Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Shepstone — 1996-08-13

MRS GCABASHE: What about others, what are they doing?  Are they working or ... (incomplete)

WITNESS:   Yes, one is working and others are no longer working.

MRS GCABASHE: One is working and others are no longer working.  Oh, so that it's one who's working?  What about mother?

WITNESS:   No, my mum is on pension, is no longer working.

MRS GCABASHE: Thulani, we've already heard briefly about what happened that day when preparing to go to Ulundi.  Now I will ask you to tell us about what concerns you.  Tell us what concerns you about that day.  Where were you coming from that day, and how did you get there to Dlamini, where you were injured?

WITNESS:   You know, there was going to be a trip to Ulundi, a youth trip, and I also left home and I went to where the youth was gathered so we could board the bus.

MRS GCABASHE: Were you alone?

WITNESS:   Yes, I was alone.  When I got there I found that they were singing, the youth was singing, but I was not singing for the choir, I was just standing outside the yard.  Others were singing inside.  When they were singing we heard gunshots.

MRS GCABASHE: Where were you at that time when you heard the sound of a gun?

WITNESS:   I was outside, as I have said, because part of that house was completely built and the other was not, so I was outside.  So as they were still singing we just heard the gunshots.  When we heard that as I was outside we just saw people approaching running, storming in from corners, shooting already, coming to us from the house that was not completely built.

MRS GCABASHE: Did you see those people?  How were those people?

WITNESS:   No, I did not see those people exactly because they had the uniforms on, the camouflage sort of thing on.  When they approached they were already shooting.  Those who were outside ran, and it was difficult for me run because I was going to be so obvious that I am running, especially as I was standing under the light, electricity light.  So one of those who were shooting followed me, just approached, came to me, and shot me - and shot me at my foot.  Suddenly I could not use my foot, it was numb.  I went to my sisters, the other girls who were sleeping already, they were lying down there, and I went to join them, and I just knelt.  I knelt and I tried to crawl to the bedroom inside the house to hide.

MRS GCABASHE: Where were you hit?

WITNESS:   No, I was shot on my right foot.

MRS GCABASHE: Down or upper?

WITNESS:   No, just down, lower.

MRS GCABASHE: And what happened after that?

WITNESS:   This went on.  They were shooting for quite some time, and now there was just confusion and we were running around, and they were also running away.

MRS GCABASHE: According to you how long did it take for these shootings?  How long did they go on?

WITNESS:   I think five minutes went on as they were going on shooting.  They were already running away, and after they had left I tried to  stand up.  I could not stand up properly because my other foot was already injured.  And one boy came by who was my neighbour by the name Sikelu Mkhize, who came to me to give me some assistance, to just try and hug me and try and let me walk slowly towards the passage, the hallway.  These shots just went on.  You know, we heard a lot of them going on, and he finally left as well.

MRS GCABASHE: Sikelu, was he one of you who were - one of your group who was going to go to Ulundi?

WITNESS:   No, he was not going to go with us to Ulundi.

MRS GCABASHE: He left you there?

WITNESS:   Yes, he left me there and he flee.  After some time the community members came.  After all that incident they came to help.  The first boy who came there was Bheki Mbele.  He is the one, and Mr Mkhize.

MRS GCABASHE: This Bheki Mbele and Mr Mkhize, are they still around?

WITNESS:   Yes.  The other one is Mr Mkhize.

MRS GCABASHE: I mean the very Mr Mkhize.  Is he still around?

WITNESS:   Yes, he is still around.

MRS GCABASHE: Are they available?  Can we get hold of them?

WITNESS:  Yes.

MRS GCABASHE: Go on.

WITNESS:   They are the ones who took me, who helped me, and they took me to the clinic.

MRS GCABASHE: When you got to the clinic?

WITNESS:   When I got to the clinic I received the first aid from the nurses, and they called the ambulance and we were waiting for the ambulance.  And my mum already had come, because she had already got the message that I was in the clinic.  I was the first one to be taken by the ambulance, and Linda as well.  My mum was there.

MRS GCABASHE: Who is Linda?  Was she injured as well?

WITNESS:   Yes,  /She was

MRS GCABASHE: she was injured.

MRS GCABASHE: When you say it's your sister, is she your sister or is she just ... (intervention)

WITNESS:   No, she is not my sister, I am just saying.  We were the first ones who were taken to the hospital, Port Shepstone Hospital.

MRS GCABASHE: When you got to Port Shepstone what happened?

WITNESS:  When we got to Port Shepstone I don't recall.  I just remember entering the casualty, looking at the doctor, but I don't remember very well.  I was injected, and after that I was under the state of drowsiness.  I don't know what happened.

MRS GCABASHE: Did they operate on you at the hospital to extract the bullet from the body?

WITNESS:   Yes, they did, and my foot was badly injured.  They operated me more than six times.

MRS GCABASHE: Can you say how long were you in the hospital?  Three months?

WITNESS:   Yes.

MRS GCABASHE: They operated you at that time during that duration?

WITNESS:   Yes.  But after three months they kept calling me.  After discharging me they still kept calling me to visit the hospital.

MRS GCABASHE: Even now are you still going on with your treatment?

WITNESS:   Yes, I am.

MRS GCABASHE: Where?

WITNESS:   In Port Shepstone Hospital.

MRS GCABASHE: What did they do now, your treatment?

WITNESS:   They usually give me pills, painkillers, and they take me to the x-ray to check on my bone.  It's going to take some time, so they say, because it was badly injured.

MRS GCABASHE: How old were you when this took place?

WITNESS:   I was 20 years old.

MRS GCABASHE: Were you still a student?

WITNESS:   Yes. Now are you still a student?   ---   Yes.

MRS GCABASHE: What standard are you in?

WITNESS:   Standard nine.

MRS GCABASHE: Where?

WITNESS:   At Ngwemabala School.

MRS GCABASHE: Where?

WITNESS:   Ngwemabala School.

MRS GCABASHE: Besides that injury how do you feel physically?  Is there anything that probably is a problem?

WITNESS:   No, that's about it.  I was just hurt there.  I am not free.  I am no longer as comfortable as I used to be because I wish to know who the perpetrators were, those marauders.

MRS GCABASHE: But at school are you faring well?

WITNESS:   Yes, I am faring well.

MRS GCABASHE: In other words this did not disturb you academically at school and so forth, you just feel good about your school work?

WITNESS:   Yes, I am just fine mentally.

MRS GCABASHE: Was there any case that was conducted inasfar as those is concerned as to who were the perpetrators and something?

WITNESS:   No, there was no case as such.  The last time I remember giving the statement is in the hospital.

MRS GCABASHE: Who did you give the statement?

WITNESS:   One sergeant came to the hospital.  I don't quite remember his name.  He said he was working for Commission of Goldstone.  He came to the hospital to take my statement, and that was it.  That was the last time.  I had never heard anything from that time.

MRS GCABASHE: Besides that one of Goldstone was there any other who came to you?

WITNESS:   No.  No.

MRS GCABASHE: You have already said here that you do wish that you can get some assistance of some kind.  Are you still saying that?  You also said you wish that there could be a community centre built in the neighbourhood.  Is that  your wish?  Are those your wishes?

WITNESS:   Yes.