Human Rights Violation Hearings — Sebokeng — 1996-08-06

PROF MEIRING: Mr Sotsu the Truth Commission or the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is tasked by the Act that was promulgated by parliament to do a number of things.  Firstly to find the truth of what has been happening in South Africa over so many years, to give the opportunity to people to come and testify and bring their stories.  One of the most difficult tasks is the matter of reparation and rehabilitation, how to make proposals to restore the dignity of the people, how to help them forward after the harrowing things that happened to them.  You have been telling us your story and it is a very painful story on a personal level, your wife and the other family members who were killed.  My question is what now, what can you propose, how can you help us to find solutions for reconciliation?  I have very high admiration for you who said that if the perpetrators would come to the fore you will find the strength and the faith and the grace of God to forgive and to forget and that is a wonderful thing.  That is what the Truth Commission is all about.  My question is is that also possible within the community where you live.  And then the second question after that have you given it some thought whether there are other alternatives to reparation, other symbolic acts that we can propose to parliament to restore the dignity of the people in this area.

MR ERNEST SOTSU: Given an opportunity I would have used all
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my political background experience but if still there is an opportunity I am prepared to go all out as an old cadre to help and assist that there should be peace in this country but that should be based on the following conditions.  I am still not satisfied at this point in time by evidence which can be brought forward by the police who I personally know that were always around where Inkatha was, that were always around when our people were being slaughtered by Inkatha at night in the hostel and everywhere.  Those police, all of them have been transferred in this area, including Colonel Van Niekerk and others.  I can still go back to my books and bring those names.  If those people can come forward and be truthful and try to be faithful not only to the government but to God to make it clear that surely we were committed in this, we deceived the people of the Vaal, we deceived them and we led to the fact that they should be killed in big numbers and our aim was to promote the IFP, we had a wrong perception that Buthelezi would be a man of tomorrow in this country who will rule it.  If they can come and clarify that perception and say we are sorry for all those innocent souls that were killed we were a third force, the people who were directed from above through the dirty tricks you know fashion, that we must confuse the black community in order to kill itself so that this violence should be there up to when I don't know.  If those people could come forward and this information is not only extracted from these innocent people, these people who were victims, these people who were peaceful in the past, even before the advent of the white person in this country up to this very day.  These people who are being used, I would be very happy if those police could come before this Commission, those who were here in
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Vereeniging and say we were there during the first rally of the Inkatha at Zone 7.   We escorted Inkatha through Zone 7.  When people were being attacked we went into the hostel where so many people were left dead and we were there and we were part of those victims.  We were smearing our faces with black things so that we should look black not white and we did a lot to shoot the people through the windows of the hostel and will kill those in (indistinct).  Sotsu is prepared tomorrow to stand before them and stretch his hand and says I pardon you.

PROF MEIRING: Thank you.  Thank you very much.

COMMISSIONER: Thank you very much Mr Sotsu for your testimony this morning.  You have given a grim picture of the conflict that was prevalent in this area.  We are saddened by the loss of so many people in this area that you mentioned, particularly the loss of your wife Constance, your daughter Margaret and your grandson Sabatha.  Vusi and Vuyani are amongst our today and we cannot imagine the trauma through which they have gone through as young people.  We would recommend that you use the services of our reparation committee and meet our briefers here who will help and refer the young people for some support systems.  We note the allegations you have made against the police.  Unfortunately they are not here to give their side of the story but you can rest assured that the Truth Commission is going to address this situation.  We commend your participation in the Stratford Commission, which looked into the violence in this area, even though you were not satisfied with the manner in which this Commission conducted its investigations.  We have taken note of the allegations regarding the police and the request that you have made and
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we in the TRC have an investigation unit and we will refer all these requests and allegations to our investigating unit so that they can probe these questions.  The TRC has the power to subpoena people to come forth and we note the names that you have quoted today and we will do our best in trying to expose the truth that will bring about reconciliation here.  We rely on the strong faith that you have expressed and we hope that you will be also part of the process of reconciliation in this area.  Thank you very much.

MR ERNEST SOTSU: Thank you.