Human Rights Violation Hearings — Tembisa — 1996-11-28

TETISWA NJIKELANI: I was must a member.

MS MKHIZE: At the time when this incident happened it was 1993, at that time most of your leaders were becoming strong, you said you had the registration numbers for the Hippo.

TETISWA NJIKELANI: These numbers were brought to me by these people.

MS MKHIZE: Why didn't your leaders take the matter over since you had the numbers, why didn't you give them the numbers to take it over?

TETISWA NJIKELANI: They used to come to me in hospital, one of them was Bomba.  He also came with another one who was the secretary of the ANC, I don't remember his name, and they said when I get out of hospital, because they didn't know when I was going to be discharged, they thought I would be in hospital for a short period of time, they said I must come to them at Tembisa, in their offices. I spent a long time in hospital and I couldn't go to them and then I had to continue the case with the police at Rabasotho.

MS MKHIZE: As you said the matter was handed over to the lawyers, did you claim anything or did you just lay a charge?

TETISWA NJIKELANI: I didn't claim anything.

MS MKHIZE: As you have opened a case with the lawyers what did you want them to do?
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TETISWA NJIKELANI: Because I can't work anymore I would like them to find some way as to how I can be assisted regarding money to buy necessary things for myself.

MS MKHIZE: You put a claim with regards of the loss of a body part and you also wanted to find out as to exactly what has happened regarding that, because even in your statement, I am not sure whether when you were giving a statement you gave them the doctor's reports as to the injury of your leg?

TETISWA NJIKELANI: I didn't give them the reports.  However the person I gave the statement to looked at my injury and he didn't ask for the reports.

MS MKHIZE: It helps us a lot, as I said your leg was injured, if you have got any report from a doctor you can bring it to us so that when we go through your statement we can look at all the information that might be required and also the names of the lawyers you have given before the Commission.  Thank you very much.

MR LEWIN: Thank you very much.  Tetiswa if I could just ask in following up what Hlengiwe has said, you mentioned in your statement that you are now semi-crippled and that you have constant pain in your left knee, is that correct?

TETISWA NJIKELANI: Yes it is so.

MR LEWIN: It would help us if you could give us some documents about that.  Also just coming back to the question of the driver, you say that you know the name of the driver?

TETISWA NJIKELANI: Yes I do.

MR LEWIN: If you could give us that name, not necessarily now but could I ask did you know the driver before the incident?

TETISWA NJIKELANI: No I never knew him before.

MR LEWIN: At all.  Okay.  If you could please then give us TEMBISA HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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all those details, the name of the driver, the names of the other people involved so that we can investigate this as much as possible.  
 We would like to thank you very much for coming to tell us of this incident.  It was at a time when there was a lot of unrest in the streets, in the townships and we would very much like to follow this up and find out for you and for the community as much as possible about what was happening.  We commend you for coming.  We commend you for your strength that you have shown in coming forward to do this very difficult thing, to give your testimony in public.  Thank you for waiting and thank you for coming.  Thank you very much.

TETISWA NJIKELANI: Thank you.