Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pollsmoor — 1996-11-26

ADV POTGIETER: Thank you very much - Ms Mtuze and Ms Boy, than you for having come and thank you for having shared your experience and your - what has happened to Botamani with us, it serves many purposes and we appreciate the fact that you are prepared to re-open which this loss which is obviously very hard for you.  You've lost a child you've said that brought a lot of happiness in your family and that was really innocent and landed up in this situation.
But thank you for having come.  We in fact hope that through the testimonies that we have heard relating to this particular incident, this march, that it reflects a bit of the history of this particular part of the country, the Western Cape.  Because there is a danger of distorting the contribution that people have made in this part of the country to what we have achieved up to today.
There is a danger that recent developments on the political sphere can distort what the Western Cape really stands for and the contribution that the Western Cape has made across cultural lines, across social lines, across religious lines.  And we trust that the evidence that we've heard has demonstrated the unique and peculiar Western Cape history where end of Tape 2, Side B ... and people have sacrificed across the border in this part of the country like  in the rest of the country, but particularly here, because it's important and  that point should be made here. 
This incident which - as we've heard, was really intended to be a peaceful march - a form of public protest, which is accepted as a normal part of social life - has turned out to be - a catastrophe for this part of the country - for the Western Cape.  
We have been given some of the statistics relating to this particular incident.  It appears what has started off as a peaceful, symbolic march, turned into a massacre by the afternoon following the march, that's the 29th.  The afternoon of the 29th  of August 1985.  We are told that at least 12 people were killed, and 100's of people were arrested. 
We are told that by the Friday, the 30th of August, that's 2 days after the intended march, the death toll had arisen to 28 people, with approximately 300 people injured.  Half of them requiring hospitalization.  And we've heard some of the testimonies today.  People have spent months in hospital - subsequent to the injuries that they've sustained. 
We were told that parts of the City were under siege - Guguletu - places like Guguletu.  Manenberg, Mitchell's Plain, were sealed off by the Security Forces and the situation just escalated.  By Friday, the 6th of September, there were 464 schools and colleges closed until further notice indefinitely.  
And we are told that the United Democratic Front and the Congress of South African Trade Unions called a stay away in response on the 10th and 11th of September.
So, what started off as a peaceful incident has given rise to all of the consequences that we've heard and it's important for us to remember that part of our history and remember what people came through and what people experienced.
But in any event - you the last witnesses.  It doesn't mean that, not the same importance is attached to your testimony or to your case.  Your case is as important as the first matter that we've heard today and it has been treated like that.  So thank you very much for coming and thank you for sharing your story with us.
I would also like to thank the members of the public and members of  your families, families of the victims, supporters who have come to share the testimony.  It is very important that the process is a public one and that as many people as possible participate - either by being physically present or by being informed through the media about the testimonies that we hear.
We are now going to adjourn the proceedings and resume tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock.  When we will hear testimony relating to the Guguletu 7 incident.  Thank you very much.