Human Rights Violation Hearings — Tembisa — 1996-11-26

YASMINE SOOKA: Mr Malibe we would like to welcome you to the proceedings of the Commission today.  We have asked Mr Hugh Lewin to assist you with your story.  Before you begin I would like to ask you to take the oath please.

REUBEN MANDLA MALIBE: (sworn states)

MR LEWIN: Mr Malibe please feel relaxed, you are amongst friends.  We are very grateful to you for coming today.  We believe that you are now a teacher, is that correct?

REUBEN MANDLA MALIBE: Yes that's correct.

MR LEWIN: Can you hear me, I mean is it all right if we speak in English?

REUBEN MANDLA MALIBE: Yes you are audible enough.

MR LEWIN: Fine.  Basically what you are going to tell us about are incidents that took place in 1976 and thereafter arising from the 1976 student protests.  If you could please in your own time and in your own words tell us about those incidents and then if there are any further questions we'll ask them.  But as I say please feel relaxed and take your time.  What you have to tell is not pleasant.  As I say we would like to welcome you.  This is not an easy experience for any of us.  Take your time and let's hear your story.  Thank you.

REUBEN MANDLA MALIBE: I was arrested in 1976.  I was a young student involved in the boycott of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in Black schools.  I was arrested in November 1976.  I was taken to Rabasoto by three policemen, two
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Whites and one Black policemen.  The two White policemen were in camouflage uniform, the uniform worn by the soldiers.  We were beaten.  I was with a friend when we were arrested.  We were beaten up with fists, slapped, kicked.  However, we managed to lie our way through and we were released after a brutal torture on that particular day.  
 Then again I was re-arrested in 1977 where the gruesome torture took place.  I think it was somewhere in September if I am not mistaken.  One of my friends had skipped the country and because I was no longer sleeping at home I would come just to have my supper and go to my hiding place.  On that day they came earlier than usual, at around sixish, it was at about six, they got me.  When they took me home they put me in the car with them.  There were two White policemen, and when we reached the corner in my street they put me in the boot of the car.  They brought me to Rabasoto Hall.  When we got at Rabasoto we didn't go to the charge office, we came round and then we went to the first floor.  It's a small room.  They told me to take off my clothes.  I undressed.  They took me to a shower.  After that they handcuffed me behind my back. They started interrogating me about my activities at school and why we were resisting to be taught in Afrikaans.  They used their flamboyant language when I answered them, "kak".  
 They started beating me.  Beating me on the face with their fists.  Slapped me on the ears from time-to-time.  As I was naked then they beat me with the sjambok all over the body.  I started bleeding and they beat me on the toes with the sjambok, the toes now.  
 Thereafter the question would come in the same manner and when I answered them they used their vulgaric language, 
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and once they say "kak" you'd know that they had come for you.  They used a canvas sack-like, you know put on my face.  They wet it first and then they put it on my face and then covered it on the bottom.  I would be unable to breathe.  Eventually I suffocated and urinated on the floor.  When they realised that I was just becoming unconscious they took it off and asked me whether I was ready to tell the truth.  I told them what I told them.  
 The beating continued just like that for many days that came.  The worst part that I could not just forget is when they locked me into the strongroom.  They have a strongroom.  They put me in this strongroom.  I believe I was there for three nights.  I would say three nights because during the day I would hear people passing by and I would assume it's night because it would be very quiet.  At that time I was naked and my hands were still handcuffed.  Before they took me into the strongroom he actually, this White guy, probably it's the Coetzee, he tightened the handcuffs on my arms and I told him that they are too tight.  He used his language again, the "kak".  Then they threw me in there.
 After three nights he came, probably he was looking for something because when he opened the door, the strongroom door, he got scared of what he was seeing.  Then he started punching me violently.  Okay.  They took me out again and continued with their torture.  While I was there they brought in some Indian guys.  They were Police I presume.  The senior Police who was in charge ordered them to beat me, and it was funny because it was like they were practising karate on me.  They were kicking me, standing like that with my hands behind my back.  Kicking me on the body, then punching me.  And he would say "Moor hom, moor hom", you
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know just like that, as if he was in a trance.  Eventually I fell down and then he took the sjambok and just beat me all over.
 Then they left me there.  After three to four days they would come back, and I think it was the seventh day I was very hungry I had no food you know.  They left me in that small room, here at Rabasoto, so I would just crawl into the toilet and drink from the toilet sink.

MR LEWIN: Take your time Mr Malibe.