Amnesty Hearings — East London — 1998-04-17

FANA NDODA: He was not inside, it is the child that was in the front.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Did you realise, when you were running, that he has been shot, when you ran away with your colleague?

FANA NDODA: When we jumped from the truck I just thought I should look backwards, just a glance, I just saw blood and I knew that he had been shot.  We then really started running away.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Just to follow up Mr Chairman, that's the last one.
	Where was he in relation to the truck then, when you saw that something red in his stomach at he put it, that is ...[intervention]

CHAIRPERSON: He just said he saw blood, he didn't say it was on his stomach as I recollect.

MR MBANDAZAYO: He pointed.

CHAIRPERSON: Oh, he pointed.

MR MBANDAZAYO: He pointed Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Well, put that onto the record.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you Mr Chairman.  The witness pointed to this area, the stomach Mr Chairman.
	Can you tell us Mr Ndoda, where was he in relation to the truck when you saw that he had blood?  Or let me lead you, was he in the front of the truck or was he almost in the middle or almost at the back of the truck, can you remember?

FANA NDODA: The truck was facing this way, this is my left, this is my right, he was on this side.

INTERPRETER: The interpreter cannot see as the witness is illustrating.

FANA NDODA: What do you want to know, do you know whether he was at the front or backwards?  He was around the middle of the truck.  He was not at the front.

MR MBANDAZAYO: Thank you Mr Chairman.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR MBANDAZAYO

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Botma?

MR BOTMA: Just one aspect I want to get some clarity on.
	From the time the truck left till the time the police van arrived, did you see any other vehicles on that road, travelling on that road?

FANA NDODA: No.

MR BOTMA: Thank you Mr Chairman.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR BOTMA

CHAIRPERSON: Re-examination?

MR PRIOR: I have no re-examination thank you Mr Chairman.
NO RE-EXAMINATION BY MR PRIOR

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.
WITNESS EXCUSED

MR PRIOR: Mr Chairman, may both Mr Manjibani and Mr Ndoda be excused from further attendance?  They come from the Elliot area, they've been here for four days, unless they're required?

CHAIRPERSON: I hope they've been accommodated suitably.

MR PRIOR: Yes, Mr Chairman, they have.  Mr Chairman I notice - given the lateness of the hour, it's now five past four, it doesn't seem that we'll serve any purpose by calling a further witness who seems that it might take some time, Mr Pangele, the policeman who attended the scene where Donnie Meyers was found.  He'll give evidence regarding the photographs and the observation of the scene.  May I propose then that the matter be adjourned as we arranged or discussed in chambers?

CHAIRPERSON: When he comes to give evidence, will other photographs be made available?

MR PRIOR: Yes, I understand there are other photographs.  The bundle that was put together was a selection simply for background for the Committee but I understand there were far
more photographs than ...[intervention]

CHAIRPERSON: Well what we have got is simply photographs of the body.

MR PRIOR: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: There are numerous other photographs, well about eight other photographs showing the scenery, views from various distances, which I think might be helpful for those of us who have not seen the scene, to ...[intervention]

MR PRIOR: Yes, Mr Chairman, I'll attend to that.  I'll put a proper bundle together with ...[intervention]

CHAIRPERSON: Well I think you have been given the photographs and the file covers are with the photographs, it's all there for you.

MR PRIOR: Oh, that's lovely, thank you Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: And we can get the necessary ...[intervention]

MR PRIOR: Mr Chairman yes, I've discussed the matter also with Mr Botma who will then lead Mrs Meyers' - sorry, let me not anticipate who he is going to call but I imagine that Mrs Meyers will be called but before that happens I have Mr Mphangele at least, as well as the district surgeon who conducted the postmortem report on Donnie.

CHAIRPERSON: It struck me also that it might be of some assistance at arriving at a clearer picture if evidence could be led
perhaps from some of the locals as to how often Mr Meyers did 
visit this particular village to sell milk, whether it was a regular feature or whether it was something that only happened on a most irregular basis.

MR PRIOR: Yes, I did have a sort of statement of indication from the Mayor of Nxobo, Mr Titus at the time, who had expressed some interest in the matter but I'll certainly follow that up on behalf of the Committee Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  I would like to thank everybody who have waited so long and so patiently and regret that we have not been able to conclude the hearing of this application at this sitting.  We now have to go on to work elsewhere and this matter will have to be adjourned until the 25th of May at the same place.
	I would also like to suggest - I don't know if everybody here is a victim or have merely come out of interest but if they are interested in coming to the adjourned hearing then they should give their names to Mr Prior now and he will tell them on what day it is likely to be held because we are adjourning it until the week commencing on the 25th.
	There are a number of other matters that have been adjourned to that week, so it may be that this matter does not get heard till Wednesday or something and to save you coming here on the Monday and having to wait day after day, if you give Mr 
Prior your name and address, contact address, he can give you 
notice.

MR PRIOR: Thank you Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: We will now adjourn, well we'll now conclude this hearing.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS UNTIL 25TH MAY 1998