Human Rights Violation Hearings — Grahamstown — 1997-04-07

REV XUNDU: Is there any conflict now in your, between you and the people and the family members?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: We meet with the Mbenenge family.  There is no conflict between us.

REV XUNDU: And with Mrs Sabani?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: There is no conflict between us.

REV XUNDU: On your side, in the Mketshane family, are you satisfied, did you understand what happened, did you understand the situation at that time?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Can you please repeat, Sir?

REV XUNDU: I was saying that as Mrs Mketshane has testified, in the conflict that was in that soccer match, there was shooting all over and her husband was one of the people who was shooting.  Did you understand the situation?  Is there peace between you?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes, there is peace, we forgave each other.  Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Ntombizodwa Mketshane, I have one question for you.  The colleagues of your husband, the ones who were together with him, are they still alive?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: One of them has passed away, one of them is still alive.

CHAIRPERSON: The one who is still alive, do you have contact with him?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes, even the past two weeks he was at home, at my home.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you have any answer to the Mbenenge questions, because Zoleka, one of her requests is that she would like to know more, to find out what happened to his brother.

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: I will try to help.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Let me thank all of you.  Ntsiki Sandi.

ADV SANDI: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  Mrs Mketshane, in the two policemen who left with your husband, who is still alive?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Dugard Mlsholana has passed away.  Michael Sinqana is still alive.

ADV SANDI: When did Dugard Mlsholana die?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: He died in 1995.

ADV SANDI: Was he sick?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: He died in a car accident.  He was from Port Elizabeth to Uitenhage.

ADV SANDI: As they took your husband that day did they come to you and explain to you what happened?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: They did not come to me to explain.

ADV SANDI: They did not tell you what happened?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: No, they did not tell me.  I just heard from their girlfriends when they were talking to each other.

ADV SANDI: When they left home were they driving or what?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: No, they were not driving.  They just walked to the township.

ADV SANDI: Is there any other place they mentioned except
visiting their girlfriends?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: No, when they left me they said that they were visiting their girlfriends and they went to Dugard Mlsholana's girlfriend and went through the soccer match field.

ADV SANDI: As you lost your husband who was killed when he was accompanying them, when you are having a problem at home do you go to them for help?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: No, because Michael Sinqana is no longer a policeman.  He is staying in the township now.

ADV SANDI: In the police force, did you get money after your husband died?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes, I did receive money.

ADV SANDI: Thank you, Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: I want to thank the three of you because you agreed to testify together.  I think this is the first time such a thing happened in this region, the Eastern Cape region.  Mrs Mketshane was the wife of a police who took part in shooting your family members, Mrs Sabani and you, Zoleka.  I think this is wonderful that you have agreed to come forward together, to testify together.  You have shown a pain is a pain.  If you were others, you will not agree to testify with Mrs Mketshane, but you have agreed to come forward together with her.  You have shown us that killing a person does not take sides.  We also thank Ntombizodwa Mketshane because she promised that as Zoleka wanted to know the details of her brother's death, she promised that she will help in investigating.  You also made peace amongst each other.  When my colleague asked you how you felt, you said that there was peace amongst you.  This is a good example.  We thank you for that.  We would like this example to be followed by other people, to accept the pain as you did.  We thank you people from Adelaide.