Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Elizabeth — 1996-06-27

MISEKA NANCY NGONGO: He died in November, buried in December yes.
PORT ELIZABETH HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
7 MN NGONGO
 And phones coming frequently and I didn't want to go because I wanted to start in Durban to talk with this - because I was very suspicious about these calls and the kids wanted me to go because they thought they would lose their father's money so I went to Durban the following day.
 And having made contact with the Council of  Churches there in Durban, they took me in touch with Qoinzamlaba, so as I was going out, I saw the newspaper and then I saw an article about people who have been arrested somewhere in Cape Town and I knew this people, because these were the people I used to operate with.
 Because they had been away for some days, and then I just looked at this, then I knew these were the people.  And I left the hotel, rushed to the township and then I phoned, told him Qoinzamlaba that I left the hotel because of the article, but Qoinzamlaba was happy with that decision, so I said to him what shall I do?  These people have been arrested and they will not be able to hide my name because I am their link and they will be hit and they will be forced to confess, so he said I must cross.
 So I said no I couldn't leave the country because my son was still very small, I said no I must go back to Port Elizabeth to fetch my young child so that I could live with him.  So I came back, I said to Qoinzamlaba I am going home now.
 So I phoned PE, I asked one young chap how things were and this young man said, no, you better not come, just wait there.  So I didn't say I would come, so I phoned another house and I called another young man, whose son was surprised at my call and asked - wanted to know who I was?
 This man said she is not here, Zakhikele is not here, 
PORT ELIZABETH HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
8 MN NGONGO
then I was sure that they were arrested.  So I said to the lawyer, I want to go home.  If I go home today, then I am going to get there and go to the Council of Churches.  I will report to the Council of Churches.  If I haven't done that, then you must know that I have been arrested, then you should please help with my child, with Mbulelo and please do follow up this case.
 Then his story about Mbulelo was that when he got  instructions from Lesotho to follow up this case, he looked at the case and he was trying to investigate.  Then after some time he found that it was very difficult and then one day someone came, someone unknown came to his office and Qoinzamlaba didn't want to leave the office and go and meet this person, but eventually he said he went out to see this person outside in the passage and he met this young man and this young man said I am Kaykay, I am not in detention.
 Kaykay is this Mbulelo, that was his name, MK name, he said I am not in detention.  Then I looked at this man, I said no, I said can you describe this person and I had a photo of Mbulelo, I said, now describe this Kaykay.  Qoinzamlaba described this person.  He said this person is thickly set, lightish in complexion.
 I had the photo, Mbulelo's photo, I said is it the same as this person, he said no, it is not this person.  I said no this is my son.  He said no, I tried to confirm in Lesotho, I described this person to the cadres in Lesotho and they said no, that's not Mbulelo.
 It was clear that it was part of the strategy of the Boers that was what Qoinzamlaba was saying, but he said he would follow up this case.  I've been to Booi, because that is another lawyer here.  Attorney Booi this side, Booi
PORT ELIZABETH HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
9 MN NGONGO
Majudina.
 So I said to Qoinzamlaba, I am going home.  I just want to emphasise that you go ahead with this case, even if you don't see me but when you ever think of me think of this case, because if ever I am arrested, I have no hope that I will survive because these Boers have long been looking for me.
 So I left Durban, they took me to the station, taken by Qoinzamlaba's wife.  At the station something happened which was a clear indication that they were looking for me.  They asked for our passports, yet normally no passports are asked for at the station, so when this happened, I realised but I was prepared, I had a fake passport with me.
 But the Commission here, she is trying to stop me, she thinks I am deviating.  I was having a fake passport and then I produced this to this bus people and they looked at it and then they let me in until I got to PE, but then it is your day, it is your day because I just spent one night.
 This one is in Lesotho, there are things that I may miss, that's why I wanted her to be here.  So I came in PE, spent a night, the following morning I felt like, let me go to this labour issue, because that same morning the phone cam again.
 Mr Nebe was the one who was working with my husband, because my husband used to work there before he died.  So I was hopeful because maybe they were calling me.  I was hopeful that he was going to do something for me, because my husband was his former colleague.
 And that's what he was saying on the phone also to my daughter who used to answer the phone, so I decided I was going to - so I said to my daughter, let's go and my 
PORT ELIZABETH HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
10 MN NGONGO
daughter said, no, I am scared.  So I said, okay, I will go alone.
 So I went to the labour office.  When I got there I looked for this man, he was exited when he saw me.  Oh, Mrs Ngongo, we've been waiting for you, what's, why did you disappear for so long?  Take a seat here and then I said at this labour office and he told me stories and then one Boer came, Vorster, that is his name.
 He also came to confirm that it was me.  Another Boer was working with my husband, ran away.  I got suspicious, but I had no way, I couldn't go out because these Tsaka's were milling around the building and I had not seen the police, so I said to Nebe, man, I think you should release me, I will come back tomorrow, but I decided that I would leave.
 But they knew I could run.

UNKNOWN: What did Nebe said about the real reason for his phone?