Human Rights Violation Hearings — Soweto — 1996-07-22

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you Fathers, thank you.  I would like to welcome to the proceedings today the Premier of our Province, Mr Tokyo Sexwale and I would ask him to rise please so that people can recognise him.
 The process that we normally use in these hearings is that we call witnesses to the stand.  They are usually accompanied by a briefer, who is either a trained counsellor or a mental health worker to assist them in the proceedings.  They may also be accompanied by friends or family.  The witnesses then take the oath and we, as is our practice, we assign one of the Commissioners or Committee members to assist them with the telling of their evidence.  
 We would like to remind people that these are victim hearings and that in terms of section 11 of the Act victims are to be treated with dignity, compassion, so therefore they must be allowed to tell their stories in absolute quiet.  
 Unpleasant though it may be I would like to remind you as well that in terms of the Act I have the power to have anybody removed from this hall if they create a disturbance.   I would now like to present my fellow commissioners and Committee members to you so that you may know who they are for the process for this day.  They are Mr Hlengiwe Mkhize, the Chairperson of the Reparation and Rehabilitation 
SOWETO HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
2
Committee.  Mr Tom Manthata a member of the Reparation Committee on my extreme right.  Mr Hugh Lewin, a member of the Human Rights Violation Committee. 
 Today is a very special day for the Truth Commission.  For many of us Soweto '76 is a time remembered in our history.  We know the evidence that has gone to previous commissions, however, what we want to do today is to get the story behind Soweto.  The story of the human beings who lived in Soweto.  I would like to ask my fellow commissioner Hlengiwe Mkhize to present the witnesses for today to us.

MS MKHIZE: I will first introduce our Chairperson.  She is Miss Yasmin Sooka who is a Deputy Chairperson of the Human Rights Violation.  She is the one who is going to Chair.   Lady Chair I want to take this opportunity to present to you and this Commission and the audience the names of the witnesses who will be testifying before the Commission today, Monday the 22nd of July 1996 here at Regina Mundi.
 Our first witness, whom I am going to present to you, is Antoinette Sithole who will be representing the late Hector Petersen.  Also Antoinette will be accompanied by Sam Nzima who is a journalist who will give supporting evidence.
 The second witness will be a well-known Soweto citizen Mamma Kuzwayo, that is L M Kuzwayo, who will be representing herself, not so much as a survivor but as a community leader at the time, who held a particular position and who has got a perspective to share.  
 The third witness will be Amelia Molapo who will be representing herself as it is alleged that she was shot by the police and got paralysed on that day.
 The fourth witness is Dan Montsisi who will be representing himself just giving a perspective as a person 
SOWETO HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
3
who was in student leadership at that time.  
 The next witness will be Dorothy Seatlholo, who will be representing our hero Sydney Maphalala who is alleged should have been shot dead on that day.
 Then we will have Peter Magubane, a journalist at that time, well-known for his good work.
 And then we will have Virginia Mashinini who will give a perspective of Tsea Mashinini's involvement. 
 And then we will have Fanyana Mazibuko who also will give a perspective of what he saw and he noticed on that day.
 We have also Dorothy Tshabalala who will be representing Mzwake Tshabalala who was detained, hospitalised and disabled.
 We will also be having Gabu Tugwana, who is a journalist, who will be giving a perspective of his involvement during those days.
 And we also have Janet Goldblatt who is Dr Edelstein's daughter who I should think is one of the people who has drawn the world's attention to what happened on June 16 1976.
 We have also Matsidiso Photolo who will be representing Wike Sanco Patolo who is alleged to have been shot by the police in Benoni.
 We also have Reverend Dale White who is going to give a perspective of the Church's involvement in supporting people who were directly affected around and after the 16th of June in 1976.
 Having introduced all the witnesses I will go on to ask the first witness, which is Antoinette Sithole, and I will ask also that Sam Nzima sit next to the witness.  I hand it 
SOWETO HEARING over/...
4 A SITHOLE
over back to the Chair.

YASMINE SOOKA: I now call Antoinette Sithole and Sam Nzima to take the stand please.  Before we begin I would like to explain that it is customary of the Commission to ask the witnesses to speak in the language that they are comfortable with.  To assist people with understanding we have provided interpretation services.  These items are available for people who do not understand Sotho or Zulu.  Please make sure that you collect a pair so that you are comfortable with the evidence as it is being led.  I would also like our people who are here in the hall to make sure that as many people as possible receive these earphones and headsets.
 During this period I would also like to thank Peter Magubane and Sam Nziva for mounting the photo exhibition that we have at the back of the hall.  Thank you.

ANTOINETTE SITHOLE: (sworn states)

YASMINE SOOKA: If I may ask you to rise as well please.  Could you please put the headphones on.

SAM NZIMA: (sworn states)

YASMINE SOOKA: As is customary with the Commission we have made sure that there is a Commissioner to assist you with the leading of your evidence.  I will be doing that for both of you and I will start with Antoinette first.  Please feel free to tell the story in your own words.  You may speak in the language of your choice because I will be able to hear you in the translation.  The translation is to assist me and my fellow commissioners and committee members and not yourself.  But if you have a problem with hearing please let me know.  Could we have quiet please so that we may begin.  Antoinette are you comfortable?

ANTOINETTE SITHOLE: Yes.
SOWETO HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
5 A SITHOLE

YASMINE SOOKA: You may now begin to tell your story.  Please press the red button when you want to speak and you can press the other one to switch it off.

ANTOINETTE SITHOLE: Okay.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you.