Human Rights Violation Hearings — Piet Retief — 1997-05-21

MATHEWS MASEKO: No we are not political at all, I think they were just sent because after that they were after me, wanting to kill me.  I left my home for six months and my wife was expectant and I wasn't with her.  I was always moving around from one house to another.  One time when I got home I found the doors had been kicked in and were not in a good condition and they were searching for me.

RUSSELL ALLY: In your statement you talk about you having had a minibus.  Was this used as a taxi? Were you involved in the taxi business? You yourself, this minibus you speak about?  You say that you had a minibus and a car as well and that these were burned.  Now your minibus, did you use that as a taxi or for your private use?

MATHEWS MASEKO: I used it as my private transport and it was not in good condition then, it wasn't functioning and I was trying to fix it at the time.

RUSSELL ALLY: I'm trying to understand why it is that you and your family should be subjected to this kind of treatment, to these attacks.  Also you say that when you were tortured they kept saying to you, you're going to tell us the truth repeatedly.  Now what truth is this that they wanted you to tell them. They must have accused you of something.

MATHEWS MASEKO: I don't know that truth they were talking about, even today I would like to know what truth they wanted from me.

RUSSELL ALLY: Did you ever lay a charge against these policemen who tortured you in this way, Manzini you talk about, Twala, Imenazi(?), did you report them?

MATHEWS MASEKO: I went to the police station and I submitted my statement and it was taken and was kept. I waited.  To this date I haven't been called to this effect.

RUSSELL ALLY: Mr Maseko thank you very much.
 Just to explain to you that whenever people submit statements to the Commission and they include names of alleged perpetrators, then what we do do is inform these people that they have been mentioned in connection with torture or killing or whatever allegation is made against them and that these people are given an opportunity to respond to that allegation. Either to come directly to a hearing and to have their say or to write to us.  
 We also have the power in terms of the Act, to call those people to what we call Section 29 hearings, which is in effect a subpoena, for them to answer certain questions.  So that is what has happened in your case, that these individuals that you have mentioned, every effort has been made to contact them to inform them that these accusations have been made against them and to ask them to respond. 
 So I just wanted to let you know that and hopefully through this process we can get to a better understanding of what it was that led to you being tortured, to your property being destroyed and to the deaths of your family members. I will give you back to the Chairperson now, thank you very much.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Dr Ally.  Mr Manthata.

THOMAS MANTHATA: As I've been listening I found it difficult to understand why up to now you don't know the reason for the killing of your family members and.., okay can you tell us what your problem is Phumza?

MS GOBODA-MADIKEZELA: Let's respect the witnesses as they render their testimony.  Please don't laugh and don't be rude!

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Maseko we do not have any more questions of you. I think I want to just echo what Dr Ally said.
 First of all the issue of the political motive for the killings that took place but at the same time to say that doesn't take away that you lost all these family members. We may not understand why that happened but you clearly lost three family members and then you too yourself were subjected to torture and we sympathised, empathised with you on your loss. We thank you very much for coming today and we wish you well.
 Comrades and friends, that brings us to the end of the hearing here today.  We were as you've heard me say several times today that we were expecting some people from Driefontein, for a number of reasons they're not able to come here today.  
 We will, however, be listening to the story of both Bonkane Mkhize, the son of Saul Mkhize and hopefully about Saul Mkhize because his wife will be coming to Ermelo tomorrow.  
I'm sorry that the story could not be told here today and that you've been waiting and we too have been waiting. 
 So that does bring us to the end of the hearing.....