Human Rights Violation Hearings — Sebokeng — 1996-08-07

SONNY MOFEKENG: I just want to straighten this, to clarify this, I never lost three properties, it was a lot.  It was a lot.  I also lost my cars as well as my caravan.  That was a lot of property that I cannot even recover today.

DR RANDERA: Thank you for that clarification Mr Mofekeng, but was there any loss of life?

SONNY MOFEKENG: In my place as well as my father's place nobody died because we all escaped before tragedy could strike.
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DR RANDERA: Now Mr Mofekeng you said you had to leave the area after that, how long did you leave the area for?  Where did you stay?  And have you come back to the area now?

SONNY MOFEKENG: I will answer the last question.  I haven't yet gone back to my place, because it is still in ruins.  I haven't yet gone back.  From my place up to Houtkop it's a distance of approximately eight kilometres from my place to Houtkop.

DR RANDERA: Sorry, can I just clarify, where are you staying now?

SONNY MOFEKENG: Presently I am staying at Zone 3.

DR RANDERA: So you are back in the Vaal?

SONNY MOFEKENG: That is correct.

DR RANDERA: Mr Mofekeng I just want to go back to the period, I know you say that you came back from Copenhagen where you had been on a visit for a petrol company, were you not aware of the anger in the people before going or after you came back?

SONNY MOFEKENG: What I can say is that I was not very well vested with the situation because from time-to-time I used to go out of the country, so I didn't have full information as to what was actually taking place.

DR RANDERA: Can we also just go back to what one of your fellow councillors just said earlier on, that people were then subsequently given guns, some people were given money.  There was also the President's Fund.  Did you receive money from any of these, either from the administration or from the President's Fund?  Have you received any compensation since your properties were destroyed?

SONNY MOFEKENG: Your Honourable One I am very grateful that you have asked me this question.  I have been waiting for
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this question for quite a long time.  Let me say the money that was alleged to have been given to the councillors that money was money that we had loaned that you will pay that money thereafter.  I personally failed to honour the agreement which was stipulated for me to pay back the money.  Up till first time that day actually charged me up to such a stage where I had to speak to Lionel Mofekeng to help me repay the money.  There was absolutely no money that was given out freely.  It was purely a loan that we had to repay.  We had to sign certain papers and we had to repay the money after a specific time.  That is a blatant lie that we received the money.  And I want to say that it is blatant...

CHAIRPERSON: I would like to appeal for order, for quiet please.  Thank you very much.  You may continue Sir.

SONNY MOFEKENG: Up till now there is not even a single cent that I received.  That is why all my places are still like that.  There is no money that I got.  I went to the administration quite a number of times explaining my situation to the town clerk.  At no stage did they ever want to listen to me up till this moment.  All my things are still in ruins.  My premises are still in ruins even where I am staying the place is still in shambles.

DR RANDERA: Thank you Mr Mofekeng, I have no other questions.

CHAIRPERSON: I hand over to Dr Boraine.

DR BORAINE: Just a couple of questions.  To make absolutely sure you said that you had received some money from the administration but this was a loan and you had to repay that, is that right?

SONNY MOFEKENG: That is correct.  It is true I personally
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loaned the money and I failed to honour the agreement to repay the money.

DR BORAINE: I see.  And then we heard earlier that some people who had lost homes or property were paid out by the State President's fund.  Now we already asked you that, but could you just make it clear that you never received anything from the State President's Fund either?

SONNY MOFEKENG: I never got anything, up till today I haven't yet got anything.

DR BORAINE: Thank you.  Can you tell me are you employed at the moment?

SONNY MOFEKENG: Yes I am employed.

DR BORAINE: What do you do?

SONNY MOFEKENG: I am working at a butchery.

DR BORAINE: What family do you have now ...(intervention)

CHAIRPERSON: May I again ask for order, for silence please.

DR BORAINE: Do you have members of your family living with you?

SONNY MOFEKENG: No.

DR BORAINE: So you are on your own?

SONNY MOFEKENG: Correct.

DR BORAINE: I have two more questions and then I am finished.  During this time of unrest and political upheaval when they burnt your house down and threatened your life did you resign as a councillor?  Did you stay on?  What did you do?

SONNY MOFEKENG: I don't want to tell you a lie, I never resigned, up till the term of office expired.

DR BORAINE: And the last questions is last year for the first time in South Africa we had what we call a democratic
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local government elections, how do you feel about those elections and the one that took place before?

SONNY MOFEKENG: I felt very encouraged and I would have liked to have been part of the elections because I realised that my country is now back to normal and now this was an opportunity for us to take part. But under the circumstances, let me just say, under the present circumstances I realised that I could not contest, it was a very difficult situation for me, the reason being that I have never been accepted by the community.  And I had told myself that when time comes or when the time is ripe I will be very happy to participate if an opportunity arises then I will be able to contest.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much Mr Mofekeng.  Mrs Seroke still wants to add another question.

MS SEROKE: Mr Mofekeng Mr Ntsoereng told us that you who were in the ruling party you were given guns as well as fire extinguishers, were you part of that, did you get that from the administration?

SONNY MOFEKENG: I don't want to tell a lie again here.  I have my own gun that I got in 1963 when I was still in Meyerton.  That is the only gun that I have.  I never got any firearm from the administration.  I have been having my own revolver all the time.

MS SEROKE: Were you aware that others got the guns?  Did you see it happening or did you get to know about it?

SONNY MOFEKENG: Yes I saw people in possession of firearms but that is a personal matter for a person and you can't ask a person how did you get the gun, how did you get the firearm because I had my own.  We used to go to Vanderbijl Park for shooting lessons.  If I am not mistaken we got
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training for three years.  I was just practising with my own gun.

MS SEROKE: Did you get a chance to use your gun during that violent era, or did any of your people ...(intervention)

SONNY MOFEKENG: Can you please repeat your question.

MS SEROKE: I am saying with regard to the violence, with the burning of houses, chasing away of people, throwing of stones, did you ever get a chance to use your firearms to defend yourselves, did you ever get such a chance?

SONNY MOFEKENG: I want this question to be personally directed to me so that I can answer it.   I have never used my revolver, not at all, I have never, that is why I decided to take my children, to take them to a safe place.  Most of the time I spent in Houtkop because we stayed in J C Knotze Hall for three years, and most of the time I would be sent out by the petrol company.

MS SEROKE: I thank you.