Human Rights Violation Hearings — Durban — 1996-08-28

WITNESS:   It was September 1992.  I don't remember quite well the date, but I know for a fact that it was Shaka's Day celebrations.  There were many people, thousands, and there were buses also.  I was just arriving, you know, walking by, and suddenly I saw those people who were coming back from the stadium on that very day.  When I was going home, approaching home, because  my home is not so far away from that area, I heard people screaming, shouting.  When I was trying to listen attentively I just heard, "Here's my son being shot.  He's being shot."  I tried to listen attentively to get the facts, and I just heard, "Yes, he's been shot," and I left.  Suddenly I saw two buses which were passing, and the third one opened the windows and they started shooting, and that bus was not in motion, it was parked.  I just heard gunshots.  They were just shooting randomly.  When I rushed to the scene I saw my nephew, Thulani, who was working for Daily News.  When he appeared he said, "I hear they are screaming, shouting, and they are mentioning the name of Sibonelo."  And he said, "How can this happen?  Maybe I should follow them and lift up my hands."  Maybe they thought - some people who thought we belong to the other people, the attackers, they started hiding away from us who was around.  When I was trying to approach the bus I saw one of the Zulu policemen having his gun.  Just before we crossed one was standing by the gate of the relative's house.  We went direct to the neighbour's house.  We saw the tap, the water was running through the tap.  When we tried to look around we saw some fountain, and we just saw one girl lying down in that fountain of water.  And we tried to get hold of this little girl who was just lying there, and we tried to see if we can help in any way, and we say her closing her eyes and we could tell right then that she is dead.  Well, we left that, we went on.  When we were just walking by I saw a passage just towards my place.  I saw my son.  I saw him walking, staggering, and so frightened, and also bleeding profusely.  I tried to hug him, and I took him to the tap, trying to wash h is wounds and the blood, and we saw the ambulance.  And we approached, we went to the ambulance.  When we got to the ambulance there were soldiers already there, and KwaZulu Policemen were there.  It was just confusion.  Many police people were there.  There was one in the ambulance, and he was taken into the ambulance, and I also went into the ambulance with others who were also affected and injured from that incident.  I just saw one white man, the policeman.  He asked, "What are you doing inside?"  I said, "No, I have one who has been injured here."  He was bleeding so profusely, and this white man said, "Are you the one who got injured or this one?  Then if not get out from the vehicle, from the ambulance."  I said, "But this is my son.  I cannot leave him alone."  He said - he insisted, he said, "You get out."  And one boy that I did not know came and said, "Well, let's all die.  If this is the procedure then we are all prepared to die," and they call came into the ambulance and we left.  All the buses had disappeared then, and we went to King Edward Hospital.  On the way I could see that he was complicating.  Others were much better, but he was in a serious condition.  Each time as he tried to breathe one could even think that he's gasping, he's just about to die, and they also put oxygen thing around his nose up to the time we got to the hospital.  And the hospital said, "There's an other form here.  When you have an opportunity please go to the nearest police station and you will get this J88 form."  I am not too sure if that's the one.  I think that's the one though.  I thought about this at home when we were discussing it as a family.  I said, "Well, let me go and look for this form, but how do I look for this form from the very police station of KwaMashu, and yet it was the closest, nearest to the station?  These are the very people who caused the whole thing, and how can I go to the very same police station?  How will they assist me?  How will they give any help to me yet having caused this?"  Well, I did go, and I told them about the form, and they asked me, "How do you know this form?" and I told them that the doctor said I should bring this form.  And they kept coming in and out of the room, and I could see that now I am being a centre of attraction.  You know, at the same time a laughing stock.  They were just coming in and out, exchanging.  They asked, and I explained also that this is what took place and this is what happened.  I told them that the doctor said the bullets and the pellets are different, and apparently I need to get this form and fill it.  It looks like these were the policemen who shot, so I would like - we would like to know further.  I could see that this was helpless, I wasn't getting anywhere.  I decided no, let me just leave this whole thing.  I went back home.  Because they were also changing the attitude as well.  So that was the end.  I left and I went back home, and we were trying to talk about this once again with the family, and suddenly we've just heard about the Truth Commission.  This is why I am here.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... questions for clarification and see whether we can just get a little bit more of the story.  Firstly about Sibonelo.  How long was he in hospital for?

WITNESS:   He wasn't there for long.  It was just one day.

MR LAX: Do you have details of his hospital card, his numbers and so on?  We can get all of that from you, can we?

WITNESS:   Not now, but I can furnish you with all that information.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... that, so we can get a copy of his records and so on.  Did any case follow on this attack outside that stadium?  From what you've told us a number of people died on that day and were shot on that day.

WITNESS:   I know about this one little girl I just told you about, and thereafter there were some others who also were affected, those who were so close to the whole scene.  And we went together to the hospital.

MR LAX: As far as you're aware, roughly, do you know how many people might have been killed that day from what you've heard around?

WITNESS:   To my knowledge I just know of this one little girl.  I have forgotten her name, but if this is important, so prime, I will make a way that I get her name. (Inaudible) ... her family and see whether we can assist them at all.   ---   What I'll do, I'll get in touch with her family.  Can I do that?

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... that.  So as far as you know there's been no cases about this thing?

WITNESS:   As far as I know nothing happened.

MR LAX: These buses that you've told us about, where were they from?  Do you know what kind of buses they were?

WITNESS:   They were coming from the stadium.  We don't know where they were coming from before then.  You see these are farm buses.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... name Washesha.  You said they were Washesha buses.

WITNESS:   That's true.

MR LAX: I just wanted to confirm that for the record.  Now, how has all of this affected your son, Sibonelo, or has it affected your son?

WITNESS:   You know we have observed after some time this.  You know at times you talk to him, you will tell that he cannot remember what you've just said.  He loses memory, he forgets.  It looks like he was disturbed, mentally traumatised.  You know the bullet went through here and got out here.  He almost got severely injured.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... psychological assistance to maybe have him counselled.  Do you think that might help?

WITNESS:  No, I hadn't taken any steps, but what I just discovered now is that, you know, you talk to him about this, he tells you about something else.  Now, that goes without saying that his memory gets lost at times.  He cannot recall things you've said.  He's disturbed mentally.