Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Shepstone — 1996-08-13

WITNESS:   They used to come at home as visitors, just spend some time with us asking us questions, and from there they will just leave peacefully and they will not take any initiative towards conducting any investigation regarding our children who died in that  massacre.

MR LACKS: If it's any help for you to know, on the 7th of July 1993 the Magistrate at Port Shepstone, a Mr Maharaj, held an inquest and made some findings.  Unfortunately the perpetrators were unknown, but they did actually hold an inquest, so you can at least know that it happened.

MR LACKS: Now, you have indicated to us that you would really like this case to be more fully investigated, and we will obviously try and see whether we can follow that up for you.  It will be difficult because nobody can identify anybody, but we will see what we can do.

WITNESS:   We will be very happy if this can happen, you know, because we are still not comfortable, we are still not happy and peaceful about what happened.

MR LACKS: I understand that.  Mr Linda, how has this whole incident affected you personally, your health, your wellbeing, and so on?

WITNESS:   I got ill.  I was admitted into hospital.  The funeral was on Saturday, and on Sunday I was not feeling well.  On Monday I went to the hospital at Murchison.  My head was just mentally disturbed.  Even to this day I am mentally disturbed.

MR LACKS: Are you able to go for any counselling or get any help for that?

WITNESS:   At times I do go to the clinic, and they will give me painkillers, and I will go to the other one, the private doctor, and he will also give me some tablets.  They think it looks like I have the high blood pressure.  When it's cold, especially in winter, I sweat, and that is not normal.

MR LACKS: You've also indicated in your statement that you would like some assistance with a pension, either a sick pension or an old age pension.

WITNESS:   That's true.  I'll  be happy.  I'll be highly excited if that can be done,

MR LACKS: because even my child, my daughter's child, I can't help her any further.  She has to go to school, and my other son who is working, the load is just too much for him.  If I go to the pension to ask for some pension fund they tell me I am still young for that, so we do need some financial assistance.

MR LACKS: Just bear with me one moment.  (Pause)  Sorry, Mr Linda, I just needed to check something with the Chairperson.  Thank you very much for coming to tell us about your situation.  We haven't gone over the story because, as you've heard, we've already heard it three times already, but is there anything you want to add about that situation that you might have wanted to tell us that I haven't asked you yet?

WITNESS:   No, I don't know what to say because there is nothing much to say.  As I am here I am just a person.  You know I have nothing.  I don't even have five cents.  You know, I have struggled to get to this place for the hearings.  I will appreciate anything.

MR LACKS: Thank you.

MR LACKS: Just to finish up, when I was asking questions to Mrs Dlamini I talked about the women.  We are talking here about Daleen Dlamini, but we've heard nothing about the mother of the children, about her state.  How is she feeling?

WITNESS:   She is also concerned and bothered and worried, and she is in such a state.  She is just like Mrs Dlamini.

MR LACKS: Does she attend some treatment of some kind?

WITNESS:  Yes.

MR LACKS: How is she faring mentally?

WITNESS:   Yes, this has  traumatised her so much as well.  Each time she thinks

MR LACKS: about this incident she gets all highly disturbed, just like Mrs Dlamini, the one who is seated right down there.

MR LACKS: Is your wife here?

WITNESS:   No, she is at home.

MR LACKS: Here we see your child was shot at 20 years.

WITNESS:  No, my son who usually gets part-time jobs, the one who's at 20 years here, he ... (incomplete)

MR LACKS: Did he pass standard 10?

WITNESS:   Yes.

MR LACKS: So does that mean he has a standard 10 certificate?

WITNESS:   Yes.  Yes, he is still prepared to go back to school, but financially we cannot further his studies.

MR LACKS: Don't you think you want to request that the Truth Commission should see that he furthers his studies?

WITNESS:  Yes, I so wish.

MR LACKS: Yes, we'll make that part of your request as well as we forward them to the President.  Because even though he was injured he can still do something.

WITNESS:   Yes, thank you.

COMMISSIONER: Thank you, Mr Linda, very much for coming and telling us that story.  We will be hearing after lunch one more witness who lost her granddaughter and her child in this massacre, and after she has given her - after she has told us her story I will make some comments to all the witnesses.  So I want to thank you very much for coming in and telling us your story today.

COMMISSIONER: You have come along today to tell your part of the story that we have already heard, the story of the massacre of the 12 young people, and you lost your daughter, Nthombinkhulu Charity Mzindle, and your grand-daughter, Gimbi Mzindle, both of who died on the 4th of September 1992. Before you tell us that story please can you take the oath.  I can see that you are having difficulty walking, so you don't have to stand.  Don't stand if you don't want to.

PHOSIWE LINA MZINDLE: (Sworn, States)   (Through Interpreter)

COMMISSIONER: Now, from the statement that you have already given us you weren't actually present at the time.

WITNESS:   I was at home.  I heard gunshots, shooting, and that noise of shooting, and the kids had already left.  Then we left the house with the children and my husband.  We were trying to run to the scene, and we found ... (intervention)

COMMISSIONER: Sorry, let me just interrupt you there.  Sorry, Mrs Mzindle.  You lived with your husband and your daughter, is that right, and your grandchildren?  How many other children did you have, or do you have?

WITNESS:   I have 10 grandchildren and three children.

COMMISSIONER: And at that stage were you all living together in Nsangweni in the same house?

WITNESS:   Yes, we were living in the same house.

COMMISSIONER: And so it was one of ... (intervention)

WITNESS:   Now, the grandchild was accompanying the aunt going to Ulundi, and their children.  When they got there they were singing.  The mood was so jubilant.  After some time we just heard gunshots.  We left the house, we ran to the scene.  By the time we arrived we found they were all lying in that house, Dlamini's house which was not built, completely built.  They just died.  My grandchild and my daughter they were not yet dead.  They were taken by other children who rushed to the scene, and the neighbours, and they were taken to the clinic, and they died there.  I never even went there.  I had no strength to go there.

COMMISSIONER: It must be very difficult for you, Mrs Mzindle, to remember these terrible things, so please take as much time as you need to recover yourself.  We know that it must be very difficult for you.   (Pause)   I see from your statement that at least you were able to say a few words to your granddaughter and to your daughter before they died.  And that must have been of some help to them.

WITNESS:   You know there were some others who were injured, but they made it, they survived this attack.  And now they came back, the children, and that was it, and that was the end.   We never heard anything from then except the two police who came, and we did not know them, they were unknown.  They came and asked us questions, and they also asked the child, my other boy who was attending school, and the boy said, "I did not see anything.  They were putting on the camouflage kind of uniform."  I had no strength, no power as such, that day.  I can't do anything even to this day.  I am just hopeless.

COMMISSIONER: Mrs Mzindle, how old was your daughter when she died?  What age was she?