Human Rights Violation Hearings — Nelspruit — 1996-09-04

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: Yes, they are the ones that went to jail.

MR LEWIN: Then could I, the one puzzling thing which you can explain to us, you mention in your statement that the meeting was called by the comrades, or whom you call the alleged comrades, to discuss the problem of withcraft. Now this is something which is usually associated with women not with men. Could you explain why it was that your husband and the two others were actually accused of withcraft, and what do you think what was behind the accusation?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: My husband was a farmer, he used to farm. He used to get agricultural products.  The question why my husband was successful, he must be killed because he is a witch.

MR LEWIN: But could I ask, did they say that he was
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successful because he was a witch or did the witchcraft come out of something else?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: I didn't see the results of witchcraft. What I know he was a farmer, he was working very hard.  What I know is that I didn't see anything relating to witchcraft.

MR LEWIN: And these other two, Mr Mabela James and Mr Sibose who were also killed at the same time, were they also farmers?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: They were also farmers, Mr Sibose was also a farmer, he was busy gardening and also had farms, they were all farmers.

MR LEWIN: And were they also successful farmers?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: Yes, they were successful. Mr Sibose was next to the, was farming next to the river, he was just there quite busy.

MR LEWIN: I mean you would not have called your husband a witch?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: We were surprised why they say they are witches, because they were farmers. My husband was selling the goods and was new in his farm.

MR LEWIN: So when they were taken to the Mhlaba primary school, your husband and these other two, was there any sort of a trial by the comrades?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: There wasn't any case, they did not lay any charge against them. They did not even enquire anything to them. They did not even explain what they sought. They just took them to the meeting to kill them.

MR LEWIN: So when your husband said if I am guilty, let him set me alight, he says I am guilty. What do you think he was referring there to, of guilt?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: He meant because he was innocent.
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MR LEWIN: And what do you think they found that he was guilty of?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: I think it was because he was a farmer, that's why he was guilty as far as the committee is concerned, because they were not in committee with them, he was not a match.

MR LEWIN: And then at the, you mentioned the post-mortem after the bodies were taken to the Komatipoor police station.  What was the result of the post-mortem, what did they find?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: They were burnt.  The death certificate, we do have them, it is recorded there that they were burnt, even the insides were burnt, you could not see them.

MR LEWIN: And then at the funeral when you say people were told not to come to the funeral, were they told by the same people who had carried out the burning?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: They were told by the very same comrades. Those who used to go and announce and tell people not to attend the funeral.  Although people wanted they were intimidated, they could not attend it because they submitted they might also be killed. They also thought that when they attended they are going to be killed.

MR LEWIN: And have you been able to carry on with farming since that time?  What have you been doing the last 10 years?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: I am not working, I didn't.

MR LEWIN: How have you managed to keep your nine children alive?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: The social workers used to help me, they give me anything special, but when I sent the children to school the social workers can no longer assist me. I even fail to
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pay at that time.  What I enjoy at home is food from the social workers.

MR LEWIN: And could I ask if you know of any similar incident which took place around you at that time? We are talking about 1985/1986.

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: I don't know.

MR LEWIN: Mrs Mthethwa, you have told us with very great courage about what happened.  How do you feel now? Ten years later, how do you feel?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: I feel I am suffering now. I feel I am suffering, because I am wondering here if the social workers are not helping me, it is very difficult.  I do not have the correct home, no more to build for me.  I have very much hatred.

MR LEWIN: And what about the people who are now still around that you know were responsible? How do you feel about them?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: I have got, it is very difficult, I don't know, I just look at them.  I just look at them.

MR LEWIN: But they don't threaten you now?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: No, they do not threaten me.

MR LEWIN: Because I think it has taken great courage for you to come and tell us the story and I think that some of the other commissioners might like to ask you other questions.  But I would like to thank you.  Thank you very much.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Malan?

MR MALAN: Mrs Mthethwa, you say that the people that called the meeting on witchcraft consisted of a group of men and older boys.  Were any of the men found?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: I really can't say, because when they come to NELSPRUIT HEARING TRC/MPUMALANGA
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our house I was also afraid. I didn't concentrate on them, I was also afraid, I was very much afraid.

MR MALAN: So you don't remember who they were?  These men.

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: Those who were sent to prison?  The meeting was convened by the boys, the comrades.  Those are who invited all the people to come.

MR MALAN: The three that went to prison, were they comrades or were they some of the older men?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: They were comrades.

MR MALAN: What did they perceive to be the problem?  If they accused somebody of witchcraft, usually they experience some problems themselves. What was their problem?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: They were fighting for their parents, because they were (indistinct), because my husband was a successful farmer.

MR MALAN: And their parents were unsuccessful. Is that what you are saying?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: That's as far as my opinion is concerned.  I imagine that is why my husband and the three were killed.

MR MALAN: Thank you.  That to me explains something.  Can you tell me about the comrades, the group of comrades at the time.  What was their activity, what was their organisation's activity, what did they do or did they just call themselves comrades?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: They used to call them comrades.

MR MALAN: What did they do in the township or in the area at Bosfontein?

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: When this thing started, it started with us.  They turn to the whites to come and intervene, because these things go together, if the whites did not come and intervene, it was just the comrades in our area, then they
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were taken to jail.

MR MALAN: Mrs Mthethwa, thank you very much.  It was a terrible experience and I am sure you are reliving that every day. There is really nothing I can say but it is a horrible story and thank you for sharing that, we know, it must have been painful.  Thank you, madam Chair.

MS MKHIZE: Thank you.  (Not translated).

BEAUTY MKHAJWA MTHETHWA: Usually there used to be a meeting, usually those who had intended to attend that meeting.

MS MKHIZE: Is it possible that because your husband distanced himself from these meetings that it caused some discontent with these people?