Human Rights Violation Hearings — Balfour — 1997-05-23

MRS SIKHOSANA: That was done because they were called Comrades as if they were fighting and yet they were not fighting.  They were only protesting and shouting that Mkane must not shoot and he shot.  When I got to the hospital, I realized that the police were keeping guard over him and they tied his foot and him arm onto the hospital bed.

MR LEWIN: When you finally got him home, they didn't try and charge him or they didn't intervene then ?

MRS SIKHOSANA: No, they never gave us trouble.  They only came once and I asked them why were they after my son because he was sick, lying down.  He could not run or walk.  They answered back and said, when we come back one day and find out that he has ran away, you will be in trouble, meaning myself.  He never ran away, he died instead.  They never came back since.

MR LEWIN: Before he died, were you able to bring in a doctor or get any treatment for him ?

MRS SIKHOSANA: Yes, he used to get his treatment from the hospital in Heidelberg.

MR LEWIN: Did he talk about the incident at all, before he died ?

MRS SIKHOSANA: You mean the bucket incident ?

MR LEWIN: Yes.

MRS SIKHOSANA: No, he never did that because what was commonly known  in the community was that one day there will be this bucket protest but there was no intention of killing.  My son grew up in front of Ngakane.  It was very surprising for me to find out that he shot my son and even at the hospital with his foot and hand chained to the hospital bed, it was surprising to me because the three of them were not fighting.

MR LEWIN: Ma, just a last question.  Could I just confirm that Temba was actually shot by the Councillor and then was in hospital and that all happened before the Councillor was killed so Temba had nothing to do with his killing.

MRS SIKHOSANA: Yes, he never killed the Councillor.  Temba was admitted to hospital and the Councillor was still alive then.  They only  heard in hospital that Ngakane was killed.  That was after they had been admitted to hospital.

MR LEWIN: Ma, thank you very, very much.  I have no more questions.

RUSSELL ALLY: Mama, thank you very much for coming and speaking about something that's still very, very painful.  As I said to the witnesses who came before you, Mrs Magqagqa and her son, if the families actually requested, if the Truth Commission could assist in the families who directly suffered as a result of what happened in July 1990, the Truth Commission could assist in bringing these families together to speak through what happened, share their pain, how they would feel about it.  I know that it's very painful for you but if you would maybe like to respond to that.  If you don't want to at this point that's perfectly okay.  You did say that your son grew up in front of  Mr Japhta Ngakane.  How would you feel about the families meeting to discuss what happened ?

MRS SIKHOSANA: I have no objection to that.

RUSSELL ALLY: Thank you very much for coming, Mama Sikhosana and re-living that painful experience and we hope that maybe if the families do come together that some understanding can come from that and maybe that can help with some of the pain and some of the suffering.  Thank you for coming to speak to us.