Human Rights Violation Hearings — Empangeni — 1996-11-06

MRS SHANDU: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Okay, but the incident about which you have come to tell us, in fact, was not from this area, it relates to the shooting of your son, Kumbulani, which took place at Isipingo.  Is that right?

MRS SHANDU: It took place at Isipingo.

CHAIRPERSON: Right, now, before you tell your story, Mrs Shandu, can you stand up to take the oath, please.

NOMUSA SHANDU: (Sworn states) (Through Interpreter)

CHAIRPERSON: Dr Mgojo will help you now.

KHOZA MGOJO: Good morning, Mrs Shandu.  You were staying at Isipingo before?

WITNESS:   I was staying at Makuthu Location.

KHOZA MGOJO:  How long did you stay at Makuthu?

WITNESS:   I started staying in Makuthu in 1960.  I stayed there from 1960 to 1990.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Now, we would like you to draw us a picture of your family.  Tell us if you have a husband and, if you have children, how many children, if your husband is still alive.

WITNESS:   My husband died in 1973.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What about children?

WITNESS:   I had eight children.

KHOZA MGOJO:  And how many do you have?

WITNESS:   I only have three now.  I had eight.  Now I'm left with three.

KHOZA MGOJO:  How many died or were injured?

WITNESS:   Seven.  Now, I'm including my grandchildren.  Only five of my children died, plus two of my grandchildren.  Five of my children were killed and two of my grandchildren were also killed.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Now, these five - I'm sorry, I meant three - how old are they?

WITNESS:   My son was born in 1969, January 1st.  His name is Sipho Shandu.  And then my daughter, who is my first-born, she was born in 1956, June 14th.  Her name is Gertrude.  And I also have another son.  His name is Jubulani.  He was born in 1973, July.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Where is Sipho now?

WITNESS:   He is in Johannesburg.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Is he working there?

WITNESS:   No, he left home to look for a job in Johannesburg.  He hasn't yet found one.  He matriculated.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What about Gertrude?

WITNESS:   Gertrude is sickly.  She's got a heart disease and she is from an operation, heart operation, from Ndwedwe Hospital.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What caused her heart disease?

WITNESS:   No, she had this heart disease long before this incident.  It just got worse after the incident.  She is now staying in Durban to be nearer the hospital.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What about Jabulani?

WITNESS:   Jabulani is at home.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What is he doing?

WITNESS:   He is not doing anything because he was disturbed after the incident that happened in my house.  He went to school up until standard 6 and he got disturbed because they used to stop him on his way to school and beat him a lot.  So everyone in my family got disturbed mentally.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What was happening at Makhutu area when this incident happened to your house?  Let me just ask this first.  Were you belonging to any organization or political organization?

WITNESS:   No, my sons were very scared.  They told me they were scared of joining any political organization.  I am the one who joined Inkatha long time ago when these Inkatha started happening.  My kids were still very young at that time.  So when they grew up Inkatha was there, but they refused to join Inkatha.  They refused to join any political organization.

KHOZA MGOJO:  So they decided not to join any organization?  So, in other words they were not affiliated with any organization?

WITNESS:   Yes, they were not.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Now, tell us more about Kumbulani Shandu's death, who was killed on the 14th March 1990 and Bethwell and Mfiki, Linda, Zipporah, Primrose and Thulile died on the 20th July 1990.  Now start relating to us as to what happened when Kumbulani was killed.

WITNESS:   Kumbulani was a taxi driver at Isipingo.  He was driving from Khanyisele to Umbumbulu or Umbumbulu to Khanyisele.  One day he took people from Khanyisele to Umbumbulu and he stopped at the taxi rank and people came.  They stopped the taxi.  He stopped the taxi and these people came inside the taxi.  As he was driving, other people came and they started shooting at the taxi and those people who were inside opened the windows and they kept on shooting.  He asked them what was going on and they told him that, "We were fighting where we were coming from", and now he decided to drive the taxi.

KHOZA MGOJO:  In other words, those people who stopped the taxi were fighting?

WITNESS:   Yes, and those people who they were fighting with followed them and they kept on shooting.  Now they've decided to kill him because they said he ran away with the people who were killing them.  After he went and drove those people wherever they were going and he came back, he discovered that they have told other drivers that they were going to kill him because he got away with the people who were killing them and the taxi drivers told him that he must give them the car and he must run away, because those people were definitely going to kill him, and he did that and afterwards I received a message from his girlfriend.  It was after two days, because I thought maybe he slept over at the taxi owner's house, but then his girlfriend came to my house and she told me that she received a message that he had run away because people were going to kill him, and his girlfriend said they mustn't tell me, because I was going to be worried, because he used to tell his girlfriend that he doesn't like me to hear sad things because afterwards I get sick, and his brother said, "We can't.  We have to tell our mother", and they told me.  They decided to tell me.  I stayed at home and I was waiting that I will hear any time that they've killed him.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Please take your time, Mrs Shandu.

WITNESS:   In the evening when I came back from work I found out my kids were not all there and I asked where was Ntombi and her sister said, "She's gone to town at Isipingo".  I asked, "Why, this late?  What is she going to buy at this time?", and her sister said, "I didn't ask her".  I decided to keep quiet.  Not very long she came back.  I was drinking my tea at that time, sitting in my bedroom.  She opened the door and then she went away.  I wanted to shout at her why was she doing that, why was she peeping and then leaving just like that, and I decided to keep quiet.  I finished drinking my tea.  She came back.  She took the cups and she went to the kitchen.   Was it Ntombi?   ---   Yes, it was Ntombi, the one who went to town at Isipingo.  And then she came back.  She said to her sister, "Would you please ask Mom to come to the dining room", and then she came, she asked me.  I went there, because I thought maybe someone was there, looking for me.  When I arrived there I found her kneeling down and then she said to her sister, "Please give Mom a blanket", and then I said to her, "Why?  Why must she do that?  Did they kill my child?", and then she kept quiet and then I collapsed.  I don't know what happened afterwards.  Then people came to my house to give me support and comfort and they told me that my child has been killed at Isipingo.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Did they tell you who killed your child?

WITNESS:   They said he was killed by a group of people, because he left home and he said he was going to buy a certain part for his car.  I never knew who killed my son.  Up until today I don't know who killed him.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Do think these people who killed your child belonged to any political organization?

WITNESS:   No, we don't think so.  We think these people who killed him were the same people who promised to kill him.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What collection or group of people were those?

WITNESS:   They were ANC people.

KHOZA MGOJO:  And they were fighting with who?

WITNESS:   With Inkatha supporters.

KHOZA MGOJO:  And these Inkatha people came running to your son's taxi?

WITNESS:   Yes.

KHOZA MGOJO:  And then they started shooting at each other?