Human Rights Violation Hearings — King William's Town — 1997-05-13

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: Mr Du Toit, I don't remember his initials.  I was sentenced, we went to jail.  It was my first child, I was 20 years old, turning 21.
 The circumstances were terrible in jail.  I was going to write matric.  I requested that my books be sent, I studied in jail.  On the 9th of October I gave birth.  I was taken to Frere Hospital to give birth.
 I stayed the 9th, the 10th and the 11th.  When I got back to jail, my child was left back at the hospital.  I said that my child's umbilical cord should be given to me after it had fallen, because that is the traditional way to do things.
 However, the Magistrate refused and my child umbilical cord was flushed down the toilet.  I requested that my child be taken out of jail.  They said that my baby was too young, I had to breastfeed.
 I told them that I could not breastfeed, there was no milk.  There is a hospital within the jail, I stayed there for a week.  We had our chores within the prison, I was making the jerseys.  I used to go and work as weak as I was.  I would leave the cell at 7 am to have breakfast and then would go to our different sections.
 At quarter past nine I would be given 15 minutes to breastfeed my child.  My child was kept by the prisoners who were criminals right through the day.  I would go for 15 minutes to look at the child.  Sometimes the baby would be wet.
 I had to bribe these prisoners to keep my baby well.  There is nothing in prison that you can bribe people with, therefor I used to give up my food.  I would eat breakfast only.  This baby would be given 750 ml of milk and as I could not breastfeed, I had to share my breakfast with my baby.
 I would steal the Panado containers, put a bit of porridge so that I could feed my baby.  In the evening, I would take this porridge within the panado container, mix it with water, shake it and feed my baby.
 I will take this bread, this baby was a week old, I would remove the jam, take the pieces of bread, put it within milk and shake it with the milk and feed Nomzamo.
 This is how my child was fed.  At four we would go and have supper.  After that I would go and fetch my baby.  I would be given two nappies.  The whole night I had to use these two nappies.
 A baby wets herself and dirties herself, I had to take off my night dresses and use these as nappies.  My child was suffering from wind, she was crying all the time.  In East London you would leave the cells with the criminals, if only you were studying.
 I was going to write matric from the 26th of October.  I could not go and share a cell with those that were studying, I had to be with the criminals.
 There was one day when my baby cried the whole night and the other prisoners chased me away because the  child was noisy.  I sat in the loo with my baby, we were both crying.  I did not know what to do.
 The warden went and got a master key and I went to the hospital until I got my books to study.  I eventually went to the cell where the prisoners who had been jailed because of singing liberation songs were.  I was told not to go to my child during the day.
 I would part with my child at 7 am in the morning until after half past four.  I would go to the Captain and the Major, begging for my child to go home.  They refused.  Nomzamo stayed for five months in jail.
 The sixth month she was allowed to go home.  She was pale, very thin and very hungry all the time.

ADV SANDI: Mrs Busika, this is a very sad tale.  If I were to express my personal feelings about your story, I would say it makes me sick and angry.
 You say that your child needs hearing aid?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: Her ears bleed and sometimes they drip with water and now there is puss in the ears.  I used to get a grant and I would take the child to the Doctor regularly.  I do not have a grant any more.
 Last year she had an infection and the Doctor said that - the teachers complain that she cannot hear properly, I said that I do not have money to take her to specialists.

ADV SANDI: When you were arrested at Stutterheim, were you a member of a political organisation?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: I used to work for the Stutterheim Youth Congress, we referred to it as the STYCO in 1985.

ADV SANDI: Do you have requests in connection with this story?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: I request that my child gets a medical aid.  She will be badly affected for the rest of her life, she must be able to go to a Doctor.
 I am scared that my child will be ostracised.  I know that I went to jail because I was fighting for my rights and not because a am a criminal.

ADV SANDI: What standard is your child doing?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: Standard 1.

ADV SANDI: This Mr Dion Oates, when did you part with him?  The last time you saw him, was it when he beat you up?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: Yes.

ADV SANDI: You never saw him again?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: He would come to the cell, demanding the truth.

ADV SANDI: Did you know Dion Oates before?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: No.

ADV SANDI: Was he a policeman in Stutterheim?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: Yes.

ADV SANDI: Was it the first time you saw him when he arrested you?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: It was the first time, but I would see him in town now and again.  Sometimes in the township, in the gatherings that we would have, I would see them in their bakkies.

ADV SANDI: Did you talk to him?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: It is when I was arrested.  He fetched me from home.

ADV SANDI: Therefor you would be able to identify this man?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: Yes, I would absolutely.

ADV SANDI: Thank you.  Mr Chairperson, who is Teaspoon?  Was he a policeman?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: Yes.

ADV SANDI: Do you see him?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: He is no longer there, I don't see him any more.  I don't see him amongst the police.

ADV SANDI: What is this Teaspoon, was it a nickname?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: Yes, this is how we referred to him.  I don't know his proper name.

ADV SANDI: Why was he referred to as Teaspoon?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: He was tall, with a sharp nose, very thin.

ADV SANDI: Was he known in Stutterheim?

NELISWA NONHUNHA DYANTYI BUSIKA: I don't know, but in 1985 when these incidents were occurring, he was there.

ADV SANDI: Thank you very much.  We will pass on to Mr Hela.  Mr Hela, you are also from Stutterheim?

KHAYALETHU HELA: Yes.

ADV SANDI: You are going to talk about what happened to you in Stutterheim in 1985?  Can you please come nearer to the mike so that we can hear you clearly.
 What happened to you in 1985 in Stutterheim Mr Hela?

KHAYALETHU HELA: We were from a meeting in the sports ground.  After that meeting we sang freedom songs.

ADV SANDI: Were you members of the Youth Congress?

KHAYALETHU HELA: Yes.  The police then came while we were singing in the streets.  They told us to disperse within five minutes.
 While we were still singing freedom songs, they shot at us.  I was then shot on that day.

ADV SANDI: Can you please raise your voice and come nearer to the mike?

KHAYALETHU HELA: We were shot by the police after they told us to disperse within five minutes.  I then got injured in my knees and in my hand.  And one other man by the name of Jongile Nompondo was shot dead.

ADV SANDI: Was Jongile Nompondo a member of the Youth Congress?

KHAYALETHU HELA: Yes, he was a student there but he was from Uitenhage.

ADV SANDI: Where were you injured?

KHAYALETHU HELA: They shot me in my hand and in my leg.  My left leg.

ADV SANDI: Did you go to a Doctor?

KHAYALETHU HELA: No, we did not go to any Doctors, because if we went to Doctors the police would come and arrest us.  And the Doctors who were treating us were also arresting us.