Human Rights Violation Hearings — Beaufort West — 1996-08-12

DR BORAINE: Can you hear - can you hear me?

MR MANONG: Ja.

DR BORAINE: Good, welcome and thank you very much for coming, please will you stand to take the oath.
DANIEL MANONG Duly sworn states

DR BORAINE: Thank you please be seated.  Dr Ramashala is going to facilitate your story.

UNKNOWN: Mr Manong good morning.

MR MANONG: Good morning doctor.

UNKNOWN: How are you?

MR MANONG: I am very well - I am fine.

UNKNOWN: I am going to speak in English okay and during the proceedings I may stop you from time to time to ask you questions that would clarify some things that are not clear, is that all right with you?

MR MANONG: It is good you can continue.

UNKNOWN: First I'd like to read a statement from our research notes.
Victoria West,  a small Karoo town almost on the south border of the Northern Cape Province was site of intense protest led by youths in early 1985.  Poor living conditions and high unemployment were characteristic of the town for example many people lived in "Die Witblokke", stable like structures housing entire families in one room with only a stable door and one small window.
Hygienic standards were extremely low - unhygienic bucket toilets being the main problem.  The township was overcrowded.  People could not leave because of influx control and pass laws.
Die Noodkamp was an emergency scheme where people erected their own shacks on serviced sites.
Protest was largely directed against the community council and municipal police.  Deep conflict at times escalating into violence developed between collaborators and activist culminating in the mid 1985.

UNKNOWN: It is within this context that Mr Daniel Manong will describe the conditions which led up to the death of his mother.  Mr Manong I would like you to go back before 1985 and talk a little bit about what happened in Victoria West that finally led to the death of your mother.  As I said I'll probably stop you from time to time to ask you some questions.  Please proceed.

MR MANONG: May I start now.

UNKNOWN: May I ask for a second for Mr Manong to introduce the lady sitting next to him.

MR MANONG: This  is my wife.

UNKNOWN: Okay, welcome Ms Manong.

MR MANONG: If I think back, I think it was 1985, it was August the 27th  it was on a Saturday.  The police were busy patrolling  on that particular day,  but they fired tear gas off on that particular day.  They shot into the air.  It wasn't a ANC or UDF's, they were  - not only them - but people were toi-toiing and my mother's name was called out -  Emily's name was called out.
 Now, after the police shot the tear gas - fired it - the gas covered the entire town.  And then they came to the house were my mother lived - a lot of them came there.  They came with lamp oil,  and petrol bombs.  And they came and they broke the windows, they burnt , they tried to burnt the house inside - people inside.
 I  came there to come and inspect what was going on.  I don't live to far from the house, but I was stopped by three people, I may call  their names if you would allow me
 Don Jaftha
 Bhoeto Yoyo
 Xhani,  Ellof.
 They came there and they covered by paraffin so I couldn't continue  and I had to run to the Police Station.  I wanted the police to come and see what these youngsters where up to.  And they where destroying  things.  They charged the house and threw stones as it.  People were inside hiding, so I went to the police and the police said sorry we can't do anything.  The people are to many.  They wanted  - friends then had to go and find other police to try and help and they tried to get into the house - they broke into the house - and threw  God's grace we could manage to get people out eventually.  And they could run away.
 The police managed in fact to calm things down up to the Sunday morning.  But Sunday people were still not very happy.  My mother was taken away  half a kilometer out of the town.  They've taken her to a camp where soldiers use to come and visit.  And were they stayed around.  And later on people said no my mother could come back.  The old lady can come back, nobody will fight with her.  That's what the youngsters said.
 So this all happened at 172 New Bright.  She came back the 4th  November,  it was on a Wednesday and they came to look for the old woman again.  Patrick came threw the window, opened the door and once again they threw petrol bombs at the house and her burned her, my mother, for the second time and this was more serious.  When we came to the hospital  I realized she was not going to make it.  The last words of her was she said that this time they have me, but they have not broken my spirit.  That's what she said.  She died on the Saturday the 7th.
 That is actually what I can remember and how I can explain it.

UNKNOWN: I'd like to ask you a few questions to help clarify some of the issues.  In the research statement there is mention of  a Mr Enoch Manong who was a councilor.  What was the relationship between your mother and Mr Manong?

MR MANONG: Enogh Manong was one of the committee members in the location, but my mother was nothing.  She was just an ordinary citizen.

UNKNOWN: So this two was not related?

MR MANONG: No, Enoch is my brother, he is my brothers child.

UNKNOWN: Now you say that the people from Victoria West came after your mother,  and in your statement you said that they accused her of being a informer.  Am I correct?

MR MANONG: What do you mean by that?

UNKNOWN: I don't know.  It's in your statement. It  says  informer - informer - "epimpie" - "epimpie"

MR MANONG: No, it's not like that.  Just before they toi-toied they were going house to house.  They where saying they're going to fight with whites.  They were against it.  That is when they decided to call them "epimpies".  It's because they disagreed that they going to fight the whites.

UNKNOWN: Thank  you.  You listed the people who burned down your mother's house the first time.  I didn't get all their names.  The first one is Don Jaftha.

MR MANONG: There were a lot of them.  This happened in 54 Skima  Location.  The second incident I have their names here.  Just before she died, it was
 Johannes Booysen
 Speto Ellof,
 William Faas
 Zwandile Vhula
 Patrick Faas
 Robin Booysen
 Stanley  Vhula
 Mlamle Xhaxha
 Paulus Horn
 These are the names of the people who killed my mother - the people who attacked my mother.

UNKNOWN: This was in New Bright,  was it in New Bright?

MR MANONG: Correct.

UNKNOWN: You also list a number of other people who where arrested in connection to the accident. And I'll just go over the list
Stanley Vhula
Attie Kwela
Philimon Hocile
Boetie  Motobeli
And of course others. 
 Were these people involved  in the burning  of the house the second time?

MR MANONG: I can say it was during the night.  It's only the police who reveille their names after the police had investigated the incident.

UNKNOWN: Your mother was then admitted to the Kempton Gedenk Hospital in Victoria West.  Is that true?

MR MANONG: That's correct.

UNKNOWN: Do your remember the doctor who attended her?

MR MANONG: The Dr Gazime Brakes passed away.  Both doctors where there.  They're no longer there - the other one passed away.

UNKNOWN: Now,  in  your statement you also name - you say that there are a number of people where staying with your mother at the time of  the burning of the house.  Can you name those people and the relationship to your mother.

MR MANONG: Yes, I can still remember them.  The other ones
 Bertie Manong
 Wiseman Manong
 Owen Nomava Nazuko
 Vernon.
 Those were the children who were there in the - that - house.

UNKNOWN: Where are they now?

MR MANONG: Since then they had to move to Cape Town, right now they are staying in Khayelitsha.

UNKNOWN: Mr Manong were you the only one in the family who stayed in Victoria West.