Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1999-08-16

GRATINA NINELA: He was employed by Basaf.  I don't quite remember the exact time he worked with Basaf, but after some time the job was finished at Basaf and he was involved with the SAWU Union.  He partly worked as a, what do you call it?  He was partly an organiser in that union until he started working with Shell's company.

MS GABRIEL: When was this?

GRATINA NINELA: I don't quite remember the year.

CHAIRPERSON: You can lead her on that.

MS GABRIEL: Okay. How long did he work at Shell, Mrs Ninela?

GRATINA NINELA: That also I can't really remember because there is time when he worked as a part-time worker but finally he was registered and worked full-time.  I don't remember the exact time he worked with Shell's company.

MS GABRIEL: What did he do after working with Shell?

GRATINA NINELA: Whilst he was still working, he was taken by police to be detained.

MS GABRIEL: Do you know why this was?

GRATINA NINELA: There is a time when I went to CR Swart to find out from him what was really the cause of his detention.  I wasn't allowed to see him.  The white police that I cam across there told me that he was a member of Umkhonto weSizwe.  He asked me if I knew anything about Umkhonto weSizwe.  I said no, because I didn't know anything about that.  So from him I didn't hear why he was detained.  That policeman refused me to see him.  He took a few pairs of underpants for changing and gave the rest of the clothes that I had for him to change, back to me.

MS GABRIEL: When was Blessing Ninela detained by the police?

GRATINA NINELA: It was in 1987, I think it was January, if I can remember well.

MS GABRIEL: And how long did he spend in detention?

GRATINA NINELA: More than 6 months.  I think he was, I think he was discharged in August, I don't remember the exact date, if I'm not mistaken.

MS GABRIEL: So around August 1987 he was released from detention and did he come to live with you again?

GRATINA NINELA: Yes.

MS GABRIEL: Yes.  And describe his activities then, what was he doing?  Was he working?

GRATINA NINELA: He had tried to look for a job, but he couldn't get a job.

MS GABRIEL: So he just stayed at home with you?

GRATINA NINELA: Yes.

MS GABRIEL: Right.  Now there was evidence led earlier on today about an explosion in the area involving two boys.  Do you remember anything about this?

GRATINA NINELA: I heard the explosion sound, although I didn't know what was happening.

MS GABRIEL: When was this?

GRATINA NINELA: It was in June.  I don't remember the exact date.  What I remember is that I was at home because there was a strike.  Nobody was allowed to go to work, so I was at home those days.  I think that strike was to carry on for three days.  I don't quite remember now, but what I remember is that I had to go back to work not knowing what had happened, but I heard the noise of the explosion.

CHAIRPERSON: What year are we talking about?

MS GABRIEL: Can you remember the year?  Was this around June?

GRATINA NINELA: 1988.

MS GABRIEL: What else do you remember about this incident?

GRATINA NINELA: The night of the explosion there is a young boy who came at home.  It was at night.  There's something I wanted to do outside the house.  When I opened the door, I realised that there was somebody coming round the corner.  I went back to the house as fast as I could and locked the door because the situation was scarring at that time in the place.  In the house we had my sister-in-law's son, who is far older than my children.  So I told him as a man, that there is somebody I saw outside, I'm scared, I don't know what he is up to.
	So he went to the door and opened the door.  He realised that that boy was hurt.  He opened the door and let him in.  He told me that that boy was very, very, was badly hurt.  Now, when I see a big sore or hear about somebody damaged or badly hurt, there is a feeling that comes inwards, in me, it seems as if there is some cold water just running in my tummy or down the leg, and down the legs.  I had that feeling.  I didn't go to see that boy.  I gave whatever I could to help that boy, Detol, cottonwool and warm water and when I was told that he was shivering, I told them to take some disprins from my bag.

MS GABRIEL: Yes, do you know the name of this boy?

GRATINA NINELA: I was told the name, but I didn't know him by then, at that time.  I was told the name was Senzo Bhengu, a member of the community, but I didn't know him.

MS GABRIEL: Yes.

GRATINA NINELA: And so the next morning when our nephew was going to work, he took him along towards his home.  The taxis were taking on a little bit, not very far from his house, that is where the taxi stop was, so he took him and he asked him to go to his house and he waited for the taxi to go to work.
	And another weekend after that I heard that the son of Mfanafuti Bhengu is the one that was exploded the day of the explosion.  So I went with the other mourners to the house because we were very close, or friendly with the grandmother of that boy.  Just because of that, I accompanied the other people to mourn, for the family.  That is all about that.

CHAIRPERSON: Bhengu, was that the name of the father of the boy that was injured?

GRATINA NINELA: I beg your pardon.

CHAIRPERSON: The name Bhengu that you mentioned just now, was that the father of the boy who had been injured?

GRATINA NINELA: He was the father.

MS GABRIEL: Did you find out anything else about Bhengu's sons?  You didn't?

GRATINA NINELA: I don't remember.

MS GABRIEL: Okay, let me move on.  Mrs Ninela, why did Senzo Bhengu come to your house that evening, do you know?

GRATINA NINELA: I don't know.  I didn't know and I didn't ask.

MS GABRIEL: Okay.  Where was Blessing at this time?

GRATINA NINELA: He wasn't at home.  I don't know where he was.  Senzo told us that, I heard what he said, I didn't see him because he was in the dining room, I was in the other room.  I couldn't go and see him because I was told he was badly hurt, so I didn't want to see him how hurt he was, except that when there is anything to help him, it could be done.  He told me that they were walking with his brother, somebody shot them and he said he didn't know where his brother was by that time because they ran to different directions, as according to what he said.  So he didn't know what had happened with his brother.

MS GABRIEL: And was he looking for Blessing?

GRATINA NINELA: He asked for Blessing.

MS GABRIEL: And Blessing wasn't there?

GRATINA NINELA: No.

MS GABRIEL: Right.  Let's continue.  Tell us more about Blessing.  What happened after this incident?  Did he continue to live with you?

GRATINA NINELA: One weekend when I was off, when I came home, there was nobody except the two boys who wanted to get a little job of cutting grass in the yard, which they usually do to get a little bit of money.  Because I had a key, I opened the door, but there is a car that passed down towards the Inanda dam.  I don't think it went as far as Inanda dam, but that is the way the car took.  In a short time the car was back.  It stopped on the road.  The occupants went out to the shop, which is opposite my house and from there they came straight to my house.  I was standing in front of the door.  Actually I wanted to speak to those children that I found there.  Before I could speak to them, those people were there and they asked for Blessing.  I told them there was nobody at home, I opened the door because I had a key.  It seemed they didn't believe me.

MS GABRIEL: Yes and then what happened?