Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pietermaritzburg — UNKNOWN

WITNESS:   Yes, I was in hospital.  After I got my tablets she called me and said, "Come this way." Who was calling you?   ---   This woman who was guarding me.  And they took me and put me into a van and they took - this police from Hlani, and they took me to Hlani, and they told me, "As you are here we're going to take you and lock at your police station at Howick."  I asked them, "Since you are arresting me what have I done?"  They said, "We don't know anything.  As police we work together.  You'll hear as soon as you arrive from the police in your place."  I stayed there.  We arrived at about half past three and they took me to Howick.  The one that I remember well was Nene.  There was another white policeman.  It was very cold.  In the car in which there was the rain could even come inside, and I have to sit there burning and I couldn't walk, and the rain could get into the rain(?), and the way they were driving they were driving so carelessly, like I was banging around the car.  When I arrived at Howick ... (inaudible) ... tablets and some medication ... (incomplete - end of Side B, Tape 1) ... and everything that I had.  I told them that the doctor said I must come back on Wednesdays, and I must also use the tablets.  They said they are not concerned with that.  Why did the doctors tell them how they were going to go back(?).  I was so afraid, and there were so many police there.  The way they were looking at me, and then I just became so tense and afraid.  Then they took me on Friday and locked me.  I stayed there, and then the following Friday I was released.  For three days I couldn't eat.  They told me that there is no food.  The day on which they brought me some food they put me some food which has epsom salt, and I didn't eat.  When they come and they ask, "Why aren't you eating?" and I was so

MR LYSTER: /afraid to

MR LYSTER: afraod to answer them.  I was staying alone in solitary confinement.  This porridge that I ate like disorganised my stomach, I have to run now and then to the toilet.  And then they came the next day and say like I am causing trouble because I always run to the toilet, the others can't sleep.  I live that life until some other people were arrested together.  They came to stay with me.  They just stayed for about two days.  I stayed for a week myself, because I was released on the other Friday.  I stayed there on Thursday.  On Friday they took me to court to the Magistrate.  When I arrived there they didn't charge me with anything.  They told me that my case is postponed and they gave me a date, and they said they need bail money.  By that time we have got lawyers from the UDF and they paid the bail.

MR LYSTER: Do you remember how much was the bail?

WITNESS:   I am not sure about the amount.

MR LYSTER: Continue.

WITNESS:   And then the case continued until the others were got out, and they would keep on postponing the case - about four times.  By that time the police were not harassing us, the time we were just attending the court.  I didn't have any problems.  After the case was over and we were found not guilty they told us if we want to lay a charge against the police who shot us we can do so, because we were found not guilty.  There, that's where the harassment started, especially me, because I was by that time studying at high school.  They could find me any time they want to.  In the first place they came in the morning, just after the morning service, and they told me that they need me on the other side, and when I arrived there I found that there was no one waiting for me, the people looking for me.  I saw a kombi and they said - some people saw me and they said, "Come here.  Are you so-and-so?"  And then these were men, and I haven't seen them before.  They asked me, "Are you feeling well?  Are you studying well?"  I said, "Yes," and they asked me, "How are you healing?"  I said them, "No, it's coming on, but I still have some problems because I have been stitched, and some of them were inside.  Sometimes it's not so easy for the wound to heal."

MR LYSTER: Were these men dressed in uniform?

WITNESS:   No, they were not in uniform.

MR LYSTER: The car in which they were travelling, have you ever seen it before?

WITNESS:   No, it was my first time.  It doesn't even have a numberplate.

MR LYSTER: They looked at me after asking me about that and I left.  They said, "Go," and I left.  When I arrived in my class I will find my teacher, Mr Mlangeni, ask me, "Where are you coming from?" and I told him.  And even him, the way he perceived me it seemed as if he thought I know the people, and he sort of like tried to pass some strong words and I started to cry.  I stayed and I didn't finish a week before the police came back, and they were dressed in uniform and they called me again.  And they took me and put me into the van.  I asked them, "Do my teachers know as you are taking me away?"   And they said, "Yes, we had already talked to them," and then we went off.  They took me to another farm.  When I arrived at the farm ... (intervention)

MR LYSTER: What is the name of it?

WITNESS:   It's called KwaGobora, the name of the farm.

MR LYSTER: Do you know the owner of the farm?

WITNESS:   No, I don't know.  When I arrived at the place they took me off.  It's so far, because it's far away from the farm itself and also from the location.   And they asked me, "Who were those people you were toyi-toying together with at that night?" and I said to them, "I don't know them."  They said, "No, you know.  Do you know Boy Ndlela?"  I said, "Yes, I know him, but I didn't see him at that day."  They asked me about so many people, and I said, "I didn't see them."  They said, "You didn't see them, but do you know them?"   I said, "Yes, I know them."  And one of them pulled me by my ear and he sort of like pulled me and hit me on the van.  I hit the van with my head and he said, "I want you to tell us the name of the people with whom you were toyi-toying."  I said, "Maybe during the day.  It was during the night.  I couldn't see them.  I don't know them."  And the other one asked me, "Are you old or still young?"  Another one said, "We're going to beat you until you tell us the truth, to tell exactly who were those people you were toyi-toying together at night?"   I said, "No, I don't know the people I was toyi-toying with at night."  And they took me back to school.  They didn't leave me exactly at school, they just left me - there is a road which branches to school, and they just leave me outside there.  I went to report to the principal.

MR LYSTER: Can I ask you a question?  This harassment, how long did it continue?

WITNESS:   It continued for a long time up to the extent where I have to leave school.

MR LYSTER: After leaving school did anything happen?

WITNESS:   Yes.  After that they continued to harass me after leaving school.  It was - they were able to sort of come and pick me up from my parents like just as they used to do at school.

MR LYSTER: I would like to go back.  You were about 13 years old at that time and now you are 24 years old.  Are you working or have you been able to continue with your studies?

WITNESS:   No, I couldn't continue with my studies because my parents were then old, and even the place where they stitched they used to sort of like - I have to be stitched now and then because - and I couldn't go to school well and my life started going worse.

MR LYSTER: The name of your child's name is?

WITNESS:   Lindakuhle.

MR LYSTER: Does she go to school?

WITNESS:   Yes, she is going to school.

MR LYSTER: Who is paying for her school fees?

WITNESS:   My parents.

MR LYSTER: You have told us that you would like to go back to school.

WITNESS:   Yes, I would like to go back to school.

MR LYSTER: Up to what standard did you study?

WITNESS:   I dropped out from school from standard seven.