Human Rights Violation Hearings — Nelspruit — 1996-09-05

PHALISANE LSBETH MTHOMBENI: When I came to the Kombi, I saw the boys, they were there, they were inside the Kombi.  Well, I could identify others, I knew them.  But mine was very difficult to identify. He was swollen and he was round in the face, and the head was so big, swollen.  The mouth was also swollen and it was open.  They had unclothed him, and he did not even have his shoes and his trousers on.  To identify him positively it was because of his clothes which I knew.  I happened to know because of the clothes he wore. It would have been difficult if the clothes were not there.
 From there, after that we asked ourselves and parents and other comrades, what must we do now, because they have got to consult a doctor.   One elderly person said, Mr Hatibe, we need to take them to the office of the ANC at Nelspruit, we must go and show them there. They arranged for us which doctor to consult. It would be better if they could get a comrade doctor who could sort of give assistance to 
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these boys.  Then we got into the vehicle and came here. 
 On our arrival here somebody assisted us though I forget his name, it is Mr Jonkono.  We contacted him.  We explained to him that here are the boys, they have been 
beaten by the police at night.  They took down and they wrote down at the ANC office.  From there they told us to go to the police station.  He accompanied us to the police station.  There he saw the person in charge at that time.  Then he came out to check and they said to them they must get off the Kombi.  He was taken in - my child also. 
 Now inside there I was asked what happened.  They explained to him those who were actually in a position to explain that some policemen came at night.  There were policemen at night at home, and then they took them and it is only now that they came back.  Now they are just like this.  Then he said to them, he allowed them to stand alongside the wall and a photo was taken of each and everyone.  He said it is okay. Now they need to be sent to the doctor, because this one is injured.  
 They took us with this very same Kombi to one of the doctors here in town.  We took them in and he examined them. He said but this one is more injured and wounded.  If he can go up to 11 o'clock and he is still alive, then it would be fortunate.  
 He said if we can go up to 11 o'clock and the boy is still alive it will be fortunate.  He attended him, he paid more attention to him, and the others were kept in another room. He said he should not go away, I think the heart beat of this boy is very slow now.  We had to stay here.  He was examining him, time and again, up to 11 o'clock.  From there he released us and said go back home and make sure that you 
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bring him back the following day; then I will tell you what to do. I need to examine him on a daily basis, we should not skip some days.  
 We went back to Waterval-Boven and his whole body was swollen.  He could manage to whisper a little bit, but his voice was so low. If you want to talk to him you have got to come closer.  Then we brought him. He examined him and he sent us back, the following day we should not bring him.
 A day thereafter we brought him in.  He gave us some medication.  We brought him - he was undergoing treatment, skipping one or two days and so on.  
 He said this boy is actually injured, he is wounded.  As we can see him, now that he has actually escaped death. He was almost 22 to 23 years, but by the time he reaches that age he may perhaps be mentally disturbed.  
 Yes, he took time, by the time he turned 23 years, when he was about 22 years - well, from there it started that he became mentally disturbed. He became mentally disturbed. I don't know what happened.  He was affected mentally, severely.  He was severely affected mentally.  I tried all places.
 Almost this year, round about January, he started - there was some indication as if he has got epilepsy.  We had to be close him in order to assist him.  It came now to prove the point that this is the sickness the doctor had mentioned.  Now this sickness actually worries him now.  After that he started, he turns the eyes, he sort of turns the eyes, the way he looks.  He can't see anything.  More especially when it comes to him, he opens his eyes widely. I have to come closer to him, because he can't see far. He can only look upstairs there.  
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 I went to another doctor, Mashaladorp, Dr Vercuil.  On my arrival there I said to him just look at my child can you - on arrival, he did the very same thing.  You know turning his head like that.  Then Vercuil said no, I don't have anything to assist your child. It would be better if you will take him to the government hospital. There are those who normally come to Waterval-Boven clinic.  Normally you won't pay there.  So with me it is going to be difficult because you don't have a medical aid and you don't have money. I said well, I don't have money, the money which I had has been used.   Then he said you need to consult those people.  He gave me a note so that I could produce it to those people.
 I found them when I went there and I was well accepted.  They started to give him some injections, two of them on a monthly basis.  He is also taking tablets day and night. This is epilepsy tablets.  He started using those tablets.  He is still using those tablets up until today.  
 It starting getting better. Now today if I call him by name he is able to answer me. If I ask him to do it, he will be able to answer it. Now he can sleep. He could not sleep, he could stand up at night. Throughout the whole night he is standing.  Where he stands, unless you say to him no, sit down, he could not sit down. If he walks out of the room, he will walk around and if you give him something to eat, he will first smell it and put it down. He will never eat that again.
 Now that they have given him the tablets it is better for him now. He can now eat. Now I can even bid farewell to him, I can talk to him, I can greet him, and then I can even ask him how he feels. It is better now, because of the 
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tablets he is now taking on a regular basis.  
 I forgot one thing.  After they were beaten, there was a time, I can't remember how long it was, there came a policeman from Waterval-Boven police station, Mr Ntuli. He came to us.  He had some papers with him. It was just forms.  He said to them he was actually stopping them from going to school, he said they must sign.  Some children did not refuse to sign.  He gave them, and some refused to take them.   He said to me Ntuli is giving us papers which we don't know. I said you don't take them, if you don't know exactly what is written on them.  I was just against anything that has to do with the policeman. I said don't accept anything, don't take it. 
 Then he came to me where I am working, after a few days, after I had been told about this incident. On his arrival there he said I gave your son, Sipho certain papers and he refused to sign it. I want you to take him to the police station and to sign there.  I asked what that form is for.  He said to me no, that form indicates to us that the case has now been finalised. I said to them when was the case finalised?  Then we argued. He said no, that case is finalised. I said no, it is not finalised. I kept quiet.  I kept quiet, I disliked that person like anything. I said to him my child will never sign - others can sign, but mine will never sign.  Then he said, he threatened me, he said if your child does not sign here, he will be arrested again.
 The following day he said we should come down here.  Then we came to Mr Magagolo.  On our arrival here we found Mr Jakes.  We explained this to him. Then he said in Waterval-Boven there are papers which are being distributed.  They said if you don't sign you get arrested.  Then this man NELSPRUIT HEARING TRC/MPUMULANGA
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said no, they must sign those papers, leave the kids to sign, they must sign those papers, there is no problem.  There is no way in which you can open or close.  Then I took these kids and they signed these papers.
 With signing now, that case is now finalised. Yet, nothing has been said. It is quiet until up to today. I am now with a boy who is disabled. I don't know why were they beaten. 
 After some time, when he was a little bit better I asked him what actually took place. They said they had been sent by Mr Mandela to beat us, because we are ANC, then they must beat us, they must beat us. They must take us, they must put us in the bags and throw us in the place where you will never find us again.  By some time they had to open us.
 When we were coming out of the cell, we were actually threatened that they are now going to get the bags where we can put you in, and your mother who actually made the fire will never see you again.  The time when we were released and I heard some voices of some comrades, I could recognise some of the voices. That's how we were actually assisted. We were told that we were going to be thrown in a place where they will never find us again.
 I thank you.  I don't know whether I may have forgotten other things.