Human Rights Violation Hearings — Nelspruit — 1996-09-04

MR MALAN: You didn't see him on the day his corpse was located at SAFFAS, you only saw him later, or did you see him on that day?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: When he was taken home from SAFFAS, that's where I got a chance to have a look at him.
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MR MALAN: That was on the same day, on the 13th, as you said in your statement.

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: It was now on the 17th and he was buried on the 18th.

MR MALAN: Mrs Skatane, was there only the one case before the tribal court, there was nothing in the magistrate's court, charges against Norman - I'm sorry, I should have made myself clear.

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: No, it was just one.

MR MALAN: And why did Chief Nkosi had you called to this tribal court?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: It is because the owner of the shop laid charges against me and I was then called to the court.

MR MALAN: So did he not lay any charges against Norman?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: No, Norman was not charged.

MR MALAN: I'm sorry that I have to come back to this. In your statement you say that this Mr Lunsinga who was the owner of the shop, that he was upset.

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: Yes, that is the owner of the store.

MR MALAN: And that he said he would lay a charge against Norman for causing violence at his supermarket.

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: Yes, that's what I said.

MR MALAN: What was the charge that he brought against you?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: Are you referring to the owner of the shop, sir?  Are you talking about the owner of the shop?

MR MALAN: Yes, was it the owner of the shop that also laid a charge with the tribal court, with Chief Nkosi?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: Yes.

MR MALAN: It was against you, not against Norman.  Do I understand you correctly?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: Yes, I was - it is possible because I was his
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parent.

MR MALAN: Okay. That is really what I wanted to make sure of. Mrs Skatane, thank you. I don't think I have any specific further questions. I know it is a terrible experience which we as Commissioners can't even share in, because we haven't experienced it.   But we wish that you will get the strength that you will need to live with this memory, and we will see whatever we can find out and in due time also report on this case.  I hand you back to the Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.

MS MKHIZE: You mentioned that earlier on when you were sitting with your friend, a sergeant came to you and told you that you must go to your neighbours to collect money to bury your son.  Can you please tell us did you know the name of the sergeant - but how did he break the news to you?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: He resides in the township. He resides in our township.

MS MKHIZE: Can you please tell us briefly, because it is very important because we want to investigate the death of Norman. How did other people understand him when he said you should collect money from the neighbourhood?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: It was a real surprise to me because I didn't know how would I do it, how would I go to my neighbours to collect money.

MS MKHIZE: You mentioned again that you were taken to Chief Nkosi's place. Did the community investigate your appearance before the Chief?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: The community was just puzzled because I was now taken to the Chief, having done nothing.  It was my son who did something wrong and he was now in the cells.
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MS MKHIZE: Is there another person besides you who talked maybe to the sergeant that you have just mentioned to try to find out the real message when he said you should collect money?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: No, nobody came to explain this to me.

MS MKHIZE: The other thing that you mentioned, you said at the time when you were at the Chief's place while they were still busy talking about this whole incident, Mr Lusinga stood up and decided to leave. What made him leave the place?  Because it is not clear to us as the Commission, you haven't said anything, you didn't tell us the contents of the meeting.

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: There were not many questions at the Chief's place. He arrived and they asked him why do you lay charges against this woman, and he said the woman's boy was robbing my store. I said to him you are talking like that, where is my son. Not many questions were asked.  They wanted to investigate, they wanted to interrogate him. He took a few rands, he gave it to the Chief, and he said Chief, I am leaving, thank you, bye-bye, and he just left us sitting there.

MS MKHIZE: Before leaving the money to the Chief, did he give an answer?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: He asked the Chief - the Chief said to him where is the child, and the man said I do not know his whereabouts and that was the only question.

MS MKHIZE: You mentioned again that a certain woman who was your neighbour came to you to tell you that Norman arrived at the hospital dead, and he was in the company of the policeman. Was she working at the hospital?  Just tell us a bit.
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MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: No, she went to visit the hospital, that is Betty Ndlovu.  She is a curious person, you know, she just get in the van and she saw that it was Norman lying in the van.

MS MKHIZE: If you say she was from the hospital?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: Yes, she was from the hospital, because she was sick.

MS MKHIZE: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mamma, could I just ask; when you saw your attorney or when you looked at the body, could you not tell whether Norman had died from stab wounds or whether he had been shot?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: No, he didn't have any wounds.  He didn't have a bullet wound, he didn't have a knife wound.

CHAIRPERSON: So you don't know what the cause of the death was.

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: I will say he was kicked to death.

CHAIRPERSON: And the case that Mr Majapelo was bringing, was that against the police?

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Mamma.  What we will do is we will contact Mr Majapelo to find out whether he still has any records on your matter and we will investigate to see where we can help you. We will also check whether this falls within the work that we are doing as the Truth Commission.  Thank you for sharing your story with us.

MAKENI MIHIE SKATANE: Thank you.