Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Elizabeth — 1996-06-27

CHAIRPERSON: I will now call to the stand Stephen Douglas Mzoboshe.  We would request the people to sit down.  We would understand that some of them are forced to go out, but we would like you to please try and to this without disturbing others.  We are about to finish, let us please respect these.
 Mr Mzoboshe, I understand that you are going to talk about yourself.  We welcome you and we would like to show you that we will not prevent you from stating what happened to you, we will request that revd Xundu should pledge an oath for you.

REV XUNDU: I would like you to take an oath as you are going to give evidence.  Could you please stand up.  If you are unable to stand up, you can just raise your right hand.

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: I'd like the people to please be quiet.  We have maintained order for quite a long time.  I would like us to  please maintain order, thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Ntsiki Sandi.

MR SANDI: (no interpretation)

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: (no interpretation)

MR SANDI: You became a member of ANC, we want to confirm that in 1950 you joined the ANC organisation?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, it is so.

MR SANDI: And then you were tortured because of that?
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STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, sir.

MR SANDI: I request you Mr Mzoboshe, to please inform us of what happened during the time that you were detained without trial and please give us details about what experiences you went through especially with the torture.  Let's start in 1964.

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: I was fetched by the police in 1964, it was during the night.  I think it was very early in the morning, during that am's on Monday, I was staying at Mqnami at the time, at Khoniqa, number 251.
 I had a book and some material of the political organisation.  Some of the books were kept by me and some of the material was taken by the Detectives from the court chamber when it was closed and the organisation was banned.
 We went underground and we were working as volunteers.  The Detectives came and confirmed that I was Stephen and I agreed and admitted that I am.  They asked me if I was a volunteer and I denied that.
 They searched the house and they found some boxes.  They wanted to know who was the owner of the boxes and then I said Mr Bennie is the person who requested me to keep them.  They wanted to know how could I keep these boxes if I was not a volunteer.
 They started assaulting me and then I was taken back.  I think I became unconscious because I cannot remember what happened thereafter.  I regained consciousness at about five am, I was alone, I didn't know where I was, but I could feel that my body was aching.
 There is the other one who is my relative, who is a cousin to my mother, Mazwani who was not there.  He was not among those who were attacking me.  Mr Ghazu and another 
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hefty man was the others who were amongst the people who attacked me.

MR SANDI: Was Sergeant George amongst those who attacked you?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, Sergeant George was there.

MR SANDI: Is he still alive?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: No, he died.  He died whilst he was in Johannesburg.

MR SANDI: Mr Mzoboshe, could you please inform us how were you treated during the time you were detained?  In your statement you report that you had been kicked, batons were used to attack you?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: I was severely beaten to the extent that I used to urinate blood.  In 1965 and 1966 I was admitted until 1967, because of the problem with my bladder.  I used to urinate blood.
 I was always hiding and hiding the information that I was assaulted by the detectives, because I went on my own to the hospital.
 In 1964 I didn't have contact with anybody, because I used to go to the private Doctors.  I was afraid that should I give the information that I was attacked by the Detectives, I could be in bigger trouble.
 I never gave the correct information to the Doctors.

MR SANDI: Did you receive any medical treatment which was effective?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: I was given a corset and then it was very effective, but I cannot stay without it, I have to use this corset.

MR SANDI: Did you say on the 11th of September 1986, you were arrested again when there was a state of emergency?
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STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, sir.

MR SANDI: Who arrested you?  Can you remember who were the people who arrested you?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, I can remember, it was Faku, and the other one who was a tall gentleman, but he was a White person.  There were many of them, but the one that I am certain about is Sergeant Faku.
 There was a tall White man.

MR SANDI: Can I remind you according to the statement written here?  Would you like me to remind you?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, sir.

MR SANDI: The names of the following is Sergeant Faku.  Where is Faku?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: He died.  He is the one who died during the bomb explosion at Motherwell.

MR SANDI: You said the other one was Warrant Officer Swartz?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, it was Swartz.

MR SANDI: And Sergeant Nani?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, Sergeant Nani.

MR SANDI: Where are these two gentlemen?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Swartz is still alive, but I do not know where he is stationed and the same applies to Nani, but I know that Faku died.

MR SANDI: When you were detained in 1986, did you experience any ill-treatment?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: No, they didn't torture me, because during that period I was open.  I didn't hide any information about my involvement with the struggle because I could feel that we were about to be liberated.  I could feel that our Black nation was approaching its freedom.

MR SANDI: Mr Mzoboshe, you became sickly during the time
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when you were detained in 1986, isn't that so?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, I suffered a lot because again I could see that I was urinating blood.

MR SANDI: Who is the Doctor who gave you treatment who said he would like you to be released because you are very ill?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: I cannot remember his name.  Usually we didn't know their names, but the young male Doctor was the one who was very considerate.  He was considerate more than the other one who was a bit elderly.

MR SANDI: In other words you were released in November 1986?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, sir, it is like that.  I was taken to the hospital.

MR SANDI: What attention did you receive?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: I had to undergo an operation so that they can drain the blood which was accumulating in my body.

MR SANDI: Are you under any type of treatment presently?

STEPHEN DOUGLAS MZOBOSHE: Yes, I always go to Livingstone Hospital and at Dora and Mpilwene for Psychiatric attention.

MR SANDI: What would you like the Commission to do for you as you have given us your story?