Human Rights Violation Hearings — Uitenhage — 1996-08-27

CHAIRPERSON: Can we now ask Mr Fundile Lawrence Gqubule to 
take over.  Thank you Mr Nkobese.  We are going to ask the 
next witness to come forward.

FUNDILE LAWRENCE GQUBULE: (sworn states)

CHAIRPERSON: Let me start off by making sure about some 
details.  Do you stay in number 26 Sedidi, Khayelitsha?

MR GQUBULE: Yes, it is like that.

CHAIRPERSON: At the time there was a shooting in Uitenhage 
in 1985, were you a resident here?

MR GQUBULE: Yes, it is like that.

CHAIRPERSON: What street were you staying?

MR GQUBULE: It was number 14 at Gunsi Street.

CHAIRPERSON: Is this Gunsi Street near this spot of 
shooting in Maduna Street?

MR GQUBULE: No, it's not near.

CHAIRPERSON: I observe that you are in a wheelchair.  Is 
this as a result of an injury when there was a shooting?

MR GQUBULE: Yes, it's like that.

CHAIRPERSON: Could you explain, Mr Gqubule.  Where were you 
on this particular day, and what actually happened?

MR GQUBULE: On this day, on a Tuesday morning, I just had a 
bath and I heard some freedom songs and I went out and I saw 
a crowd moving toward Maduna.  Then I stood on the roof of 
the house because I couldn't see clearly.  At the time I 
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G GQUBULE: was looking at Maduna, I saw a hippo that was driving 
amongst the people as the people were standing waiting for 
the bus.  So I saw this hippo dispersing the people.  Then 
there were some South African Defence Force next to Maduna, 
so I stood there watching the people who were being chased 
and the hippo trying to disperse the people.  Then I saw a 
group of people moving down Maduna and so I went down the 
road and I went up Gonchi Street and next to the hall I 
joined the crowd and we were chanting freedom songs.  There 
was a hippo just in front of us, and it drove past and 
stopped next to the John Wesley Church.  They were chasing 
us.  Then that is the last I can remember because I just 
heard some bullet sounds.

CHAIRPERSON: At what stage were you hit by a bullet?

MR GQUBULE: It was at Khlamthini when I was hit by a bullet 
and I heard some shooting sounds and I felt something on my 
right ankle and people were turning around and running and I 
don't know what happened.  Then I lay there on the ground.  
I was the first person to be taken and I could see some 
people were being shot and I could see these people lying 
down there on the ground, they had some bottles placed on 
their hands.

CHAIRPERSON: When you were lying there on the ground, what 
did you see?

MR GQUBULE: I saw a helicopter.

CHAIRPERSON: Were there any policemen that were moving up 
and down next to you as you were lying there on the ground?

MR GQUBULE: Yes there were.

CHAIRPERSON: What were they doing?

MR GQUBULE: People were being kicked and they were being 
shot.  Some were being pulled out of the bridge.
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CHAIRPERSON: In your statement you said there was a boy who 
was riding a BMX bicycle, do you see that boy here now?

MR GQUBULE: Yes I do see him.

CHAIRPERSON: What is his name?

MR GQUBULE: His name is Kwanele Bucwa.

CHAIRPERSON: You fell down and you were shot, then how did 
you get to the hospital?

MR GQUBULE: As I was lying there in pain, I decided not to 
scream because most people were being killed and were 
screaming.  I was then put into the first ambulance together 
with Nlungi Simclagahle and some other people.

CHAIRPERSON: Now would you say how long did this shooting 
take place?

MR GQUBULE: I would say for about an hour.

CHAIRPERSON: As you were lying there, were they still 
shooting?

MR GQUBULE: Yes, they were still shooting and people were 
coming from shacks in Nimkhi who were coming to join some 
people from section 15 and they were being shot.

CHAIRPERSON: Was there anything that was said by these 
policemen at the time that there was shooting?  What were 
they saying?

MR GQUBULE: I didn't hear anything because I was really in 
deep pain at the time.

CHAIRPERSON: How did this affect this shooting?  How did it 
affect your body, how did it affect your health?  Is there 
any medical treatment you are getting?

MR GQUBULE: There is none.  What happens is when it is 
overcast my body becomes stiff.

CHAIRPERSON: Is that all you have to say Mr Gqubule, as to 
what you saw on this particular day?
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MR GQUBULE: I was transferred from the Uitenhage hospital 
to a hospital in Port Elizabeth were I met Lungi Sinlagashe.

CHAIRPERSON: Were they also shot?

MR GQUBULE: Yes they were.

CHAIRPERSON: Would you explain what you saw in hospital, 
what did you see in hospital?

MR GQUBULE: I saw a lot of policemen, they were all over 
the place, inside and outside, and some people were sneaking 
out of the hospital.

CHAIRPERSON: Were there any policemen in the hospital?

MR GQUBULE: Yes there were.

CHAIRPERSON: Dr Khaan you say is the one who examined you 
in hospital, what did he say was the cause of the injuries 
you had?

MR GQUBULE: He said they had shot me on the spinal cord and 
he said they could not take out the bullet because if they 
had to do that I would be completely paralysed.

CHAIRPERSON: Now you say, as you are sitting there, there 
is a bullet that is embedded here in your body?

MR GQUBULE: Yes it is there.

CHAIRPERSON: Is this the cause of it that when it is 
overcast you feel some pain and your body becomes stiff?

MR GQUBULE: Yes I would say that is the cause.

CHAIRPERSON: Have you ever briefed any lawyer about this 
matter?

MR GQUBULE: No.

CHAIRPERSON: When you were called which in Jubilee Hall, 
what was happening?

MR GQUBULE: I was in hospital at the time.

CHAIRPERSON: So you actually did not go to Jubilee Hall?

MR GQUBULE: No, I didn't go, it is only my parents who went 
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G GQUBULE: there.

CHAIRPERSON: What did they say to you when they came back 
from Jubilee Hall?

MR GQUBULE: They said to me, there were discussions with 
the White people and they had been promised that some tax 
would be sent to them.

CHAIRPERSON: Is there any cheque that your parents 
received?

MR GQUBULE: No.

CHAIRPERSON: Is there any money that was given to you for 
this shooting?

MR GQUBULE: There is some money I got.  Some people from 
the bank came to me whilst I was in hospital and so I 
signed, I was still in hospital at the time.

CHAIRPERSON: Is that all you have to say?

MR GQUBULE: On my way from 27, I was forced to go back to 
Cape Town because after I had been shot I had abscess and 
some fluid coming out of my knees, so I had to go back to 
Conradie Hospital because this left leg was giving me 
problems and it was to be amputated.

CHAIRPERSON: By being here, Mr Gqubule, what is your actual 
wish, or your request to this Commission?

MR GQUBULE: My request to this Commission is that they 
should see to it that we should have some sports fields for 
the paraplegics.  I used to be a soccer player.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Gqubule for your explanation, I 
can now hand over to the Chairperson so that if any of my 
colleagues here have got any questions they should pose them 
to you.

PANEL MEMBER: Thank you Mr Gqubule, can you hear me?

MR GQUBULE: Yes, I can hear you.
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PANEL MEMBER: How old were you when you were shot?

MR GQUBULE: Round about 20 something.

PANEL MEMBER: Mr Gqubule, we want to be able to determine 
the impact of your injuries.  Would you please describe a 
day in your life starting when you get up, to determine how 
you cope on a day to day basis?

MR GQUBULE: When I wake up in the morning, I just try to 
exercise a little bit and I take a bath.  My wife usually 
dresses me and I have breakfast, and visit friends, nothing 
else.