Human Rights Violation Hearings — Umtata — 1996-06-20

ALBERTINA NOMFANELEKO MAKIWANE: He was speaking irrelevantly, he would write and he was incoherent and he had displayed bizarre behaviour.  We could see that he was really out of his mind, he was confused.  During that time he was a lawyer.  For after a long time we took him to the specialists and we thought that he would recover very soon.  I paid a lot of money.  My medical bill I think is too high presently.  I
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went from place to place visiting all these specialists that I could hear about, Queenstown, East London and everywhere.  All the time I was under the impression that he would recover very soon and sometimes I would spend a lot of time to one specialist and their prices were exorbitant, but I could see that if I have one visit I would pay more than a R1 000,00. 
 I was still continuing employing.  There were clerks who were receiving some monies and the person would get only a receipt, but what happened is that there was a proof that there was embezzlement of funds, but I could not do anything about this because I was not employed for that because I was just a teacher.  We could see that the conditions at the school were deteriorating.  He was incoherent, he was writing to law society and they could see that something is not right, not going right.  We took him to Cape Town so that he can receive further treatment.  Dr Rabinowitz was the one who examined him.  He said he would put him under observation.  We asked if he can continue to work as a lawyer.  Then he said he will take him to Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital.  The psychiatric report that we received stated that he was 100% disabled.

KHOZA MGOJO: We can see that your husband has been going to all specialists.  Do you have the names of all these specialist and receipts?

ALBERTINA NOMFANELEKO MAKIWANE: I have got medical certificates, I have got proof that he has been attending to these specialists.

KHOZA MGOJO: Do you have the names of these specialists?

ALBERTINA NOMFANELEKO MAKIWANE: Yes, I have.  I think they know one another because even if I have forgotten some of them I would present the case that I have started to take him to another
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specialist and then they would be knowing one another.

KHOZA MGOJO: I would like you to state that something about the fact that when this ill treatment continued during the Matanzima regime, could you state that what happened to you, was your house also repossessed?

ALBERTINA NOMFANELEKO MAKIWANE: Yes, I can state that in 1979 the office belonging to my husband had to be closed down because of his condition.  When the office was closed I also lost my job as a teacher because I was informed that I was married, but I realised that most of the married woman were continuing to teach, but I was informed that I have to resign because I am married.  I came here to make enquiries about what happened.  I wanted to know why I was forcefully allowed to resign.
 I met Professor Angisani so that he can arrange a meeting between myself and K D Matanzima.  An appointment was made and the date was given to me.  I went to Professor Angisani and he took me to Matanzima's place.  Mr Mlongeni was the secretary to Matanzima.  He confirmed our appointment.  Mr Matanzima was informed that we are here, we were here and then he said he would attend to us very late because he was very busy.  He also said if what you have come for is urgent please stay and wait and then when I waited for quite a long time he came out after a long time and said I must state what I have come for.  Then he ordered the police to assault me.  The other thing is that he was saying my husband was accusing him of the death of Xola.  Then I had to leave because I did not receive any help from him.  
 I went to another Minister and they said I cannot get any assistance from them either.  The other thing they said the, my husband was the person who was supposed to help me, 
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but unfortunately he was against the Transkeian Government. I went to the farms and I was a teacher there and then at the end of 1979, I continued working in 1980 and 1981.  I was the founder of that school and then the school progressed as far as standard four.

KHOZA MGOJO: I would like you to come back to this issue.  Especially the house which was taken by the Matanzima regime.  Whose house was that?

ALBERTINA NOMFANELEKO MAKIWANE: It was house number 124, it belonged to my husband.  We were informed that we should evacuate the house.  In other words we were evicted and then we were supposed to leave.  We then stayed in a two roomed office.  We were a family of 14 because I was also looking after my sister's children, my nieces and nephews.  Okay, we were satisfied because we thought that it would last for a short period as promised, but we continued to stay in that two rooms.  There was another house which was a six roomed house.  It was vacant, but it was vacant for about six months.  We made enquiries whether to, we can get that house and then we were told that no, we cannot get it.  We stayed in that two roomed house until General Holomisa took over.
 When he took over I went to the Umtata offices the following day.  They were not yet settled at the time.  He was together with Colonel Craig Duli and explained what happened to my husband as I have presented it to you.  So I was taken to the staff of the Local Government.  There was a lady who was, who had a hunchback, it was Miss Tukela.  It was said that she must see to it that Mr Makiwane should get a house.  We stayed in the two roomed house for nine years and we were overcrowded.

KHOZA MGOJO: Who was the owner of the two roomed house.
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ALBERTINA NOMFANELEKO MAKIWANE: It was just a store, it was a Municipality store.  We were together with my husband and my family.  We were surprised if they could treat my husband in this manner, but they said they cannot do anything.  General Holomisa is the person who assisted us.  It was said that Miss Tukela should not leave Tuwa until we get accommodation.  When Miss Tukela came, arrived in the offices I was informed that I should come because Miss Tukela was there.  I waited for quite a long time, but I went there.  I was given the four roomed house.  Then I was successful into getting a house.
 I was ordered to leave everything, my furniture and my belongings could not be accommodated in that four roomed house.  It was true because I had a lot of belongings.  So I left those things in the two roomed house.  I tried to request them that they should take my belongings to my place, but the other day, ultimately, they took it and transported it to my place.  I went to the office to Mr Kabani because I wanted to get something from my belongings.  The information I got is that there was nothing which was taken by the Municipality trucks to your place.  I lodged a complaint because I had lost all my belongings.  Some of my gates and a fence were still there in the two roomed house at the Municipality offices.  When I came the other day the gate was also taken away.

KHOZA MGOJO: When you came back to the house in which you were evicted what happened?

ALBERTINA NOMFANELEKO MAKIWANE: I was informed that the house was condemned by the inspectors because it had cracked.

KHOZA MGOJO: Okay, before you can go further, please wait for me.  What was the condition of the other houses?
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ALBERTINA NOMFANELEKO MAKIWANE: Which houses?

KHOZA MGOJO: The other houses, your neighbours.