Human Rights Violation Hearings — George — 1996-06-18

MR MARENENE: On my return we were in court in Cape Town and then I was asked to identify those people I had seen, Desmond Majola had already identified him, when - at the stadium in our township and he said he was not going to jail alone, so he revealed the other two.
 When I came back from school I came to find that there were others that were not arrested.

MS SEROKE: In the papers we have here it is  said that these people were sentenced but they  escaped being hanged, they were given five years all three of  them.

MR MARENENE: In my knowledge they served three years.

MS SEROKE: If you can meet them now,  are you happy that they've spent these years in jail or are you still - do you still need something to be done to them?

MR MARENENE: I  [indistinct] what has happened, I  gave it  to God, I just gave them to him, he is the only one who knows.  Even here in the location I do meet Desmond Majola and the others, I  talk with them, make chats, what happened I don't - I never kept it, what I  really long for is that I  can't loose my father's house that stays that Mbele now.

MS SEROKE: Would you like us to pursue that thing of the house and you will be clear for who is the house belong too.

MR MARENENE: I can be happy if the matter of the house can be investigated, because I can't suffer having no shelter and yet my father's house is there with that Mbele in.

MS SEROKE: Where are your brothers and sisters that you have mentioned in your statement?

MR MARENENE: I do have sisters and they are in the house.

MS SEROKE: Are they all with you with this thing?

MR MARENENE: Yes we are.

MS SEROKE: But as you have listened the whole day as we have started in the morning, do you really know and realise that the situation there was very painful - people were getting into conflicts fighting one another because of the white people and the past regime.  
This anger was caused by the past regime, do you realise that Benedict?

MR MARENENE: Yes I do understand.

MS SEROKE: Thank you.

MR MARENENE: What I would like you to do for me is to investigate about the house, because I cannot suffer moving up and down even now I am staying in my grandfather's house if he sons can come back - I can't just - I  can't stand and say  now I won't move here because it's not my house, it's my grandfathers house and they belong to it, they can take me out anytime.

MS SEROKE: We promise you that we will make an investigation, but we don't promise that we will solve it, but the investigation will be done.

MR MARENENE: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you - any questions - any further questions - Mary Burton.

MARY BURTON: We spoke a little earlier about the fact that you have referred to the people who have been convicted for the killing of your father - we want to point out that all those people have been convicted and sentenced - they have been convicted and imprisoned and some of them I think have completed their sentence and are now once again members of society.
 So in - arising out of this - your coming to the Truth Commission there will be no  further implications for them.  If they wish to come forward and tell us anything they are very welcome to do so, but the naming of them before the Truth Commission won't lead to  further action or  investigation from the Truth Commission's side.

CHAIRPERSON: Russell Ally.

RUSSELL ALLY: At the time when your father was killed, he was still a community councillor not so?

MR MARENENE: [indistinct]

RUSSELL ALLY: And did the State do anything given that he was in their employ, the Government did they provide any assistance or -  after your father's death?

MR MARENENE: I can say anyone who will know about the rights of my  father that came from the Government it's  [indistinct] while I was asking her, that while my father was a community and - community councillor and working for the Government, what did the Government gave to him, what was the remuneration and he worked for the Government.
 My mother didn't answer me, she said I must leave the past - she said that the past will make you remember about the thing that had happened before.

RUSSELL ALLY: [indistinct] by the Government when he was killed - do you know anything about that?

MR MARENENE: I know nothing about that.

RUSSELL ALLY: In your statement you say that the Government sent you to a school and paid for education, want  that one way of compensating or were they just taking you away for  safety?

MR MARENENE: Yes they were just taking me away from the people, so that I should be removed from the people in case something could happen to me.   They were just  taking me away in case something could happen to me.

CHAIRPERSON: We couldn't even mentioned what happened and the killings of the people were very unfair and very unlaw - against the law.  We have seen that those who have created the violence and the - what was done by the old system  - when you heard about  people saying the past, we won't just regret, I mean we will reconcile and try our best, we also say that we wish God could comfort you and give you the best and not  to think of  what happened before.

MARY BURTON: Thank you very much Mr Marenene - ... end of Tape 3, side A   ...