Human Rights Violation Hearings — Mooiriver — 1997-05-28

WITNESS:   It was a Sunday.  I was at my brother's place, the one who is in 'Maritzburg at the moment, and when I came back from my brother's place I saw Inkatha members.  They were roaming around White City where we stay, and I was on the other location, the adjoining location.  And as I was going down I realised that I couldn't go to White City, and I hid myself at Mrs Dlamini's place, which was next to the Dutch Reformed Church.  And I got there.  I realised that the fight and the violence was going on, and during the night she asked the Dutch priest to keep us for the night because we could go back to White City because the fight was still going on.  But the priest said we could not go to his place to sleep.  He said when we hear the footsteps of Inkatha members we should put the lights on so that they would recognise or realise that we were Inkatha members.  He further went on to explain that all the houses that were lit were Inkatha members' houses, so that was the only way we could survive.  And then the houses were burning at that time.  The Inkatha was burning down the houses.  Then the following day there was fog, and I wanted to go to my brother's place first, the one who was next to us, and I came across my sister's daughter, Vicky.  She was crying.  Her name is Vicky.  The surname is Verasamy.  She is Indian.  She called me and told me that my uncle had been stabbed the previous night.  I couldn't go on further to my uncle's place.  They said the police had taken him.  The Inkatha people stabbed him inside the house.

MRS GCABASHE: Now, when she reported to you did she tell you as to how this happened?  Where did the Inkatha get him?

WITNESS:  He was inside the house according to the information that I gathered from my neighbour.  She said they were sitting together at her house, and my uncle said he was getting cold and he wanted to go and fetch a jacket so that he could keep himself warm.  He went there into the house, and that's when the Inkatha attacked.  The police were told about this incident and they went to fetch the corpse.  There was no inquest, there was no investigation, but the very same priest said we haven't yet died, we were still going to die, because he was an Inkatha member.  He said during the funeral, because our children didn't want to be IFP members, they were going to continue killing us.

MRS GCABASHE: Is Xamani still in Mooi River?

WITNESS:   No, he has since moved, but I don't know where to, but he is still alive.

MRS GCABASHE: You spoke about Mrs Mkhize.

WITNESS:   Yes, I ran into Mrs Mkhize's house and she is still around.  The last time I saw her she was also traumatised and she had run to another place.  I think she has come back now.

MRS GCABASHE: You said there was no inquest.

WITNESS:   No.

MRS GCABASHE: Did you get the death certificate?

WITNESS:   Yes, I do have it with me.

MRS GCABASHE: What was the cause of the death according to the death certificate?

WITNESS:   I do have it, but I did not read it, and I don't know what is written on it.  I do have it.

MRS GCABASHE: You will give it to the briefers so that they can make a copy.  We don't have that information.  After that - how could you describe your family after the incident?

WITNESS:   My mother was in Richmond at that time and she was sick.  She came back from the hospital, and we could not tell her at that time to tell her that her brother had died.  And when we wanted to phone the hospital to tell her about her brother's death we discovered that she had already been told and she got ill.  She eventually died.  On the day that my mother died we prepared for the funeral on the Saturday.  Then on the 3rd and the 4th the Inkatha came back and they burnt all the goods that were left in the first attack.

MRS GCABASHE: Let's go back now.  You said your uncle was killed on the 9th of June.  Now you are talking about the 3rd and the 4th.

WITNESS:   No, the 3rd and the 4th was another month.  That is after my uncle's death.  That was in July then.  My uncle died on the 7th.  I think it was on the 7th.  It was a Sunday.  It's the death certificate that they gave me at the police station that states 9th as the day of the death, but he died on the 7th.

MRS GCABASHE: Now, what do you think is the reason, because you don't seem to be the only one who states that the date on the death certificate is not the date on which he died?  Why do you think that is so?

WITNESS:   I really do not know.  I have no idea.

MRS GCABASHE: Now, let's go back to the burning of the house.  When was this?

WITNESS:   After my uncle had died and had been buried my mother came back from the hospital.  She was also ill.  She died.  On the Saturday of the funeral, it was on the 4th at dawn, we had not yet brought my uncle's goods back into the house, because we kept one room empty in preparation for the funeral.  And they came and burnt the house down.  I knew it was Inkatha because I was present when this happened. Did you recognise or can you identify any of the people who came and burnt down your house?   ---   Yes, I do know some of them.  I know of one Duke.

MRS GCABASHE: What's Duke's surname?

WITNESS:   I do not know his surname, but I knew him.

MRS GCABASHE: Where is Duke now?

WITNESS:   I don't know whether he is still alive, but he was a member of Inkatha.

MRS GCABASHE: You have also said that one of your wishes would be that the Commission investigate further with regard to your uncle's death.  Is there any request that you would like to make that you probably didn't make during the time of submitting your statement?

WITNESS:   I would like to know my uncle's death - my uncle's killers, because he was paralysed, he could not fight for himself, and he was an elderly person.

MRS GCABASHE: Now, tell us about yourself, as well as other members of your family.  How are you coping?

WITNESS:   I think we are coping.  We have come to terms with it.  I am forgetful, but I don't think it's an issue.  There are times when I miss my uncle, when I think about him, and there are times when I feel depressed, and at times I can't carry out a conversation without forgetting whatever I said before.  But I do not think that's something that can be taken into consideration as such.

MRS GCABASHE: I think that is an indication that you were traumatised.  It would be better for you to see some counsellors or psychologists so that they can determine as to whether you do need counselling, because you may find that you do, but you do not realise it.