Human Rights Violation Hearings — Ladybrand — 1997-06-24

WITNESS:   The teachers were expelled from the policemen's renting houses because the teachers expelled.  We expelled the policemen's children, the same policemen who were harassing us or torturing us.  So they revenged by expelling the teachers from their own renting houses.  We found alternative accommodation for a certain teacher.  We went to a second teacher and then we helped to pack.  We were through then, we were waiting for a car to come and take the furniture so that the car would put the furniture somewhere else.  Whilst we were still waiting there a Nissan van arrived.  It passed very quickly from the direction of the police station.  After 10 minutes the van was full of policemen, and they started shooting randomly.  We started to run.  We didn't even find any chance to run away, then I was shot.  They shot a certain little boy from Motshlome family.  They shot him on the kidney side.  They broke his spinal cord by a 9mm gun.  The teacher who was coming from a certain direction with his car, he tried to turn.  At that time I was able to get hold of the bakkie and then went inside, because I was not able to use my feet.  When he arrived in his yard he was able to collect the people to come and help me.  After some minutes a certain boy who was shot arrived again.  The teacher took us immediately to Dr Nel.  Vusimuzi was left on the scene, lying on the ground.  He's one of my classmates.  He's inside this hall.  He was lying on the ground and we were not able to help him because the police were denying that we should pick him up.  We passed and then we went to Dr Nel, who examined us.  Then he said to me, "The bullet has not penetrated your body."  He gave me three batches of pills and gave me certain medicines which tasted like urine.  Before we left Vusimuzi was brought by the police to the doctor.  They were taken to the hospital.  In the house I showed my mother, then I told her that they said the bullet has not penetrated, but I could feel that I was not able to press where I was shot because those parts were swollen.  In 1992 my brother took me to Welkom so that I should come and stay with him, he said until they make progress about our case which was made.  Then I told him that we have not yet made a statement to the police or opened up a case.  I forgot the warrant-officer.  We didn't make a case about the shooting because our local ANC officials said they are waiting for other people.  I left whilst it was still the same.  Then I could feel that I was beginning to be paralysed.  It was getting swollen.  I went back to the hospital that is in Bloemfontein and I showed them that my leg was not recovering.  I said to them, "Please check once more."  They said to me, "It's going to be impossible just to check, we have to cut your leg open and check it thoroughly," and I refused them to operate my leg.  Even today I am still walking on this troubling leg.

PROF MAGWAZA: Which hospital in Bloemfontein?  What's the name of the hospital?

WITNESS:   I went to Heidelmed Hospital.

PROF MAGWAZA: Okay, thanks very much, Moses, for your - for sharing your experience with us.  I'll ask you just a few questions to clarify some of the things you have said.  It looks like on that particular day, the 28th of March, a number of people were injured.  About how many of them?

WITNESS:   On that day I know three of the people who were shot.

PROF MAGWAZA: You also mentioned a little boy who was shot on the kidney side, and something about the spinal cord being injured.  How old was that boy?

WITNESS:    This is the boy Moshlome.  His surname is Nshlane.  I think he can be 24, if not 25.  Vusimuzi Sibiso, who is present in the audience, is my peer, he is 29 years old.

PROF MAGWAZA: When he was shot how old was that boy?

WITNESS:   I think he was my age, if I am not mistaken.  He might be just a little older than me.

PROF MAGWAZA: You mentioned Reverend Bijani, and was he working together with Pitso Moghele?

WITNESS:   Reverend Bijani was the minister of religion at our church.  He wasn't working with him. Because I heard you say that he called Pitso Moghele at one time.   ---   Yes, he called him telephonically because Pitso was also a church member.  I think he was a church elder.  Pitso was a church elder, and he was running the MBB organisation.

PROF MAGWAZA: You said that when they were assaulting you they said one of the reasons was because you cast suspicion on Pitso.  What did they mean?  What do you mean by that?

WITNESS:   Can you please repeat your question.

PROF MAGWAZA: When they were assaulting you for the first time what did they give as the reason for assaulting you?  Why were they doing it?

WITNESS:   When Pitso assaulted me he picked me up and he didn't give me a reason.  Afterwards I was given an explanation by this policeman.  This is the policeman who was left with me in the room.

PROF MAGWAZA: What explanation?

WITNESS:   This policeman told me that I wanted to burn him in the house.  That is the first point, and the second point, I was too involved in politics, and I was not a person involved in politics.

PROF MAGWAZA: Would you know all the policemen who were involved in assaulting you?  You mentioned the special constable, you mentioned this other policeman, and then of course there is Pitso Moghele.  Can you identify them?  Do you know their whereabouts even if you can mention their names?

WITNESS:   Yes.

PROF MAGWAZA: Are they still working for the police force?

WITNESS:  Some of them are still employed within the South African Police Services and some of them left the profession a long time ago.

PROF MAGWAZA: One more question.  Regarding the case, you laid a charge against the police who shot you?

WITNESS:   The police who shot at me?

PROF MAGWAZA: Did you lay a charge?

WITNESS:   I laid charges against the policemen who assaulted me.

PROF MAGWAZA: What happened thereafter?

WITNESS:   Since then I have never heard anything from them.  I was not even told about the date to appear before the Court of Law.

PROF MAGWAZA: Because there are no records of the charge in the police station.  Coming back to you now, are you getting treatment for your leg?

WITNESS:   No.

PROF MAGWAZA: You said it was still troubling you.  To what extent is it troubling you?

WITNESS:   This leg is troubling me a lot.  Sometimes the whole leg will be swollen to an extent that I cannot put on my shoe.

PROF MAGWAZA: Yet you are not getting treatment.

WITNESS:   I want to go to the doctor.  I am afraid they are going to amputate my leg.  I am really afraid if I show them the extent of the damage here they are going to cut it off.  I am against this.  Others are married in the house, I am left with my mother.  I have to work really for my little brother.

PROF MAGWAZA: Okay, what work are you doing by the way?

WITNESS:   I am a surveyor in Thobong, Welkom.

PROF MAGWAZA: Okay, thank you very much.  I think I will refer this to our Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Moses, thank you for telling us about your pain.  Again it shows the same pattern, police involvement in the whole game, and again all what you have told us will be investigated.  And if you want also to ... (inaudible - end of Side A, Tape 6) ... method of rewriting your statement if you so wish, because you have  said many things here which are not in your statement.  And I thank you very much.