Human Rights Violation Hearings — Moutse — 1996-12-02

UNKNOWN: Alright.  The idea was that now they must develop on their own as a distinct group separate from the (inaudible) Sotho.  As Moutse was Northern Sotho and Ndbele was in the same area.  Then the Lebowa Territorial Authority was created in 1962 and in terms of Government notice creating it the regional authority of Moutse were incorporated into the territory of Lebowa.  From then henceforth Moutse became part of Lebowa homeland and all development and cultural (inaudible) became linked to the Lebowa.
 In the meantime a vigorous programme was in place for the creation of a distinct Ndebele homeland.  Further attempts in that regard were to have that Ndebele homeland obtain independence from South Africa.  The implications were that they had to have territories and the direction of expansion was Moutse itself.  Thus in 1980 Moutse was excised from Lebowa by Proclamation R2(10) of the 29th of October 1980 and put under Central Government control.  
 Quoting from Government sources the media reported that the area was being excised from Lebowa to be administered by Central Government with a view to incorporating it into KwaNdebele homeland.  By various means people of Moutse protested against this decision to no avail.  The moves were protested against formally and informally.  On the 29th of November 1979 a meeting was held at Aquaville near Groblersdal.  The then Deputy-Minister, Mr J J van Zyl, was 
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told in no uncertain terms that people in Moutse do not want to be moved or have their territory into KwaNdebele homeland.  In spite of that protestation he proceeded to do so.  Subsequent to that a number of meetings were held where on our part we told Government we were not interested in their homeland schemes.  It was very clear that the Government was bent on proceeding with its homeland plans.  While the Government was saying that the arm was to consolidate homelands territories, it was obvious that the idea was to get territory for people of the Ndebele tribe.  Thus, in 1984 there came a proposal by the Central Government that Moutse people be compensated with land in Sevenstad and Emmerpan.  That is a place in the Ziebiediele district in Northern Province.
 The area was rejected by the Moutse people as it would represent no compensation at all.  By then the situation was becoming tense.  It was very clear that tribal animosities had set between the Ndebeles and Northern Sothos.  Attitude on the part of the police, expectation for the worse, was trust in the air.  School children were highly agitated with the effect that education was suffering.  In the meantime, Government had begun building schools and toilets at Sevenstad and Emmerpan in anticipation of the arrival from Moutse.  
 On the 31st of December 1985 Minister Chris Heunis, by proclamation R227 declared Moutse incorporated into KwaNdebele.  Same night a well organised, orchestrated force of vigilante groups invaded three areas in Moutse.  That is Motete, Kovokane and Walkraal.  Scores of Moutse people were subjected to severe beatings and scores of others including leading persons in the community abducted and 
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taken to a community hall in Siyabuswa where they were made to undress, subjected to beatings, torture and made to run on a surface made slippery with soap and water.  After the beating these people were taken back and dumped anywhere.  Not where they have abducted them.  It turned out later that the then Chief Minister of KwaNdebele, Mr S S Skosana, and his interior Minister, Mr Ntolie, were leading the beatings.
 A further regulation was that even the KwaNdebele police were present and provided security and escort for the vigilante group.  The invasion of that night set the trend for the violence that was to erupt and the massive acts of oppression and suppression that were to be meted on the people of Moutse by both Central Government police, on the one hand, and the KwaNdebele police and their vigilante comrades, Imbokhoto, on the other hand.  Then on the first of January 1986 another invasion was launched from KwaNdebele.  This took place in broad daylight and unmistakably to the knowledge of the police.  Their task was directed at Kwarrielaagte.  That is where Chief Mathebe is staying and at Krobokanie and Motete again and at some other areas in Moutse West.  Scores of people, also, were killed in that attack and counter attack.  All the police did was to collect corpses and no further action.  
 I will say shortly again give other incidences which happened then I will try to generalise them.  Firstly is the incident which happened at Gobokwane on the 20th of December 1985 where Mr Mathebe spoke about.  On the 21st of December 1985 there was a general meeting at Chief Mathebe's kraal where Chief Mathebe addressed his subjects.  The police came, KwaNdebele police came together with the Central Government police forces and dispersed the crowd.  
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There was a shop at Ntwanye which was owned by Maliefatle Poele.  The Hippo came there and then destroyed that building.  The main objective of destroying that Poele's building, there was a graffiti written on the shop which was written "Viva ANC, Viva MK".  It was surprising as whether those would be a reason for destroying Poele's shop.  
 On the 10th of January 1986 Mr Godfrey Mathebe was detained.  After that his house was bombed.  Two days later after the bombing of that house the police came again at Ntwanye and arrested Chief Mathebe.  Not me.  At that time it was Gibson Tloko Mathebe.  I was still on the youth organisation.  I was still a young person.
 There was again some attacks which happened around three o' clock in morning mooted by Imbokhoto together with the police around Ntwanye Village and in Moutse West.  Moutse West was at Keerom and Ryvroeg where they looked for any young person and arrested them.  Then they left only the old aged men.  If you are a young man you were arrested.  Many of them went to Peston Police Station during the State of Emergency and some of them we do not know even where they are now because of people who were dispersed, others ran away, others went into exile.  It destroyed the Moutse community.
 On the 10th of April 1986 Mr Jeremy Masonto who was staying at Ellesduren was attacked by Imbokhoto people and was shot with three bullets, but he survived, he was never killed, because he was against independence and he did not want to Moutse to be incorporated into KwaNdebele.  
 From the foregoing it is clear that the apartheid state was bent on using vigilante groups, "kits konstabels" to subdue resistance to independence.  Even through human 
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rights violations.  Therefore the charge that the apartheid system of Government is a crime against humanity.  The events at Moutse bear eloquent testimony to that charge.
  I want to explain something which I believe other people did not explain it well that attacks which were mooted at Moutse were not Ndebeles attacking Moutse.  It was Imbokhoto attacking.  Let me say people were not putting it explicitly, it was a certain political organisation.  It was not all Ndebele people who were members of this Imbokhoto.  It was certain people who agreed on the policies of incorporation.  Other poor people did not know.  They were taken and they were painted on their faces so that they should go and attack the Moutse people to be incorporated.  I wanted you to understand that well.  That it was not a fight between the Northern Sothos and the Ndebeles.  It was a certain group which were fighting against the Moutse people.  I thank you.