Human Rights Violation Hearings — Heiderveld — 1986-04-24

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: No we were not armed.

ADV NTSEBEZA: No what was your offence, you only say now was that you were - you refused to go to a place where you didn't want to go.

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes that is so.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Where you satisfied with the place you were already living in?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes we were.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Now let's go back, let's go back to the scene where you were being tear gassed, what happened after that?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: We were running through the shacks, only to find out also the boers were going through these shacks after us.  And when we turned back, I turned back alone I was trying to find other comrades I couldn't see them.  I could feel the tear - I could feel the gas coming through my eyes and I - I went to the toilet to - to hide.
And I thought that here I am going to get injured because I can't see the others.  When I got out of this toilet, I saw one boer only to find that he also saw me, he shot at me.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Where did he shoot you?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: He shot me on my left arm - leg, then I fell end of Tape 13, side A ...  [indistinct] now I don't know where they got a Kombi, but they put me into the Kombi.
They took me into a house where I was bleeding so heavily that the basin that used to collect my blood was full.  At Crossroads the boers tried to prevent people from going in there.  The doctor who - who phones for the ambulance, had problems because the problems - the ambulance were not allowed to come in - to come to Crossroads.  
The ambulance were not allowed to come into the clinic that I was in.  So I was taken by a Kombi together with this doctor, we went to a certain Main Road that's where we saw the ambulance.  Now the people of the ambulance drove so fast that they didn't want the police to see them.
Now we went to Tygerberg, I was put onto the first floor in the Tygerberg Hospital and the police were on guard that time, guarding me.  They asked me were we throwing stones at them, so now I told - I told them I didn't throw any stones at you, I was just from work.  Sometimes I wouldn't answer their questions.  They would exchange - somebody - would be somebody else asking this questions at night and somebody else during the day while I was in hospital in pain.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Were you in pain?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes I was in pain and they were busy asking me questions while I was in pain, I was the only one in this ward.

ADV NTSEBEZA: They actually never waited for you to be healed before they asked the questions?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: No sometimes it was too painful for me to say anything so I didn't answer some of their questions.  I can't remember how long I was in hospital, I was changed from that floor to a G-floor that's where I slept.  The police didn't come to the G-floor the last time I saw them was when I was on the first floor.

ADV NTSEBEZA: How long did you stay in hospital and when did you come out?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: I got out of the hospital in April but I can't remember the date.

ADV NTSEBEZA: So in other words you stayed for 2 1/2  months.

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes.

ADV NTSEBEZA: What kind of treatment did you get?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: They kept on cutting my leg, because my leg was in plaster - I asked them to take the plaster out because my wound was too sore, so I asked them to take it out.

ADV NTSEBEZA: You nearly lost your leg?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes, they were patching my leg.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Were they patching the wound?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Is it called skin graft?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Let's go back to the scene of where you were shot.  Did you two see each other at the same time, you and this white policeman?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes we saw each other at the same time, he was wearing blue uniform.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Did he tell you to stop?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: No he didn't.  He just turned around and shot me.

ADV NTSEBEZA: And now when you were down, what did you do?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: No I didn't see him after I fell because the comrades quickly came in.

ADV NTSEBEZA: After you got out of the hospital where did you go?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: When I left the hospital I went to Crossroads my own house, where I use to live and I was told to come back again for more treatment at Tygerberg Hospital.
On the first day of my treatment I told them I don't have more money  to keep coming back.  So I asked them to give me a free ticket for the bus.  Nobody answered me there, so that was the last time I went for that treatment.  From there I went to Kwa-Noxolo Clinic where I - I use to pay R0,50 and sometimes I wouldn't have the R0,50 and I will stay at home then.
Now because my mother was working, he use to bring me Betadine from her work and I use to use it as treatment.  The boers kept on coming at my place but luckily for me, they would come at a time when I am not in.  And I left and I went to stay at Crossroads.  
My mother told me not to stay there, because the boers will know where I am and would come and search for me.  So she told me to go and - to go home to King Williams Town.  So I left around October.  Then I came back in June 1986 and they were again riots at Crossroads.  Now that was a time when people were forced to go to Khayelitsha, I was one of those.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Could you please show the Archbishop and the Commission your scar on your leg.  That isn't the only place where you got injured is it?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: No.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Some of the bullets are still in your body.

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes I have several bullets in my body, some are still in my leg, some are somewhere in my body some under - underneath.  Some of the bullets are in my vagina.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Obviously those bullets didn't just fly on their own to where they are now.

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: These bullets were - these were the first bullets that was shot at me.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you - any questions - Mary Burton.

MARY BURTON: It's all right Ms Tsobileyo you don't have to rush.  When you went to the Kwa-Noxolo Clinic in Crossroads, that was the first place you went to get help is that right?

INTERPRETER: I am sorry ladies and gentleman I can't hear the witness.

MARY BURTON: I'll repeat the question, when you were first injured you went to get help and treatment at the Kwa-Noxolo Clinic in Crossroads is that right?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes.

MARY BURTON: Do you remember the name of the doctor who treated you there.

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: No I can't remember.

MARY BURTON: Do you remember if it was a man or a woman doctor?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: No.

MARY BURTON: No, thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Any other, thank you very much my sister, please have forgiveness in you.  We hope that you will be healed spiritually and physically thank you.

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Thank you very much sir.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Can I just ask one question I just remembered.  We didn't ask you sister because of your pain now, is there anything that you would like the Commission to help you with.

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Seeing that I am not working and I have four children, only my husband is working and he doesn't pay much.  Seeing that the Commission can see how I am  I would appreciate it if can do something for me.

ADV NTSEBEZA: About your children, are they at school?

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: The eldest - the eldest is 12 years and he is doing std 5.  The one after that is 9 years, the one after that is 4 and the last is 1 year.

ADV NTSEBEZA: So you have intentions that your children should go to school..

NOMATISE EVELYN TSOBILEYO: Yes I want them to continue schooling.  But it's very difficult.

ADV NTSEBEZA: Thank you.