Human Rights Violation Hearings — Klerksdorp — 1996-09-26

SAM JENNY SENATLE: On the 12th of September 1985, immediately after we had a meeting together with those who started JOYCO, the police came to my house, at about between three
KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
4 S M SENATLE
and four in the morning. I heard police knocking at the door.  I was sleeping with my uncle in one room, in an outside room.  I realised that I should wake up and go and look what is happening. When I looked through the window, I saw policemen knocking very hard.  One of the comrades whom we were with, who is Victor Seretse, whom I realised that he was badly injured.  That has made me to be aware that the police are looking for me.
 Then I went to the back of the bedroom. I spoke to my uncle and said he must tell them that I am not around.  Then I went inside the wardrobe, then I covered myself with clothes.  They opened the door themselves.  How they opened it I don't know.  They entered in the room in which we were sleeping.  Then they asked my uncle where I am.  Then he said Jenny is not around, he is not sleeping here.  Then there was one policeman who was saying do you know me?  He was asking my uncle. Then my uncle said I don't know you.  Then he said I am the Fairy.  Then they started to assault him until he admitted I am in the wardrobe.  Then he stretched his hand inside the wardrobe.  At the time I had long hair, because I was going to the dance competitition. He stretched his hand and then he pulled off my hair.   Thereafter there was a torch which was shone into my eyes, then they hit me with the fists.  I started bleeding at that time inside the wardrobe. Then he pulled me outside the wardrobe.
 My father tried to ask what is happening.  They didn't even care to answer.  Then they said I should go with them.  My father gave me clothes. I was putting on my clothes while I was working. Peter Seretse was put into another van. I was put in a blue van.  They went with me to the cells of the 
KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
5 S M SENATLE
municipal police which were in Jouberton.  
 When we arrived there they were beating me with fists, they were kicking me.  When I was standing - I found other comrades who were already beaten at that time.  They were asking me that the leaders who were prepared to lead the consumer boycotts, who are they.  Then I said to them that there is no leader, all of us are leaders at the school, and all of us, we are prepared to start with this boycott.  Then they were beating me again and kicking me.  Then one policeman called De Kock - he was speaking with me in Afrikaans, he was looking at literature. I pretended I don't hear anything.  Then April came in and said what is the problem.  Then he said this man cannot speak Afrikaans, but today he is going to speak Afrikaans.  
 Then we went out to the car.  Then he brought a long gun.  Then he pulled that gun and said to me you are going to speak Afrikaans today.  Then when he pointed the gun at me I said boss, I will now talk.  Then he said to April, do this thing.  Then April and Steve Dekopi who was calling himself I beat the dog, they were kicking me and assaulting me. Thereafter my eyes were starting now to lose sight. I fell down as if I have epilepsy.  When I made myself to fall down, made it worse.  They were jumping and then they were hitting on my head. As on the photos that I will show you.  Then I stood up.  Then my mouth broke. Then they said do you still not want to tell the truth. There was a bicycle which was there. It was inside the cell.  They picked up the bicycle and hit me with that bicycle. Then the handle hit me on the head, I had to have stitches.  
 Thereafter they said they are going to look for others. I didn't know who the others were.  Because I was bleeding 
KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
6 S M SENATLE
from the mouth and the nose - amongst our comrades there was one who secreted.  In that cell there was a toilet, there was a bucket.  They took me by my hair and they took my head and inside the toilet and inside that bucket.  Then then threw their legs they were hitting me on the head.  On my hospital file - my voice is not this way. It is written on the file which shows that I was able to see my file in 1986, it is here.  It is written that my throat has been injured.  They trapped by their feet and flushed the toilet.  Then they took me out of the toilet. I was filled with secrete and they left me.
 After some five minutes one of the policemen who was working at the municipal offices, and that name is Kepida Sakopela.  It was in the morning.  He went to buy us bread and milk and then he said we should eat.  I was not able to eat because my mouth was injured.  The teacher which I was wearing, was left only with a collar.  My back as if it has been bent with irons.  Those things happened in 1985, but if you look at my back it seems it is rotten.  After a long time they went outside.  Then Mr Sakopela said we had better go out.  
 Then I was admitted to hospital.  Then the other comrades were just washed and treated and left.  
 On the 19th, in October, the police came again.  I was saying because they thought maybe they will be surprised by the case, but they took me to Stilfontein police station.  We knew it as Moerfontein.  We arrived there together with April and Dotty was there.  
 They showed me a cell which was full of blood.  They said to me your blood is going to remain here.  They threatened me and then they left me inside.
KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
7 S M SENATLE
 The following day they took me out.  There was a place, we didn't know there is a police station in Renoville. I was thrown inside that room. I was thrown inside that room.  Whilst I was still sleeping in the morning at about ten o'clock, there were boers who were there wearing uniforms.  The Fear Lulu Tridi Zebeda entered.  Then he said you, comrade, you think you are going to make love alone.  Then I want to show you.  He was having a big plank.  He hit me on the waist with it, then I was able to get hold of it.  Then he said I should open my legs.  I did that because I thought he is searching me.  Then he came nearer me and then he kicked me on my private parts. I fell down, I was crying. I think I sleeping there about two hours.  Then he left me while I was still sleeping, and then he went out.
 During the day they said to me I should leave.  Then I didn't even fill in any forms there, I thought they were going to kill me.  From Unionville (?) to the location, it wasn't too far. Then I went there with my feet.
 On the 25th in November, we were just about to write exams.  They just arrived and picked us up again with other comrades.  They took us to Klerksdorp police station.  They said we are going to write exams in that place, in the police station.  Fortunately the students like fighting that they don't agree with what they are saying.  
 The parents committee was formed.  Bisho Dwand was there and Letala was there, and other people - I don't remember, I think my super was there.  They tried to intervene that we should be released that we should go and write exams outside.  It was there - before they released us, a (indistinct) said to me I should leave this case and together (indistinct).  They took me to the other room
KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
8 S M SENATLE
which was full of corpses.  Then he said he is in favour of me and he doesn't want to do bad things.  So he made me to touch one corpse which was - after that we were released to go to school.
 In January in 1986, I think it was the second week of that January. I don't remember the actual date.  They came, April and company came again. I was sleeping in the forest. I was not able to sleep at home.  I didn't sleep at home that day and I was sleeping next-door. I was able to hear them when they knocked during the night.  When we wake up we could see that they have come again.  My uncle at that time was wearing a blue underwear.  He was taken like that and put in a van.  I was able to hear that they were hitting my father and my brothers and sisters.  What I am able to say is that my father had a blind eye, but what they were using to hit him and he (indistinct) now. They were hitting him to the extent that he has an artificial eye.  They were hitting him and they were saying my uncle should go and identify other uncles of mine, maybe they will get me there.  They went to 68 where my other uncle was staying.  They arrived there and opened and the girls were sitting there.  They were hitting one cousin of mine who is now an epileptic. He is 26 years old. He is getting a subsistence allowance since he was beaten by the police.
 Three days thereafter I said to myself I should go and sleep at home, because if they can get me outside the house they are goingto kill me.  They found me.  Then they took me to Klerksdorp police station.  They took me to the charge office. I was instructed to take off my clothes in front of two White girls who were working there.  I was naked. Before those girls.  
KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
9 S M SENATLE
 There was one boer called Tuti, he was a policeman. They brought dogs. Then they said I am going to stand there the whole day. I thought they were joking. I had no underwear.  I stood there before those girls.  Those dogs were barking at me. When I closed the door to try to sleep, the dogs were barking.  When my private parts were shaking a little bit these dogs would bark.  Then I said perhaps I could have had no private parts by now.  I was standing there the whole day until the following day.  
 They didn't take any statement from me.  Then they said to me I must go. Then I didn't have any shoes, I was barefoot. I went to my father at work.  Then when I arrived there I asked him to take me home, because my legs were swollen.  
 Again, on the 7th of February, they were supposed to have a funeral of a comrade who was shot.  Then they phoned Jean Pretorius, De Kock and others came to fetch me.  Then they took me to the police station.  From there we were taken to Stilfontein.  We were detained again. On the 10th we were supposed to appear in court. I was together with Abe Mahono. We went to court. It was remanded.  We were taken back to Klerksdorp prison.  We stayed there.  On the 12th we appeared in court.  
 People were burning halls at that time.  On the 12th we appeared in court.  We were charged with public violence. I don't know which one it was.  Because they could have charged me with sleeping violence because they found me asleep.  We were left in court and then we were told we should go home.
 On the 12th of May I was not sleeping at home at that time, I was sleeping at my sister's house, together with my 
KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
10 S M SENATLE
friend, called Benji Oliphant.  On the 10th, from my sister's house we were planning to leave.  When we arrived at the post office, the old one, there were boys who were standing there, saying to me the police were looking for me. It was on the 9th.  When we were waiting, the police van was following us. I just heard shots and I just thought they were shooting at Joe's Garage. The marks are there even still now.  We opened the door and then we went in there.  Then we went through the back door. We left together with Benji. He took his own way, I took my own way. 
 Then I ran home. I was wearing dance shoes.  Then I ran home.  At home I decided to put on tackies so that I could leave.  It was about ten o'clock in the morning. I put on the tackies.  My younger brother was sleeping on the sofa.  Then I asked him to come and lock the door and then I went to the opposite house.
 After ten minutes (indistinct), Matebe, they were busy breaking the dining room door.  Then the soldiers were there and the police cars were there and the house was surrounded. They broke in, they were having guns. I was then looking through the window, from the opposite house.