Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 1997-08-13

SIPHO JEREMIAH MABASO: Yes, there is something I would like to say.  I can just tell you about what I saw personally.  I was from Johannesburg, driving a taxi and I arrived in Durban at half past ten in the evening.  I dropped the people off to their respective taxi ranks as well as buses.  I also went to Durban station.  As soon as the car was empty, I had to take it back because I couldn't take it to the location.  I parked it at Umgeni garage, that's where I left the car.
	Just immediately after that, I left and I was heading home.  Immediately after parking I was just talking to other people and I saw this bus coming.  I ran towards the bus and I boarded the bus.  It was quite full and I was with other people too.  The bus drove along the road.  It went around picking other people.  It even went over the Umgeni river and picked people up from there also.  It went up to Red Hill until we got to a bus-stop where it picked more people.  I was standing right behind the driver because the bus was very full.   
	If  I'm not mistaken, I think those who were standing were almost 15.  Then I just boarded the bus and stood behind the driver's seat.  The bus drove - the last time I remember is when it went past a garage, it went past the robots.  As it was still driving I heard somebody screaming from behind me saying, here we are getting killed but I just didn't pay much attention.  This person screamed for the second time repeating the very same thing that she had said before.  
	Then I turned back, trying to look as to what was happening.  I realised that everybody was moving and there was commotion, people were running inside the bus but I realised that there is something drastic that is happening.  Then I heard some noise coming from outside.  When I listened properly, I realised it was gunfire.  I saw the rear window of the bus getting inside the bus and the splinters of glass were flying all over the place.  I tried to hide myself underneath the seat of the bus but I could not get underneath the seat because at that time when I looked up, I couldn't see.  It was as if I was somehow blinded.  
	I tried to think quickly and I grabbed my stomach and blood was filling my hands.  That's when I started feeling dizzy and I fell.  Then I asked the driver to stop the bus because we were already injured.  Thereafter I lost consciousness, I don't know what happened but I regained consciousness at Addington hospital after about three months or four - if I'm not mistaken.
	I was told then by the police that we had been shot by some White men.  I asked them as to why we were shot, then we were told that certain people had been stabbed and that is why we were being shot.  I stayed at the hospital for quite some time.  When I regained consciousness, I was swollen, my whole body was swollen from head to toe.  I couldn't walk, I had to learn walking all over again.  But what actually disturbed me is that when we asked the police, we were told that some PAC members had shot other people.  
	Now, I grew up as a herd boy.  And I grew up as an orphan, I do not have any sister, brothers or parents.  I grew up at my aunts place.  When I grew up I was always taught that I should not do anything silly.  I was always taught to behave myself, behave in an orderly manner.  Now at that time, I faced so much difficulty, I decided to come to Johannesburg to work and I worked for a White person.  I worked for four years, then I went to work at the flats.
	I worked at Isaac's flats for about five years.  That's where I realized that I should try to look for another job, then I learnt driving.  I got my licence in 1979 - I obtained a code eight.  I went to Hammersdale, that's where I started driving taxi's from '81 up to '84 and in 1985, I decide to get myself a code 11 licence in order to upgrade myself.  I obtained my code 11 licence but the jobs were scarce because they wanted experience.  
	I went to long distance taxi's where I got a job.  I worked and ended up getting married to my wife.  That's how I made my living because I could make some money from my job, it was not like before.  Then in 1991, I wanted to get a diploma so that I could drive trucks.  That is when I got attacked.  Then Mr Botha and Marais as well as Mr Smuts came and attacked me and shot me and my plans were disrupted.  That is when my life changed drastically.
	I could not be accepted back at the taxi rank because I was a threat to them.  They feared that I could invite trouble.  That's when my life changed.  My children suffered, my wife also suffered as a result of that.  I could not buy them anything or further their education.  Even the little money that I had, has now already been exhausted.  I'm being helped by my cousin at the moment.  
	What disturbs me even most is, I'm asking myself as to why they shot me?  What had I done to them that made me deserve to be shot because I regarded White people as bosses.  To me they were like kings but I was very disappointed to be shot by a White person whom - against whom I had committed no crime.  I do not even know anything about politics.  I'm not very literate.  I don't know anything about politics, as well as political organisations.

MR PURSHOTAM: Do you think that the attack on the bus could possibly be construed as a political attack?

SIPHO JEREMIAH MABASO: I cannot explain anything because I do not know anything about politics.  I grew up in non-political environment, I know nothing about politics.

MR PURSHOTAM: What is your attitude towards the applications for amnesty?

SIPHO JEREMIAH MABASO: I do not see any reason why they should be forgiven.  My soul will never rest if they could be forgiven because I grew up as a peaceful person and throughout I've been a peaceful person so, I do not know what I did to deserve this type of treatment from them.  I was taught never ever to use a knife - a knife was used to carve meat.  I was taught never ever to use a panga, an instrument or any weapon whatsoever.  Now, when I was taught not to use any weapons, how could I get injured from a weapon?
	I do not understand why these three men had to shoot me.  I think they had planned this - it was a well orchestrated thing because it's quite a distance form the place where they got, that is Richard's Bay up to here.  It shows intention.  Now, if I can compare the manner in which they talked in court when they were asked as to why they had shot us, they told the Judge that they were actually shooting at wild animals and they were actually killing wild animals.  And they said they were shooting baboons.  Now the families of those baboons are suffering.  
	Now, I think they deserve to stay in prison, they deserve to be incarcerated so that their families should suffer as much as our families have suffered because when they get out - it is difficult for them in prison, now they want to be reunited with their families.  What about us, what about those died and left their families?  What about the families of the deceased?  What about the children of the deceased?  What about my children, what if I had died, what would have happened to my children?  Who could they have asked forgiveness from had I died?
	I do not see any need whatsoever.  If a person sows mielies, he cannot reap beans.  Now, whatever they are getting, they deserve it.  It is a mistake because the Government did give them a reprieve.  That was a grave mistake, they deserve to have died.  I want them in the very situation that they are in.  What I wish - I do not know whether this wish could be granted - I wish that this Commission as well as my attorney, they could try and find means so that my children could be like other people's children  who are not culprits, who are not robbers.   Because, as old as I am, I've never been a prisoner, I've never been a criminal.

MR PURSHOTAM: Have any of the applicants approached you and asked for forgiveness personally?