Human Rights Violation Hearings — Duncan Village — 1996-09-23

BONGANI FINCA: We thank the Minister for his opening prayer in this Duncan Village hearing.  We thank everybody here present today who have come to participate as to put before this Commission all the things that occurred to them.  We would like to introduce this panel here before you.
 On my extreme right we have Revd Xundu, who is a Minister in Port Elizabeth, who is the member of the Commission as a member of the Committee of the Reparation and Rehabilitation Committee.  Here next to me is Miss Yolisa Judith Maya, who is a lawyer by profession from Umtata and she is a member of the Human Rights Violation Committee.
 On my left is Judy Crichton, who has been working for the (indistinct) and who is also a member of the Human Rights Violation Committee and next to her is Mr Sandi.  The full name is Ntsikelelo and he comes from Grahamstown.  She is also a member of the Human Rights Violation Committee.  We thank all of you who are here this morning that you are here in this hall to listen with us to all the stories and all that happened to the people in 1985 as presented by the witnesses who are going to come before this Commission.  
 Tiny Maya is going to announce and tell us what is happening this morning and tell us the order of the day.

MS MAYA: We thank you.  I present to you a list of the
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people who made before this Commission some requests and I am going to read this list according to the way they are going to appear before this Commission, unless there will be some changes.
 Firstly we've got Mtswembeyi Zenzisi to represent Mphangeli Matshekethe, murdered in 1985.  There is Jane Mxoli to represent Nothozayo Suthu, murdered in 1985.  Nonkululeko Ngcaka, representing Thembekile Ngcaka, murdered in 1985.  Xoliswa Makhuluphala and Thembisa Tifi is going to testify attempted murder in 1985.
 Phumla Wokona for attempted murder in 1985.  Mbuyiselo Monster Nqokotho for attempted murder in 1985.  Nontuthuzelo Mvandaba for attempted murder in 1985.  Mqondeni Wilmont Bottoman for severe treatment in 1985.  Mninawa Richard Gomba for attempted murder in 1985.  Nombulelo Elizabeth Thole for Zandisile Thole was murder in 1985.  Nongoku Zwelifile, Bonakele Bongani Zwelifile who was murdered in 1985.  
 Vusumzi Mzuvukile Mbengo on attempted murder in 1985.  Eunice Nontuthuzelo Bewula, Thembile Bewula who was murdered in 1985.  Zola Wellington Ndarana, for attempted murder in 1985.  Mpumelelo Sisulu for attempted murder in 1985.  Wilson Vandoyi for attempted murder in 1985.  Mirriam Mandaba Mzamo for attempted murder in 1986.
 Thabang Maretloane who was tortured in 1985.  Zuko Galela, who was tortured in 1985.    Buyisile Ryan Mapisa, who was tortured in 1975 to 1986.  I thank you, Chairperson.

BONGANI FINCA: We thank Ms Maya.  We usually, when there are people that we are going to refer to who have died, we normally give some honour to those people before we begin with the hearing.
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 Could you all rise and give our honour and remembrance to those who died.  We remember Mphangeli Matshekethe.  We remember Nothozayo Suthu.  This is in remembrance of Thembekile Ngcaka.  We remember Zandisile Thole.  We remember Bonakele Bongani Zwelifile.  We remember Thembile Bewula.  We remember Bubble Mzamo - let them rest in peace oh Lord and give them an everlasting life.  
 We are going to come to call our first victim by the name of  Mtswembeyi Zenzisi, Jane Mxoli, Nonkululeko Ngcaka.  We are going to listen to them at the same time.  We welcome you, the three of you.  Ladies, you have come before this Commission to give evidence about the death of your relatives, three of your relatives during some problem here in Duncan Village, 1985.
 We think that you have come before this Commission to give this evidence so that the whole world should know about them and also this Commission to give a hearing to your request in connection with your people.  We are now going to hand over to Revd Xundu who is going to lead you into the oath after which Ntsikelelo Sandi is going to question you on behalf of this Commission - thank you.

REV XUNDU: Thank you, Mr Chairperson, I would now like Mtswembeyi Zenzisi to rise.

MTSWEMBEYI ZENZISI: (sworn states)

INTERPRETER: Interpretation services cannot continue because we cannot hear the Speaker.  Interpretation services cannot continue because we cannot hear the Speaker.

REV XUNDU: Could you rise, Jane Mxoli?

JANE MXOLI: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: Could you rise, Nonkululeko Ngcaka?

NONKULULEKO NGCAKA: (sworn states)
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REV XUNDU: Thank you - I've sworn them in Mr Chairperson.

BONGANI FINCA: Over to you Ntsikelelo Sandi.

MR SANDI: Thank you, Chairperson.  Let me greet you Ms Zenzisi.  How are you Ms Zenzisi today?

MTSWEMBEYI ZENZISI: No, I'm fine. How are you?

MR SANDI: I'm also fine, thank you since we last saw each other yesterday, now could I ask you to come closer to the microphone as you speak so that you can be clearly heard.  Even this behind me, the interpreters should be in a position to hear you as you explain and tell us about your painful story.  Let's first start off by referring to your statement which we have here in front of us.  Your husband, on the 14th of August was shot and died - is that the case?

MTSWEMBEYI ZENZISI: Yes, it is like that.

MR SANDI: Just before you explain to us about this incident, could you briefly explain and tell us about your husband?
What work was he doing at the time?  Could you again repeat?  Your husband - what kind of a person was he?  Was he a worker or was he unemployed?  What was he doing at the time he was shot?

MTSWEMBEYI ZENZISI: He was working at Kasif and in 1984 this Company closed and then they were retrenched and he was unemployed.

MR SANDI: So at the time he was shot, was he unemployed?

MTSWEMBEYI ZENZISI: Yes.

MR SANDI: Right, let's move on and get into the main point.

MTSWEMBEYI ZENZISI: It was on a Tuesday morning and we woke up.  My husband went to the shop to go and buy cooldrink.  As I was sitting there I decided to go outside because I could hear some gunfire and I saw some people and I joined them.  DUNCAN VILLAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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As I was standing there, a young child came to me and said -and told me that my husband had been shot.  He was one of 
the people that had been shot and when I asked her for the second time, the people stopped me and whilst I was standing there, still considering what I had just heard from the child, I decided to go to one direction.  As I was walking there where the people were laying, I met my brother and he asked me where I was getting to and I told him where I was getting to.  And he asked me to go back.
 I was interested to go and see what was happening there, where there were people, so I stood there with my brother insisting that I should go back because he insisted that he was not very injured - seriously injured.  And I decided to go back.
 Then I saw a young boy who told me that all the people that had been shot, had died.  And he said my husband had been hit on the head and I was unhappy.

MR SANDI: You can take your time Ms Zenzisi, we can wait for you whilst you are trying to compose yourself.  Ms Zenzisi, are you now ready to continue?  I would like to ask, by the way, are there any incidents that had occurred at the time, what was the situation here in Duncan Village during this period of your husband's death?

MTSWEMBEYI ZENZISI: It was very bad at the time in 1985.  Even those who survived cannot tell how they managed.

MR SANDI: Are there perhaps any certain incidents that you still recall which happened at that time?