Human Rights Violation Hearings — Welkom — 1996-10-09

WITNESS:   I am born in the Monokoane family.  I'm from the Monokoane family in Virginia but I'm staying now at Masilo next to Theunissen where my mother was born.  I studied Standard sub B up to Standard 10 up to 1994 then I failed with my studies then I left. I was not able to go further.

MRS GCABASHE: Did you write matric?

WITNESS:   Yes, I did. Did you pass?   ---   No.

MRS GCABASHE: So you failed?

WITNESS:   Yes.  I'm just staying at home.  I'm looking for work.  I'm not able to get work because of what has happened to me.  My health is not healthy so I took a position that if next year I'm not able to get work, I'll go back to school.  When I get work then I'll postpone my studies.

MRS GCABASHE: When you say you'll go back to school do you have somebody who's going to help you to pay your educational expenses?

WITNESS:   That is going to be a problem because I have my younger brother.  May parents have separated.

MRS GCABASHE: Let me say, do you have your mother and your father?

WITNESS:   Yes.

MRS GCABASHE: What's your father doing?

WITNESS:   My father is staying at Virginia and he's not working.

MRS GCABASHE: And your mother?

WITNESS:   My mother is working.

MRS GCABASHE: At what is she working?

WITNESS:   She is working at Harmony in Virginia.

MRS GCABASHE: What kind of work is she doing?

WITNESS:   I'm not sure what kind of work she's going because I don't usually go there.

MRS GCABASHE: Do you have your brothers and sisters?

WITNESS:   Yes, I have my brother and my younger sister.

MRS GCABASHE: How old is your brother?

WITNESS:   He's 25 years old.

MRS GCABASHE: And the younger child?

WITNESS:   She's going to be 12 years this year.

MRS GCABASHE: According to your statement you said you were born on the 14th of February 1973.

WITNESS:   Yes, that's true.

MRS GCABASHE: May you tell us what happened before the 20th?

MRS GCABASHE: What was happening at Theunissen.  What was the state at Theunissen at that time?

WITNESS:   I still remember well.   /At Theunissen

MRS GCABASHE: At Theunissen there was a lady called Spanas, a certain sister called Ma Dibuka, Spanas Dibuka.  Her husband owned a shoe shop.  Then this woman went to school.  The husband, this man, went to school.  On that time at the school they were celebrating Sharpeville Day.

MRS GCABASHE: My you explain, when you talk about Sharpeville?

WITNESS:   The people were celebrating the shooting of Sharpeville.  It was a celebration.  Then he invited teachers.  Then on that day the people were celebrating.  Then after the celebration ... (intervention)

MRS GCABASHE: Was the school celebrating?

WITNESS:   Well, this lady was one who organised that Sharpeville celebration day.  this person is not a teacher.  She's nothing.  After she has organised, then she called a meeting at Masilo.  Then there were two groups and then she had a group of a club, of a football club.  She owned a football club.

MRS GCABASHE: This woman?

WITNESS:   Yes, this woman.  Then in that meeting it was discussed that the parents of who was staying at Theunissen.  So the parents are mad.  All the instruments which were used on that day, it was belonging to this woman, which means the audio-visuals, all the equipments which were used on that day were owned by this woman.  Then from there she decided to leave the place.  Then we told her to take all these instruments.  Then she took her instruments.

MRS GCABASHE: When you say it was two groups, you're saying it was this woman's group and the Comrades' group?

WITNESS:   Yes, that's true.  May you say again?

MRS GCABASHE: You said there were two groups which split into two groups.  Then you said the other group belonged to this woman which is a football club and what about the other  group?

WITNESS:   It was all Comrades.

MRS GCABASHE: Go on.

WITNESS:   And from there the situation became tense, then people started to fight.  I remember that some of us - before I talk about that day, one of us was shot.  I still remember, it's the late Mr Defumatimi(?).  He was shot by a municipal police.  Then from there he died.  The other one is, we call him Double Engine, then he was shot.  Then he was taken to the surgery in the location and at the surgery they held this woman, then chopped him with a spade.  Then the following week, then from there is what has happened to me when we were shot.  I was among those people.  When we were shot on the 20th of May, it was a Friday, in 1990 we were between the town and location when we were on that road which leads to town.  We were standing on the road after we heard rumours that the Russians are coming.  Then you should remember that this group which belonged to this woman was supported by the police.  We were still there.  We had our arms.  We were not fighting with the police.  We were trying to protect our area.  We were searching each and every car which entered the village.  Whether we know the car or we don't know the car, we would search peacefully and ask their names, identify them peacefully and leave them to enter.  Then the police came.  Those policemen were all white.  They came nearer to us and then they were driving us - they were forcing us to lead to the way to town.  Then the station commander came first, Mr van Rooyen - I know him well, I can identify him, Mr van Rooyen.  Then they opened their vans.  He made ready his gun.  I didn't understand as to whether when they were pulling their guns what they were going  to do, so he started to shoot.  Then all of them started shooting.  The people who were shot on that day were 20.  Only one person died.  Others were arrested, others were assaulted.  I was shot and then I ran.  I was shot on the left hand and again on the thigh.  Then they tried to catch me but they were not able to do so.  Then from there I took the road to town and from there I was able to hide myself.  There is a place called Sterling.  Then I was able to go to the location and from there I fell down.  (Witness emotionally upset)

MRS GCABASHE: Take your time, my child.  You are remember a very difficult incident.  Take your time.

WITNESS:   And when I fell down I broke my left-hand joint.  Those who were able to escape were able to carry me to take me to the doctor on that night.  I went to Dr Zwane.  This doctor gave me medical treatment.  Then those who were shot with us, I was the first patient on that day.  He treated me, then from there he helped the other person who was shot again.  And from there he told me to exercise this hand so as to be able to use it.  From there I was taken to Pilinomi Hospital.  They gave me treatment there.  The I was taken X-rays and they showed me where the bullet was.  They told me that they were not able to take out the bullet.  Even now this hand is always painful.  Then I was going for treatment all the time using my money until the time I was not able to go because of lack of funds.

MRS GCABASHE: I thank you, Moagi.  May we go back a little bit. You were talking about the Russians.  What can you tell us about the Russians?  What kind of people were they?  When you were talking about Russians, what kind of  people are they?

WITNESS:   These Russians are the people who are staying in the mines who were paid to come and assault other people.  They would wear the blankets and carry their sticks.

MRS GCABASHE: How did you hear that these Russians are coming to you Comrades?  What's your relationship with them?

WITNESS:  These people are the people who are always bought.

MRS GCABASHE: What do you think?  Who was buying these people?

WITNESS:   They were bought by this shop owner.

MRS GCABASHE: This Spanas?

WITNESS:   Yes.

MRS GCABASHE: Did they arrive?

WITNESS:   No, they didn't arrive.  It's only the police who arrived.  They didn't arrive.

MRS GCABASHE: This Van Rooyen whom you are talking about is he still there?