Human Rights Violation Hearings — Johannesburg — 1996-05-03

DR BORAINE: Chairperson we have notice that a number of other people have joined the audience including Bishop Storey, if you would please sit down, no you can actually stand, we are delighted to see you as well as Charles Newpin, also Sheila Wynberg of the Gauteng Legislature, would you just stand when I mention your names please, we have been asked by the SABC, in order to identify, Charles Newpin, he's left already, Sheila Wynberg, also left, and then there's Paulos Dometrious and Mrs van Zyl who is the mother of the secretary to the Commission Paul van Zyl.  Thank you, nice to see you here.
 The next witness we call to the witness stand is Mrs Mavis Msomi.
 While we are waiting could we just welcome Bishop Mkwe and his wife.
 Mrs Msomi I know this is very hard for you and we'll try and be as gentle and as quick as possible in order to save you as much distress as we can.  Mrs Msomi, we have already heard about the death of Theophilis Dlodlo and your daughter was killed in the same shooting in Swaziland.  You have also come to tell us about your son who joined the ANC and as a result of mistreatment in the ANC camps is not well.  So you have a double burden.  Before we ask you to tell your story and ask Professor Piet Meiring to assist you, would you please stand for the taking of the oath.

MAVIS MSOMI: (sworn states)

DR BORAINE: Thank you very much, and can I ask you to try and relax as much as possible under very trying circumstances, you are amongst friends.

PROF MEIRING: Mrs Msomi, it is my privilege to guide you through this through your testimony, through your story, thank you for coming. Just by way of making you relax a little bit, some new visitors joined us just now, may I just by way of introduction read to you the following.
 During 1987 ANC operatives and sympathizers based in Swaziland were particularly hard hit by anti-ANC forces with at least 11 people said to have been killed in clandestine operations during the first nine months.  On source described Swaziland at this time as becoming a killing ground for gunmen carrying out politically inspired assassinations with impunity. One incident, the incidents in front of us today drawing particular outrage was the incident in which two men and a woman were murdered in broad daylight on what is literally the King's Highway and within sight of the Swazi Parliament.
 Mrs Msomi, while I read through your written testimony I thought I would like to ask as a first question to tell us just a little bit about yourself, about your family. You lived in South Africa then at a certain stage you decided to move to Swaziland with your husband and children. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

MAVIS MSOMI: We left South Africa in 1962 and we went to Swaziland.  We lived in Pietermaritzburg and then we went to Swaziland.  I had four children, two girls and two boys.  Mildred Moosa is the last born, Tony came just after Mildred and the other two are still alive.  While living in Swaziland Mildred was still at school. Do you want me to talk about Mildred or can I separate the two?

PROF MEIRING: Let us talk about Mildred first and then we can talk about Tony later on. (end of tape 19)