Human Rights Violation Hearings — Bisho — 1996-11-19

MR POTGIETER: We will go to Mr Duda.  I will ask Tiny Maya to assist you.  Can we get some order please.  Can you settle down.  Thank you.  Tiny proceed.

MS MAYA: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  Mr Duda you are going to talk on behalf of yourself telling us how you were injured on the 7th of September 1992.  Could you briefly tell us your story Sir.

MR DUDA: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  Thank you for this opportunity that you have given me, for me to be here today.  I thank the Commission for giving me the opportunity to talk about what I saw on the 7th of September 1992.
 We had a march that was emanating from King Williamstown, Victoria grounds.  We were going to Bisho.  It was at about 11 o'clock.  We went up using the main road towards King Williamstown to Bisho. On the way to King Williamstown on the sides there were police and soldiers of the Republic of South Africa.  I realised that they were guarding the White man's houses.  We walked on as a crowd.  When we were going towards Bisho I looked at my right side next to the Parliament and I saw Ciskean soldiers with arms.  We then walked on, and as I looked at the gravel road that was going towards the stadium I heard a sound that sounded like fireworks.  I was shocked and amazed as to what was happening.  I asked a comrade next to me, I said can you hear comrade what is happening?   He said, yes I can hear it.  What is it?  I looked at the stadium and I saw people falling.  It was almost like it is the stadium that is falling over.  There was a  ...(tape ends)   I tried to get up and I realised that my left leg would not cooperate.  I looked at it and it was swollen.  I had been shot at the knee.  I looked at my right hand.  I sensed something and I 
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just saw a muscle hanging, bleeding.  I tried to get up yet again, but my leg would not allow me.  I called out to the comrades to help me.  As I was crying out another bullet was shot next to my head and I thought maybe I should just stay there.  I cried out, four comrades came towards me running.  Bullets were just being shot sporadically.  I cried out still because they left me there.  Six more came, they grabbed me and ran, there was a van parking on the tar road that was helping injured people.  They put me onto the bakkie. I was just so helpless, my strength was evading me.  
 When we got to the Grey Hospital it was just bloodshed everywhere.  People were lying on the floor on chairs.  We were helped initially.  I was put on a drip and the others as well. Those that were injured badly were taken to the hospital.  
 From Grey Hospital I got into an ambulance, it was two of us, another comrade that had been shot in the forehead, there was a big hole, bullet wound on the forehead.  The ambulance attendants tried to find out who it was.  He could not even speak.  They asked for his details, they could not get that from him.  He was too badly injured. 
 We were taken to Frere Hospital.  I was taken to theatre.   I was in theatre until 3 a.m.  The next day it was clear that I was very ill.  I was taken to an intensive care ward.  I was given oxygen.  I thought that I was dying.  I was given treatment and things were better.

MS MAYA: How long were you in hospital for?

MR DUDA: I was there for two months, and I was released on the third month.

MS MAYA: How did this affect your work, were you able to
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go back to your workplace?

MR DUDA: My blood pressure went up when I was in hospital and also sugar diabetes.  I had to be treated in hospital.  After then I was released from hospital I could not go back to work because of my health.  To this day I am not working.  I still go to hospital for treatment.  Every month I have to get some treatment.

MS MAYA: As you are not working how do you support your family and yourself?

MR DUDA: I applied for a disability grant and I got that.  I have five children.  The problem is that I have a child who is at university, Rhodes University.  The other two are in high school. I have another who has matric and is working temporarily at the taxis, will the Commission help me with my children please.  I have that problem.

MS MAYA: Did you get any kind of help from the lawyers?

MR DUDA: Yes I went to the attorneys Smith and Tabatha, they accepted my case because I was ill the whole of 1992 I could not walk.  In 1993 I put in a claim.  The attorneys said it was a bit late but they will try.  I then would go to them regularly.  Eventually they said that my case is being attended to in Pretoria by the Minister, they had taken my case to the Minister of Justice in Pretoria and they are waiting for a reply.

MS MAYA: Are you still waiting for a reply?

MR DUDA: Yes, to this day, they are still waiting for a reply.

MS MAYA: Are you now well?

MR DUDA: No I am not fully well because I can't walk for a long distance.  I can't walk for example from here to Free State on foot, because I was shot in the knee and the bullet EAST LONDON HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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just dissipated in my knee.  This is why I cannot do a thing  The bullet that entered my arm is still there. The doctors say that if they would remove it my hand would be paralysed and I won't be able to use my fingers.

MS MAYA: Do you have a wish or a request that you would like to present to the Commission?

MR DUDA: Yes I do.  I request that the Commission to ask Gqozo why people's blood was shed there where it was?  Why the Black man's blood, us children, why their bones are at Ginsberg's burial place.  I ask also the Commission that you cannot have mercy on the perpetrators of violence and this filth, they must be prosecuted.  Thank you Mr Chairman.

MS MAYA: You have another request in your statement to be helped, to help your children's education, is that so?

MR DUDA: Yes it is so.

MS MAYA: You also said that you still go to hospital for treatment, is that all you have to say Mr Duda?

MR DUDA: Yes that is all.   I hope tht the Commission will help me because every month I have to go to the doctor.  Also it is difficult for me to educate my children.

MS MAYA: Thank you very much.  I hand you back to the Chairperson.