Human Rights Violation Hearings — Benoni — 1997-02-05

MR LEWIN: Miss Zwane we would like to welcome you.  Can you hear through the earphones?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

MR LEWIN: Before you are led in your testimony by Joyce Seroke, could I please ask you to stand and take the oath.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

MS SEROKE: Good morning Sikhumbuze.   Are you Sikhumbuze or Sikhumbuze?

UNKNOWN: I am Sikhumbuze.

MS SEROKE: We greet you Sikhumbuze.  I would like for you to introduce the person seated next to you.

UNKNOWN: This is my mother.

MS SEROKE: We are welcoming your mother.

UNKNOWN: I have a request.   We both submitted statements.  I would like for us to say something, both of us.

MS SEROKE: That will be fine, because both of you submitted statements.   Therefore, we will grant her an opportunity to say something in case you have forgotten.
 Maybe we should get started or perhaps she should also stand up so she can take an oath.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

MS SEROKE: Sikhumbuze you are here to tell us about the events that took place and things that happened to your
uncle and according to the statement he is called Boy and he is called Lucas.  Are those his names?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

MS SEROKE: I just wanted to clear this for the record.
 I would like for you to explain as to what happened to Lucas.

UNKNOWN: It was Workers' Day.   That day they burnt the police at Makalela and my uncle was there.
 After that incident the police came nearby as my uncle was standing, before he was killed.   Some person screamed and trying to allow him to run away.  The police were approaching.
 And then  the very person who was shouting got arrested.  He was with Bizo and Bizo was the nickname and they took him with so that he could show them Bizo's place. 
 They got there, they started knocking around and they located Bizo and they arrested him.  First they assaulted him and they started searching the house for guns and weapons.
 After all they checked if there were any males around, only to find out that we were the only in the house.  And they took Bizo with.  
 Fortunately my grandfather was there but they left him because they thought he was not useful in the whole thing.
 Their aim now was to rape us, because they came back after all the males.  They started knocking around the windows and on the doors, surrounding the house.    My mother asked and said, who are you looking for now, because you have taken the people you wanted.   My mother said I am not going to open my doors.If there is anything you want, come tomorrow morning during the day, not at night. We will not open the door for you at night.    They kicked the door.   We refused completely to open for them till they left the premises.
 The following the police came at home again and we explained what happened the previous night and they said the statement should be taken with regards to the matter.
 One of the comrades came, by the name of Master, residing nearby our home and he made all the necessary arrangements.   
 After a month or so the police came, after my uncle was released from prison, they came to look for him again.  They did not get him.  They did not find him.   They found him somewhere else but not at home.
 They tied him on the Hippo, the Casper.   The Casper dragged him and they discarded him around some bushes in Wattville. They thought he was dead when they left him there.  
 One of the drivers at Kwikor called our place and told us that somewhere around here there is a person left here and we think he is dead.   That was after some time, after we have been trying to search for him.
 In the morning we would go to the police station to give a statement at night as well.  
 He was lying down at the bottle store.  They thought he was dead but he was not.   
 So he was taken to the BBH Hospital and I went to BBH just to make sure if he was the one.   I found him, that is my uncle.  He was not treated.   He was not even given any preliminary treatment whatsoever.   I asked why and also they said, maybe you should just take him away and treat him yourself.
 There was a court case in Pretoria.

MS SEROKE: Sikhumbuze I know this is sad.   We do not mean to revitalise all the pains.  All we are interested in is for you to disclose of the information you have.

UNKNOWN: Even the police used to come to our house.   The first time they came around, they took him and they came back to search for weapons and there was no gun or any weapon.   They found money.  They took that money.  What cooked, they took even the pots. They left the mess like that.
 The police that I can make mention of the names is Stole who was coming from Springs.   They used to disguise a lot, especially the boer.  They would put masks on their faces, but one called the other and said, David.   There was Stole and there was another dark one also.  I do not know his name.

MS SEROKE: Madam do you have anything that you wanted to add to what Sikhumbuze has said?