Human Rights Violation Hearings — Cradock — 1996-02-10

MR MAKHAWULA: When this decision was taken, we did not know for how long it would last.  But at that time, I was supporting the decision because when they transferred Matthew to Graaff-Reinet, they did not follow the right channels.
 There was a school committee and the school committee was not aware, the school committee from Senqali Junior Secondary School was not aware that Matthew Goniwe was transferred.  This was done by the officials and they told the school community after they made this decision.

MR SANDI: In the incidents that happened here in Cradock, was your house once burnt down?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes, my house was burnt down.

MR SANDI: According to your knowledge or your opinion, can you please tell us why did this happen?

MR MAKHAWULA: My house was burnt down by the authorities.  Firstly as we were members of this Residents' Association, three men were arrested.  They were arrested due to Section 28 at that time, under the Act of Section 28.  I was not arrested.
 And that surprised me, but I did not understand why they didn't arrest me, but on the other hand I was happy because it was not going to be a right thing that we all get arrested.
 And the authority, the security people used to come to me every now and again.  They sometimes came to my house and looked around and they just went without saying anything.  
 If they see me outside, they would take me to the car, take me to town and after a while, take me back home.  But I found out that they were trying to show people that I am 
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together with them, I am on their side.
 They were also saying this to people, that I am working with them.

MR SANDI: In other words are you saying that they were trying to cause conflict between members of CRADORA?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes, they were trying to cause conflict between us because we were so united in CRADORA.  So they were trying that there should be a conflict between us.

MR SANDI: You said that according to your opinion your house was burnt down by the authorities.  By that, do you mean the police?

MR MAKHAWULA: I mean the security police because the security police, they came to me.  It was Lieutenant Fouche,  Wessel Hoog and Labuschagne.  They came to my house, they were pretending to be visitors and they just came in and they talked amongst themselves.  They didn't talk to me, they didn't talk to my wife, but they were in my house, sitting in my house.

MR SANDI: At the time this was happening, was it during the day?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes, it was during the day.  It was between three and four in the afternoon.  They just came in my house and they relaxed and after a while, they went out and they left.
 I was surprised by that, I was asking myself why did they come to my house because they did not talk to me, until we went to sleep.  At night on that day, we heard that the house was burning down.  It was then that we realised that their presence here during the day, they were looking for his house, they were trying to find out who was sleeping in one room and they were studying my house at that time
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because they just came in and they talked to each other.
 My wife was there and Buthas was there, but they didn't talk with us, they just talked amongst themselves.

MR SANDI: How long did they stay in your house?

MR MAKHAWULA: It is a long time sir.  I think it is about an hour.

MR SANDI: But that very same day your house burnt down.  What did you see that night when your house was burning down?

MR MAKHAWULA: They threw a bomb in the window and that was a very powerful bomb because it just exploded immediately and no one could go through the door, but we managed to go out through the windows.
 If we tried to go through the doors, we couldn't because the bomb was in the dining room.  If you go out of my room, you go through the dining room, so if you are going through that door, you are going to that bomb.

MR SANDI: Were there any people injured in your house at that time?

MR MAKHAWULA: No, nobody was injured.

MR SANDI: Your furniture was burnt down?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes.  My furniture burnt down and people, the neighbours came immediately after they heard this and they tried to help us.

MR SANDI: Did you go to the police to lay a charge concerning this issue?

MR MAKHAWULA: No I didn't open a docket sir.  I didn't go to the police to lay a charge or to open a docket, but I did go to the police, but I did not want to go there because what made me angry is that I would go to the police to report this and I knew that they were aware that my house
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was going to be burnt down.
 But I was advised to go to the police because people said that I would be arrested for burning my own house, I went to the police then, but after a while I found out that my house was burnt by the police, I then went there and opened a docket.

MR SANDI: Where did you find out that your house was burnt down by the police?

MR MAKHAWULA: I found this out within the community.  One man confessed.  Lass confessed and he said he was sent by the police to throw that bomb in my house.

MR SANDI: What did Lass say was the reason for this?

MR MAKHAWULA: Can you please repeat, sir?

MR SANDI: Is it Lass or Laso?

MR MAKHAWULA: It is Lass.

MR SANDI: What did he say was the reason for the police to send him to do this?

MR MAKHAWULA: He didn't say but he just said that they told him to go there and throw the petrol - this bomb.

MR SANDI: As a person who opened a docket, did you tell the police that Lass said that he was sent by the police to burn your house?

MR MAKHAWULA: He confessed and as I was opening this docket, they did have the confession.

MR SANDI: Lass confessed to whom?

MR MAKHAWULA: He confessed to the late Mrs Molly Blackburn.

MR SANDI: Was there any person interpreting while he was confessing to Molly Blackburn?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes.

MR SANDI: Who was that person?

MR MAKHAWULA: It was the late Matthew Goniwe.
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MR SANDI: After Matthew Goniwe was killed, what did the police say why did this case not continue?

MR MAKHAWULA: They said that this case cannot continue because the person who was interpreting in that confession, has passed away.  And they also said that on their side the person who interpreted for them, I think it was Aron, they also said that he has also passed away.  So my case was dismissed in that way.
 That surprised me, because Matthew was there only to interpret, he was not there when my house was being burnt down.  He was arrested.

MR SANDI: And the people who was incriminated in this case, they were still alive?  This case was dismissed because Mr Goniwe was dead?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes.

MR SANDI: Did this happen again or did anything happen to you because you were involved in political organisations?

MR MAKHAWULA: My house was burnt again.  Before that, it was stoned, but I am not sure whether those were stones or what, but the people who were doing that, were the police.

MR SANDI: What was happening on this day if you can say shortly?

MR MAKHAWULA: Nothing was happening on that day, it was quiet.

MR SANDI: Were there any threats against you because you were a member of a political organisation?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes, there were various threats.

MR SANDI: Can you please just explain to us Mr Makhawula?