Amnesty Hearings — Vanderbijlpark — 1999-05-14

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: Thereafter I started crying for help, then I came across a double bed sheet because I have learned first aid, I covered my child's head and I wrapped the head so that the brain would not get much air.  Then I went around that house in Slovo Park because I was not familiar with the surroundings.  I tried to get help and find my husband, I was shouting out loud "Pule, Pule, come and help me."  There was no response.
	Thereafter, I took my child and went to my sister's and my sister's husband said ...(inaudible).  I tried to go to next door where my sister stayed and they said we must rush to Madiki, the dumping place, for them to get us an ambulance.  When we reached Makiki there were many of us from Slovo Park.  Whilst waiting there we started asking ourselves questions, we were women, one asking the other where her husband is and the children were not all there, where were they?  I stated to them that I do not know people in this area and I do not know where my husband is.

MR BERGER: Where was your sister Florence?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: They had run away.  At that time we did not know where they were.

MR BERGER: Now when you left the shack, had the attackers already left?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: After they had shouted Usotho, Usotho - oh, I forgot one aspect, as I went out looking for Pule, I saw them at a distance in the direction of Bakweni because it was just straight along our street, it was a group of men.  They were followed by a Koyoko, at the back there was a Koyoko.  In my mind I had thought those were police who tried to arrest them.  Where I'm seated this was where the Koyoko was, towards the man in front of me.  Those were people walking along.

MR BERGER: The man you're pointing to is Mr da Silva?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: Where they are seated.

MR BERGER: That is where you saw the Koyoko?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: The Koyoko was where I'm seated and it was following these people slowly.

MR BERGER: So where you are seated is where the Koyoko was and where Mr da Silva is seated is where the people were who the Koyoko was following?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: It was driving slowly and they were upfront, in front of this Koyoko, walking along.

CHAIRPERSON: Well that distance was estimated to what?

MR BERGER: I think it's seven paces.

CHAIRPERSON: Seven paces, yes.

MR BERGER: And you say that the Koyoko and the people were moving along Bakwene Street?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: In what direction?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: In the direction of the firms ...(inaudible)

MR LAX: Sorry, we're not getting the translation.

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: At that time there was this Ecro firm next to Cape Gate firm and they were leaving in that direction.

MR BERGER: How many Koyokos did you see?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: I saw that one only.

MR BERGER: And did you see what colour it was?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: The colour was yellow.

MR BERGER: Where were you in relation to the Koyoko?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: I was situated behind the shack looking for my husband, behind my sister's shack, looking for my husband.

MR BERGER: How far would you say that you were from the Koyoko, can you estimate that?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: At that door inscribed 8.

MR BERGER: From there to?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: And I was situated behind the ladies there.

MR BERGER: There's only one lady.

MR LAX: She's referring to the toilet I'm assuming.  There's a ladies toilet behind us here.

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: Just behind the two ladies here.

MR BERGER: I'm sorry, where do you see two ladies?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: I'm saying behind the lady and the gentleman behind her, behind Advocate Sigodi.

CHAIRPERSON: Okay well shall we say probably from this black curtain all the way to the door, is that right?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: Mr da Silva has done most of the measuring, it's 26 paces?

ADV SIGODI: 30.

LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE: Ja, I would estimate 30, I didn't do that measurement, Mr da Silva did, I think he said 26.

MR DA SILVA: Mr Chairman, it's 25 from the door to the edge of the stage so it's this extra bit that must be added, so it's 30 to 35.

CHAIRPERSON: Okay.

MR BERGER: And that was before you went away from Slovo Park?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: When I went to outside in the veld when I left Slovo because this Koyoko, I saw it when I was looking for my husband behind the shack.

MR BERGER: What was the lighting like at that time?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: There was a great light because we had a moonlight and the pole light and the other one flowing in the next street.  Where we were situated there was much light and with the assistance of the moonlight there was greater light.

MR BERGER: You said that the Koyoko was travelling slowly behind this group of people?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: How big would you estimate this group of people to be?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: They were many walking hastily, the Koyoko had it's lights on and you could see many people walking along.

MR BERGER: You husband was killed that night, is that correct?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: And he was also shot, am I right?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: You never witnessed his being shot, is that correct?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: I did not witness that but I heard when they told me that this man that you are looking for, seemingly he is the one you are looking for, he was wearing striped underwear and the guys who came in an ambulance to get the people told us that he has passed away.  I went to the hospital knowing that he has passed away.

MR BERGER: When Pule was attacked, is it your evidence that he was already sleeping in bed?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: He was asleep and all that he was wearing was striped underpants.  Is that what you said?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: Had he been involved in any political activity?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: No.

MR BERGER: Had he belonged to any political organisation?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: No.

MR BERGER: Did you belong to any political organisation or any member of your family belong to any political organisation?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: No.

MR BERGER: At the time of the attack Mieta was three years old, is that right?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: And she is the little girl that we saw at hearings before who is confined to a wheelchair?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: Did the White man who attacked you or the two who were at the door in camouflage, did any of them say anything that you heard?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: I saw that it was a White person and I tried to talk to this person but I held my breath because of being afraid that he would notice that I was still alive.  Those who were at the door I do not know what they were doing with Florence because she tried to get out.  I was still faced with this White person.  When I threw myself down on my knees, I saw them.

MR BERGER: But you never heard them say anything?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: No.

MR BERGER: Did you manage to get Mieta to hospital that night?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: And both you and Mieta were then admitted to hospital, is that correct?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR BERGER: Besides your husband, yourself and Mieta, were any other members of your family injured or killed during the attack?

MATSELENG MIRIAM MOLETE: It was only Florence, she was assaulted and injured, she's the one who'd speak on her behalf.

MR BERGER: Thank you Ms Molete, I have no further questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR BERGER