Human Rights Violation Hearings — Umtata — 1996-06-18

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Chairman the next witness is JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI.I thereby call upon Mr Kati to take the stand. We know that you were able to give all the details. We know that you have been ill-treated. We cannot keep quite and not acknowledge the contribution which brought about the change which we are experiencing today because you never turned back you went forward and led this struggle and you led and influenced most of the people to stand up against the atrocities. We would like you to give us details, we would like you to also stand up so that you can pledge take the oath.

JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI: (sworn states)

CHAIRPERSON: I would like to lead you Maya when you are going to give details and give evidence. In short Maya I would like you to give a briefing of who you are, where were you born and how did you get involved in the struggle.

JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI: I am Zamiwonga Kati. My christian name is James. I was born in the village of Luheweni at Ngcobo. I was brought up there. I was involved with the struggle in 1949 whilst I was in Cape Town. Should I go on. OK thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Under which organisation were you a member?

JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI: I was involved in the organisation named as African National Congress.

CHAIRPERSON: Was it since 1949 and during that time, I know that you have been frequently arrested, when were you first arrested?

JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI: I was first arrested in 1952 it was during the Defiance Campaign. I was ill-treated. Our leader was injured and it was Vuseli Meni. His eardrum was ripped out when he was a assaulted by the White men.

CHAIRPERSON: So you were arrested.

JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI: Yes, I was arrested and I was sentenced to three months, I was not alone anyway.

CHAIRPERSON: Again I realised that you were arrested again and that you were also tortured. Probably there might be people who might have been involved in torturing you, the policemen that you could name. There are policemen unfortunately I am not going to name them due to the restrictions that prevent the Commissions who cannot - are not allowed and are prohibited to allow us to mention names. But it was in 1962 when we were investigated about our involvement with the MK. We were assaulted for three days, one comrade was injured, his name was Mr Mgabela from East London. His eardrum was ruptured and again his testicle was also ruptured, his was urinating blood.

CHAIRPERSON: According to the details given here and the statement you were arrested again in 1962.

JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI: Yes, again in 1962 I was arrested and was sentenced in 1964. It was in January. I was sentenced for two and a half years for Unlawful Organisation.

CHAIRPERSON: In all, how many times were you arrested if you can remember?

JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI: In 1965 I was again charged and I was sentenced for three years in Grahamstown, it was three and a half years in Grahamstown. Again I was sentenced at Humansdorp at the Regional Court the same year. It was said I was taken for what the ANC's ideologies and then I was arrested and sentenced for five years.
 I went to Robben Island and I think it was for eleven years in all. When I arrived at Robben Island, Mr Ngagel assisted me. He is the person who tried his best for us to get remission. I got a remission for three years and it varied for most of us some of the prisoners were serving twenty two years sentences which were reduced to twelve years. I was supposed to serve more but I was able to serve only eight years after the remission of three years. 
 When I was released in 1972 I was restricted and was not supposed to leave the Ngobwe area. This order came from the Police, then this banning order was lifted up in 1974 and then during that time I went to Cape Town. During that period I was not arrested but then in 1977 I was arrested whilst still in Cape Town. The reason for the arrest was that I was instigating the youth and recruiting them for training outside the Country. 
 There were two of us who were accused, Nglosa was one of us and he was originating from Alice. The Police informed us that if we do not reveal what we are doing they are going to kill us or our wives will never get an opportunity to have men called ourselves. Chris Hani's wife had already been assaulted and she miscarried during the process. At the time there was no plane to go to Lesotho some of the gentleman who arrested with Chris Hani's wife were arrested across the borders when they were going to Swaziland. I was then given the reason for my assault as the recruitment of the youth. I was psychologically tortured at the cells. You know they used to show me some pictures of what was happening, I used to see some of my Comrades and we were trying to ask why are you torturing us, the others were put in the straight-jacket, they were screaming due to pain and during the time when you see this or watch this you never get a rest because psychologically you become affected. 
 You become destabilised mentally and I had a breakdown, but during the breakdown I was able to be taken by the Police and they took me and handcuffed me, they tortured me again, I had cigarette burns, if I can show you at the back here you can see big scars of cigarette burns. This was during the interrogation and I had to give details about how did I join the MK and when did I become a member of the ANC all such details I was expected to give, at times they would even take the match and burn me on my thumb and even the index finger, they would literally burn me with the matches and they would be hitting me at the back I had to be admitted in hospital because there was tortured severally. I went to Somerset hospital and then was admitted for a period if I am not mistaken it was four months, between four and five months, nobody knew where I was, my family never knew my whereabouts, when I was still in hospitalised, I was bedridden, I couldn't stand up, I was sort of quadriplegic but as the time went on I couldn't use my upper body and I used only the lower limbs only. 
 The family was looking for me and at the end my wife was called in and so that she can help to look for me. Their lawyers who were also assisting Benif Joffe was assisting my wife, they were also supporting her in the search at the end they could trace me and then I was taken to Pollsmoor Prison. When I saw my wife, I didn't know my wife, she was asking who am I, I also asked who you are. She was surprised to see me in the condition in which I was. I was disorientated and I couldn't see my wife at the end she told me who she was, but at the end I also realised that she was really my wife. 
 I was released, but let me mention that before I was released I learned from Mr Nchovo who was originating from the Border that there times when she used to help me with washing and also shaving me and asked me if I knew if Losa is late. I was still disorientated at the time but I could realise what she was saying. I was informed that he was next to my bed and I was about to be released at the time. This came as a shock to me. 
 When I was released the policemen who arrested me said to me you must count yourself as very fortunate, count your blessings because you were going to be charged together with Losa, when they said this I was yet aware of the fact that Losa is late. When I was released it was then that I realised that I could also have been counted as one of the deceased. When I get there in the cells again I was taken to the hall where we were all gathered, my colleagues assisted me that I should be transported back here in the Transkei.

CHAIRPERSON: Did you go back to the Transkei?

JAMES ZAMIWONGA KATI: Yes, I did.

CHAIRPERSON: Were you having any problems?