Human Rights Violation Hearings — Soweto — 1996-07-24

LALOO CHIBA: The date actually was the 17th of April 1963, that was the date of the arrest.  Those who were arrested were Comradie Viji Vania, Abdulay - not Abdulay, Inglis Naidoo, Serius Nanabay, that were members of his unit.  They were arrested at the actual site of the planned act of sabotage.  The other two that were arrested were Abdulay Jassat and myself.  We were arrested at three am in the morning.  We were arrested at home actually.  Their arrest
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actually led to our arrest subsequently.
 So on the 17th of April we were taken to Marshall Square.  There, of course, I found Comradie Viji Vadia. I must say that I was shocked at the state he was in.  He had been very badly assaulted.  His ribs had been smashed.  His shoulder had been broken.  His face was badly bruised.   Inglis Naidoo, he had been shot at the site in his upper chest.  So that was the condition. From what I could gather, at that point in time, he had received no medical treatment whatsoever.
 We were kept at Marshall Square the whole day and only the following morning we were actually taken to railway headquarters, because the planned act of sabotage had actually taken place on railway property.  
 We were all placed in a room and we were then called in by one by one for questioning.  Viji - Nanabaya was called first. He came back.  Inglis was called, then Viji and then Abdulay Jassat and I was called in last for questioning, just towards early evening.
 When I entered the room I found approximately eight or nine White males, amongst them were Maj Brits from the Railway Police. There was Lieut Van Wyk from the special branch.  There was Rooi Koos Swanepoel, also from the special branch, and as soon as I entered, those three actually left.  So there were about five or six people who were actually present in the room.
 They started assaulting me, punched me, kicked me and in the process my face was badly bruised.  My left ear-drum had been punctured.  They wanted to know who my contact was in MK.  They wanted to know the next link in the chain of command.  I pleaded ignorance. I told them that I didn't know anything. I told them that actually there must be some 
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sort of a serious mistake that they were making on their part.  
 The assault must have lasted half-an-hour or so. It is very, very difficult for me to assess the passage of time under these circumstances.  But what was to follow was far more serious than the assault that had taken place.
 From behind someone threw a sack, a wet hessian sack over my body so that half my body was covered and I was partially strait-jacketed. I was then flung onto the floor.  My shoes and socks were removed and I could feel electric wires being tied to my toes, to my fingers, my knuckles and so on.  
 They wanted to know who my contact was.  To them that was a very crucial issue.  I pleaded ignorance.  I told them that I did not know.  Every time I resisted answering the questions, they turned on the dynamo and of course, violent electric shocks started passing through my body.  They did so every time I refused to answer.  All I could do was to scream out in pain.  I could only scream and scream and plead ignorance.
 Again, it is very difficult for me how this entire process, how long this entire process lasted.  But I must say that it could have gone on for an hour and a half or even maybe two hours.  
 After the electric torture was over, I was unable to walk, I collapsed.  They then carried me out.  They bundled me into a car, where my other comrades were, and we were then all taken back to Marshall Square.
 At this point in time I think it is necessary for me to say that I was rather pleased with myself at the fact that I had not divulged any information whatsoever.  I feel proud SOWETO HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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of that fact.  To deny the enemy the information that they so dearly wanted, was something that I felt good about.
 At the same time ... (Pause) ...

YASMINE SOOKA: You can take your time, it is okay.

LALOO CHIBA: Yes.  At the same time I think I must say something. I had screamed out in pain, I had pleaded for mercy from an enemy, a people's enemy, I had asked them to stop torturing me. I had given them the pleasure of listening to my screams and it is something that haunts me up till today.  As I repeat this here, I feel a deep sense of shame for the shortcoming. I don't think that a revolutionary should actually give the enemy the pleasure of listening to one's screams. I think I failed in that respect. I hope that you people understand that.  It haunts me up until today, and I don't think that I can ever come to terms with that. Anyway ...
 I think I will take a glass of water.

YASMINE SOOKA: Take your time there.  Are those ear-phones uncomfortable?