Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Elizabeth — UNKNOWN

WITNESS: Reverend, I started at Bethelsdorp.  When I got to Bethelsdorp I was taken out of the combi.  All these people I was arrested with were left in the combi.  I was alone with all these boere.  At the Reception at the police station just before you get to the offices of the security it looked as if they were waiting for me for a long time.  When I got in they put a sack over me.  They removed the sack just when I was about to suffocate.  They then took sunlight soap and pushed it into my nostrils.  Mr Faku then stripped me of my clothes and then I was naked, totally naked.  Again they put a sack over my head.  They then said to me, "You know, today you are going to die."  I was taken to the Security Department.  At this time they were looking for Mike Xego, Comrade Fazi and Mkuseli Jack.  I was beaten up.  The first person to assault me was Mr X.  He took my genitals, they opened a drawer, Faku was on the other side of the desk, he took my genitals and Mr X shut the drawer.  At that time I was not taken to the bridge yet.  All my genitals were in this drawer and this drawer was shut close.  Faku squeezed my genitals.  If you notice well I just turned and bend my neck and just look up.  People who have been trained to assault people assaulted me on my neck.  These are people who assault a trained person like myself.  
While they were squeezing my genitals that is when they were beating the back of my neck.  All my nerves at the back of my neck died and then I collapsed.
Reverend, I just missed one part.  It is just one part.  It is about Bill Dennis.  While I was in court Mr Ngoyi was also in court.  From the court I was put into the boot by Bill Dennis only to find out that on this particular day Mr Ngoyi was the one who was talking.  He was put into the back seat.  Then the case was postponed.  After this he was transferred to this other police station.  They called it Kinkelbosch.  He did not know that I was in the boot at this time when he was taken to Kinkelbosch.  He was being insulted by Bill Dennis.  I was in the boot the whole time.  I just wanted to tell you that, Reverend, sorry.  Now let us go back to where we were and that is about my assault.  I am going to stop anytime.  I am going to summarize.
I was taken to Cell 8 by Mr X.  He told me that I was going to die today.  It was him, Faku, Jam and Van Wyk.  I was taken to this cell here in Bethelsdorp.  I estimated that it was around 18h00 in the early evening.  I was taken back into a combi.  There was a long line of the boere saying, "Now we are going to kill him."  
The combi left with me.  I did not even know where I was going.  I just saw that I was taken into this area of George or Cape Town.  They stopped at a certain bridge.  They said to me, "You see this spot?"  This place is called Van Staaden.  I was taken out of the combi.  I was naked.  They tied a rope around my waist, right here on my stomach.  My whole abdomen was blue with bruises.  I could even see it myself.  I cannot even explain what kind of rope they used to choke me.  They said to me, "If you cannot tell us about Mike Xego and Mkuseli Jack we are going to kill you right now."  I said, "You better kill me because I do not know anything about these Comrades at all."  I was hung, Reverend, on that bridge like this.  There was a big belt that they had tied around my waist.  There was another rope that was tied next to the indicator of the car.  They pulled me up.  They did not beat me up at all, but I was a little unconscious at that time.  Then we went back to Bethelsdorp.
When we got to Bethelsdorp...  I am trying to summarize, Reverend.  When we got there I met a group of Comrades, street committees who had been arrested.  My Comrades saw me when I arrived from Van Staaden.  It was just a minute after I had arrived.  It felt like I was beaten by a machine.  I was totally damaged and that is when I became totally unconscious.  I came to after days.  
I was already now in hospital.  Now I would like to thank Dr Pat Naidoo, Dr Nyoka, an old man who resides here in Port Elizabeth, also Dr K Naidoo, the Damasa Reverends and all those Comrades who took care of my family during the hard times.  I am very grateful to them and my family is also grateful to them.  Reverend, I thought I was going to say what I am saying today when Faku was still alive.  I, Apleni, is alive today.  I am grateful to those Comrades who did not sleep, taking care of my family.  I stayed for one and a half years in a place where no human being would sleep.  I am grateful to Dr Heerans who gave me tablets at the time I was taken by Van Wyk and Mr X saying that I was alive.
When I left Livingstone I was wearing a gown.  I have been guarded by the securities in the hospitals.  They tied my legs like that.  I stayed in that position for a year and a half, but I am here today.  I am talking and I am alive.  Thank you, Reverend.

APPLAUSE: Rev

N XUNDU: Thank you, sir.  You have told us your story in a way that we have now clearly see that we could not have had this freedom without people like you.  My question is, what do you wish the Commission could do for you?  
Do you want it to investigate or address your situation?

WITNESS: I have a question, Reverend.  Is this not money which Mr X is using, the Africans money that he is using today, the money that he is wasting today, so that we are not able to mention him today?  Is that not our money?  Secondly, all those people who were the perpetrators, I want them to come forward and they must say their story here in front of the Commission.  Thank you.

APPLAUSE: Rev

N XUNDU: Chairperson, he is all yours.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Apleni, did you go to a lawyer and made a claim for your assault?

WITNESS: Yes, I did lay charges for the first time I was shot, but that case did not go anywhere.  About my assault, I also laid charges, but it also just disappeared in Bloemfontein at the big courts.  That was the last time.  My lawyer was Comrade Bam Fikile.  I am also grateful to him.  Thank you.
(?) After all this, were you able to work?  Were you able to be employed by anyone?