MS MAYA: Was there any money that you received on that particular day?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: Yes, my mother received an amount of money which was about R9 000.

MS MAYA: Is there anything that you would like to add concerning this matter?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: Yes, there is something else that I would like to say.

MS MAYA: Can you go on.

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: As a family at home, what affected us most is the fact that during his burial, this actually affected my mother mostly because on that particular day, we last saw him on that day when the people were marching going to the grave yard,  we never got a chance to see him while the families of people were being shown to the bodies.

MS MAYA: Is there any requests that you would like to tell us?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: Yes, as victims who were killed because of our brother being the residents of Langa,  I request that the Commission must do something which is going to be a
UITENHAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
3 N GAVU
memorial.  Something that if we look at it, this is going to remind us of the victims who were killed.  For instance we don't have proper facilities, things like halls and fields, soccer fields or whatever, sports ground.

MS MAYA: You said something about your mother's health.  how is your mother's health?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: Since after that, my mother is not well.  She is suffering from a stroke.  I am here on behalf of my mother now.

MS MAYA: Is there any treatment, or medication that your mother is getting?

NOMANGESI SYLVIA GAVU: Yes, she is getting treatment from the hospital.

MS MAYA: Thank you, I am going to hand over to the commissioner, maybe he has got some questions.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.