Human Rights Violation Hearings — Krugersdorp — 1996-11-14

CHAIRPERSON: We hope that by the end of the day we will have listened to many stories, bringing a diverse nature of the conflicts that were experienced in this region.
 I would like to introduce our panelists.  Starting from my left we have Dr Randera, who has been with us since the beginning and he is the co-ordinator of the Johannesburg region of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  On my extreme right is Prof Piet Meiring, who is a member of the Reparation and Rehabilitation Committee.  Then we have Mr Tom Manthata, also a member of the Reparation and Reconciliation Committee.
 I am Joyce Seroke, I have been here since Monday and I am also a member of the Human Rights Violation Committee.
 We welcome you all today and we will start now by calling our first witness who is Levuno.  Before Levuno comes forward I will ask Dr Randera to explain how the the ear-phones are to be utilised.
 Dr Randera will be administering the oaths as the witnesses come forward.

CHAIRPERSON: Are you going to speak in Xhosa or in Tswana?

V C LEVUNO: In Tswana.

CHAIRPERSON: We welcome you.  We will ask you to introduce us to the lady with you.

V C LEVUNO: That is my mother.
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CHAIRPERSON: We welcome your mother
 I will now hand over to Dr Randera to administer the oath.

DR RANDERA: Mr Levuno good morning to you and your mother.  Welcome. I know you have patiently been waiting for the last three days for this day to come.   Of course it is a long time, you have kept the story for a long time, because we are going back to 1977.  Before I hand you back to the Chairperson, will you please stand to take the oath.

V C LEVUNO: (Duly sworn, states).

CHAIRPERSON: Tom Manthata is going to lead Levuno this morning.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Mr Churchill and Mrs Churchill, please relax. Even if we are running very short of time, we will ask you to tell us in full about your experience from 1977.  Should you feel that you are getting very upset by telling your story, you can take your time and relax and have some water, and you can tell us of your life from 1977.

V C LEVUNO: In 1977 I ran to Balfour due to the riots on the 16th of June.  From there I went to Wits University to do my matric. I met Stanley Skosana and we joined the PAC.  We were recruiting people. From 1977 we went to Swaziland.  We did not go via the border.  When we came back we recruited another team as well.
 I was arrested and taken to Sunnyside police station.  When I got there I was taken to a compound building.  They asked me about David Rashima's statement and Pepe and David Skosana. They told me that I am writing propaganda.  They kept me for about three months.  Thereafter Nel, who was handling the matter, Capt Nel came to tell me that I must be a State witness. I refused.  The matter was addressed at the KRUGERSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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end of 1977.  All the other people testified in court,   except me. From the court they took me home.  When I got home they told me to report to the Krugersdorp police station.  My mother accompanied me to the police station.  The policemen harrassed from thereon.  
 My uncle got me a job at the SA Breweries.  The policemen harrassed me from thereon.  They wanted me to go to Botswana so that I could be a spy for them. I told one gentleman by the name of Zara Anthony who were the counsellors about this harrassment.  The Bethal case resumed again.
 The Bethal lawyers called me to say that I must be a State witness.  A gentleman came driving in a car, who collected me from work and took me to Bethal. When I got there they asked me about the incidence of the 16th of June at Mutsasela School.   They asked me about the Bethal case.  I did not want to address this case in Pretoria.  That's when I told them in court that I don't know anything about the matter.  They took me from the court to Bethal prison.
 The George who was sitting at that case was Cavendish. He said that he will not allow his court to be abused in that manner. The policeman who arrested me was Mashego and the other one who was in Bethal.
 I was taken to a single cell. Whilst I was in that single cell the policemen arrived and beat me up.  To the extent that I fainted.  Whilst I was at Weskoppies I went to many hospitals, including Kathlehong, Verwoerd, Bethal. In the hospital I was tied to the bed. I fainted because I am an epileptic. They put a pipe in my private parts and I could not walk and I was guarded by the police.
 They took me from Weskoppies back to Bethal.
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 Pepe and Skosana appeared as state witnesses.  My lawyer Chetty ran away and Priscilla Jana, who sent (indistinct) who said that I must not tell them that I am mentally affected, otherwise they will send me to a psychiatric hospital; I must rather go to prison. I might have lesser years.
 I appeared in court and then I was sentenced to 10 years concurrent for terrorism. I stayed at Robben Island from 1977 to 1980, when I got ill.    My mother came to see me and my appeal resumed in court. I was released in December 1980. In 1980 I had treatment in Sterkfontein.  
 In 1982 I joined the Azanian National Unity and I was arrested with Joe Kohlwe, Valley Gooney and Ndobo as well. I was just detained for three to nine months. I was kept in the cell because we had just returned from the Sharpeville day of commemoration. They said that we were there to see the so-called terrorists. 
 On my release they dropped me at my street.  They didn't take me straight home.  My mother was very disturbed by all this.  She asked a nurse in the neighbourhood to take me to hospital.
 When I got to the hospital I received treatment. My mother was there as well.  Then they said I must go for rehabilitation.  My mother was present when the panel said this.  They said I must go for rehabilitation.
 I was taken into another ward. It was not nice at the hospital.  People were beaten with pipes on their heads and they were called prisoners.  People came with Priscilla Jana to say they want to sue the State. My mother didn't want this because she didn't want to be involved with the police.
 In 1986 I was arrested again on my way back from 
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Botswana in connection with Apla arms.  The PAC army. I was arrested by Nkosi Mutisana and Kleynhans.  They took me to Vereeniging and De Deur and from De Deur they took me to Pretoria Central.  There I was a very sick man. I was bleeding from my private parts and in my anus as well.  I asked the doctors to send me to the hospital, but they refused. I was never treated properly.  
 After that I was taken to Johannesburg. I was arrested with Legasi Mohope.  I found him in Sun City prison and he showed me papers saying that I will be their state witness at Sun City. I was ill and therefore he appeared.  When we got back I was tried and sent to Sterkfontein as a State President's prisoner.
 It was not a pleasant stay.  Even the nurses harrassed us. Even the doctor told me that I will rust if I do not read.  That is when tried to read religious books.  I could not read properly because some of the patients would tear my books.   
 Once I decided to swallow pins because my stay was so unpleasant. I was taken to Lerato Hospital but then I finally passed these pins.
 In 1990 when Pres Mandela was released, I was released as well from Sterkfontein, but I was released under conditions for five years, to be under my mother's guardianship.  That is as far as my story goes.

THOMAS MANTHATA: I thank you, Churchill.  When you became an epileptic, is it the time you were politically active or were you born with this disease?

V C LEVUNO: It was when I was in politics.

THOMAS MANTHATA: At the time when you joined the PAC, what was the situation in Kagiso?
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