Special Hearings — Children's Hearings — 1997-05-14

CHAIRPERSON: Just one last comment from myself. There was   a time when it was popular to talk about the so-called lost generation, the   so-called unhelpable people. Listening to some of the witnesses over the last   two days, and listening to your presentation, I get a sense that things are   not immutable, in the sense that this so-called lost generation is lost forever.   Just a comment on that.

WITNESS: I wish I'd brought it with me - there's a poem written   by a young woman from Inanda which is published in a book of poems and short   stories written by IFP and ANC youths by a programme this year, where she says,   "Who are you to call us the lost generation? We are not lost, but we were deprived,"   and I think that that is the basis of it, and I think that most people - I mean   I see the youth here reaching out their hands to society to be included, to   be brought back on board. I think that it would really be a very small percentage   who are so hardened, damaged,

CHAIRPERSON: /psychologically

CHAIRPERSON: psychologically distressed, that you could say that they were   lost. I think it's purely a question of resources and the will power to reach   out to young people on the margins of society and to bring them back in. It   is not their fault that they are there. It is not their fault that there is   unemployment. It is not their fault that there wasn't enough schooling. It is   our fault and our responsibility to bring them back.

CHAIRPERSON: Ann, thank you for that overview. I know you had to skim through   some aspects of it, and that it was a lot more detailed, the actual document   you presented us with.

CHAIRPERSON: And, on behalf of the panel, we want to thank you for that,   and for the insights which it provides to us. As I have indicated, one of the   tasks of this Commission is to make recommendations to the State President and   the Government on measures for reparation and rehabilitation, and, as we said   yesterday, almost half the population of this country is under 20, which means   that the measures that we have to put in place have to cater for them. And the   insights you've provided us with here, and the insights which we'll gather from   other provinces, where similar hearings will be held, will, we hope, contribute   to a better set of recommendations to the State President in due course. So,   once again thank you for coming.

WITNESS: Thank you for this opportunity.

CHAIRPERSON: /

CHAIRPERSON: CHAIRMAN

CHAIRPERSON: The next witness is Reginald Wonder Nkomo.   Could he please come up to the stage. Sorry, if I could just have a word with   the TV producer for a moment please. (Pause) Good afternoon, Reginald. Thank   you for coming. I see that your second name is Wonder, and clearly you must   be the person that Thokozani spoke about.

WITNESS: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON: Before you commence with your evidence would you please stand   and just take the oath.

REGINALD WONDER NKOMO: (Sworn, States)

CHAIRPERSON: I am going to hand you to Mr Dlamini, who   will take you through your evidence.

MR DLAMINI: Thank you, Mr Chairman. Good morning, Wonder.   Wonder, we thank you for coming forward to give us your testimony as to how   you were injured. Before you give testimony I will ask you questions because   I need this information for my records. First of all we would like to know about   your family. Do you still have your parents?

WITNESS: Yes, I do have my mother. I   don't have my father. My mother is still alive.

MR DLAMINI: Is she working?

WITNESS: Yes, I can say she is working even though   it's not a registered job, it's just a temporary job.

MR DLAMINI: I would like you to raise your voice because I think most of   the audience are listening from you from whatever you are saying. What about   your father?

WITNESS: My father died when I was 13 years.

MR DLAMINI: Was it because of the violence in KwaNdengezi?

WITNESS: No, it wasn't.

MR DLAMINI: Are you still staying at KwaNdengezi?

WITNESS: Yes,

MR DLAMINI: /we are

MR DLAMINI: we are still staying there.

MR DLAMINI: Do you have brothers and sisters?

WITNESS: It's just the two of   us at home. It's me and my kid brother. He is 22, I am 24 years. He is 22 and   I am 24.

MR DLAMINI: What is he doing?

WITNESS: He is at Natal Technikon. He is a student   there. He is doing marketing management last year, final year. His name is Zanele   Nkomo.

MR DLAMINI: In your testimony, Wonder, you mentioned something about the   ANC Youth. You said it got divided. I know you will explain this to us as you   give us your testimony, but I want people to have a background knowledge about   what you're going to say. You mentioned that there was a group called Mavaravara   and Congress. Why were they divided?

WITNESS: Even though I don't have a full knowledge   about this, but I think there were brothers whom I won't mention their name.   They were working with the system they didn't like peace in the townships, and   they were doing things their ways.

MR DLAMINI: And then you mentioned about the Mavaravara group. You said   they belonged to both ANC organisation and yet they were used as agents for   police.

WITNESS: Let me put this very clear. I won't say they were agents of the   police, but I think there were 15 members who came to KwaNdengezi. They were   planted by the security force.

MR DLAMINI: What made your organisation, your group to be divided?

WITNESS:   I would like not to respond to this question.

MR DLAMINI: Okay. Now you can tell us more about what happened on the 22nd   of November 1991.

WITNESS: I would like to first mention that I am not quite sure   whether it was 21st or 22nd, but I was born on November 14th 1973, so this

MR DLAMINI: /thing

MR DLAMINI: thing happened after a week - a week after my birthday. That's   when I got injured at KwaNdengezi. The police did this to me.

MR DLAMINI: Can you please tell us what happened?

WITNESS: In my township we   experienced two great or big violence. The first one was in 1983 and then 1991.   When I got injured -we left the township in 1990 because we experienced conflict   and some of our brothers had died, therefore we decided to leave and go outside.   But these people were overpowering us because they were together with police,   therefore we spread ourselves around. Some of us went to KwaMashu, Clermont,   Ntuzuma. I can't count all of them. We used to mention among ourselves that   if you wished to go back home to visit your parents you can do that at your   own risk. If some of you know the bridge in a freeway to KwaNdengezi, they call   it Desai, and we used to use that route when we were going to KwaNdengezi. And   these people who were responsible for us running away from KwaNdengezi, they   used to hide themselves there, and they knew that we will use that route. And   there was no other route for us to get inside so they would hide themselves   there. They were using binoculars. One day I took a risk to visit my parents,   because it was after a long time and I was missing my grandmother, because she   was the one who brought me up. And I was missing her a lot, so I decided I should   take this risk and go and visit my parents. When I arrived at Road 1, it's a   turn-off from a freeway if you're going to KwaNdengezi. That's the route you   use to go to Route 1. Because I was careless that day there were ... (inaudible)   ... which I have noticed. I saw them waiting uphill, and I noticed them but   I said to myself,

MR DLAMINI: /"Maybe