Human Rights Violation Hearings — George — 1996-06-18

MR VENA: As I say I went to the doctors, I went to  the lawyers with the aim that they should take steps - serious steps against the Minister  [indistinct] and I laid a civil charge against the Minister.  And I don't know how much the case - how much the lawyer claimed, but I never heard because - and I would like the Commission, this Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate from my doctors about the medical reports -  what happened to them -  did they  give them to Moosa the attorneys Moosa and how far did the case go.
 Because all I notice now is that he wants money for the case 1992 case and I told him that I can't pay  that - that was a 1992 case when my house was broken to by police - the police - they took my TV - they took my car battery - I was at Tygerberg when all this things happened, I  wasn't at home, I was in Tygerberg.  When - when I  came back to my house, my -  my house was broken to, the neighbours told me - even then I  went to Moosa and Moosa took the case and the police were saying that I had - those were stolen things - the lawyer gave me a letter to take to the station commander.
 When I gave the letter to the commanding officer, I  asked the detectives to give me my possessions, but  they - and I also told them that there was money that was missing and my other things were missing and they had confiscated, but they said no I said go back to my lawyer.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much for your statement and everything that you've told me, we have listened to your request, we can't say that they will be met, but we will try - thank you.

MR VENA: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: We have come -  we thank you - all of your for coming and thank the witnesses for testifying.  Please stand - I am sorry I made you stand, Mary Burton wanted to say - maybe sit down for one half a minute.   Don't think I am showing power.

MARY BURTON: Thank you Your Grace, two things, if there are people in the hall who wish to make a statement still to our statement takers, there are people standing at the back of the hall Zine  [indistinct] and Iona  [indistinct]  please give your names to them and we will contact you and make arrangements to take statements from people who still wish to make statements.
 The second thing I would like to say is that you will have noticed that all the people who gave their testimonies today, were people who have come from Oudtshoorn to do so, we would like to thank them and to thank their  friends and supporters and the many people who have come from Oudtshoorn to listen to this day's testimonies.
 We who have been involved in working in this area, in preparation for the day believe that this is a very important day for the Truth Commission because it is an example in many ways of the strength of the resistance against apartheid which was being organised in country towns all over the country and from Oudtshoorn particularly which led and stimulated resistance in other towns in this area.
 And we have heard about the pain and the loss that, that caused, the response from the State and the suffering also of people who were part of the efforts of the State to deal with the resistance.   So we have heard a very important picture of what happened in a very important part of the country.
 As an illustration of 30  people who were on death row in a certain period in 1987, 4 of them came from Oudtshoorn and I think that exemplifies what a critical area this was.  So we thank you all very much indeed for coming to show us that picture of one part of  South Africa at a particular moment in it's history, thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much, I gather I  got to remind you please the headsets, are lethal, if you take them home, they - there is a little man inside who jumps out, please stand - let the witnesses please leave first.