Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Shepstone — 1996-08-12

WITNESS:   This daughter was from another neighbour by the surname of Jama.  And they suggested that we lower our voices.  They didn't enter the house, they were just standing in the door, because the door was open.  And they went back where they came from.  The way they were walking you could see that they were also running away from something.  As things were happening just like that after some few seconds or minutes we heard some shots, gunshots.  This didn't worry us much because we were used to gun sounds. And we heard another shot.  The second shots awakened us and we could see that the people are coming nearer.  While we were sitting there and we heard the third gunshots.  When we realised at last we find that like the noise was just outside the house, with so many in the house, and there was a lot of noise inside the house, while we were trying to get out of the house the people were shooting just outside the door.  We tried to run away.  Since the door was facing the other side I have to go to the other side of the corner, and the other grandmother we were with in the house ran to the opposite direction from the house.

KHOZA MGOJO: Before you started running is it true that one person entered the house before you started running?  That is one of those people who were attacking.

WITNESS:   Yes.  At the time while I was trying to get out of the door I met him.  I didn't know who he was, but I could see that he was wearing a big ... (intervention)

KHOZA MGOJO: What was he wearing?

WITNESS:   He was wearing a big, long coat, black, long coat.

KHOZA MGOJO: You started crying and running?

WITNESS:   Oh yes.  As I just finished the corner of the house I realised that I was hit.  I was holding my child and I realised that I was bleeding heavily and I was sort of like losing strength, and I fall on top of my child.  I slept there.  I could feel the warmth on my stomach.  When I touched the place I saw the blood and I realised that I was injured.  I saw someone standing next to me afterwards, but I couldn't recognise the person.  After that I started running again, and I was just limping because I was hurt by this time, and I ran to a neighbour's house.

KHOZA MGOJO: Which neighbour is this?

WITNESS:   This is the Cele neighbour.

KHOZA MGOJO: After you entered the Cele family house what happened?

WITNESS:   When I entered the house there was someone coming behind me.  I didn't know who the person was.  Since the door was open I just got in and closed the door and this person couldn't enter.  He pushed the door.  I also pushed the door to close it.  So he couldn't force the door to open it, and then I locked the door while I was inside.  There was fire burning in the house, and I sat next to the fire.

KHOZA MGOJO: When did you get help from Daphne Nzimande and Mazini Nxumalo?

WITNESS:   They started to help me after I realised that I was about to die as I was sitting at the Cele house.  So I sent my child to go and talk to Daphne, who was our sister-in-law, to come and help.  The child went out and he said, "These people are coming towards us."  So she came back we waited for them to come in, and I realised now I was losing my breath, and I said to my daughter that, "I am dying."

KHOZA MGOJO: Can I remind you as to what you said in your statement?  You said at the moment you were bleeding so heavily you started shouting, and you realised you were becoming powerless, and you were being helped by Daphne Nzimande and Mazini Nxumalo, who took you into a house.  Can you explain to us briefly?  You are now in the house and you are bleeding.  Do you remember the time the soldiers arrived?

WITNESS:   Yes, I do.

KHOZA MGOJO: Where were they coming from?

WITNESS:   I am still coming to that point.  I sent my daughter to go and call our sister-in-law to come and help.  My child did so.  My sister-in-law came.  My daughter-in-law came to the place  where I was in the house I was in, and she asked me what happened and they took me back to my home.  As I said previously I was becoming powerless.  Then my daughter-in-law went to another house, the Mbambo family, because we saw some soldiers standing there during the day.  So we sent her to go and ask for help.  And it so happened that when she arrived she find the soldiers, and she explained exactly what happened to me.  My daughter-in-law came back.  I was sleeping at that time, but I heard the sound of a car engine running outside the house, so I saw the soldiers coming to me.  They asked me, "Where were you injured?" and they also asked who injured me.  I just told them I didn't see the person because it was at night.  My daughter-in-law asked them to take me to hospital.  They said - the soldiers said they are not allowed to take people to hospital, but they will try to make a call to make arrangements so that the ambulance must come to pick me.  They telephoned the Murchison Hospital.  Unfortunately the ambulances were all out, and I was just lying on the ground and I was burning.  And later an ambulance arrived and took me to hospital at Murchison.   When I arrived at the hospital one of the black policemen said, "The way she is injured she doesn't have to be sent to hospital."  They ran straight to the theatre, and then they rushed me into the theatre, and then they put me on top of the bed and they started operating on me.   (Pause)  INTERPRETER:   Interpretation will continue as soon as the witness gains composure.   (Pause)

KHOZA MGOJO: Can you continue?

WITNESS:   Yes, I can continue.

KHOZA MGOJO: At the time they were trying to extract the bullets did they take out all the bullets?

WITNESS:   I don't know, because normally the wound it's painful, and I normally have to visit doctors to check me.

KHOZA MGOJO: Do you still feel the pain in your body?

WITNESS:   Yes, I have pains on my body, and sometimes get swollen.

KHOZA MGOJO: Can you tell us briefly about the soldiers who arrived at your place?  What kind of soldiers were they?  Were they black or white soldiers?

WITNESS:   There was one white soldier and there were two black soldiers. What kind of soldiers - what kind of clothes were they wearing?   ---   I can't remember exactly the type of clothes they were wearing.

KHOZA MGOJO: In your statement you said that at that night while you were in hospital you came to know that there was about five people who were killed in the same incident.  Do you know these people?

WITNESS:   Yes, I know the people.

KHOZA MGOJO: Do you know their names?

WITNESS:   No, I don't know their names, but they stay next to us.

KHOZA MGOJO: Do you remember their surnames?  Do you still see them around?

WITNESS:   Some of them have passed away.

KHOZA MGOJO: How long did you stay at the hospital?

WITNESS:   I stayed there for about five months.

KHOZA MGOJO: Did you get a letter from the hospital?  Do you have it?

WITNESS:   Yes, I do.

KHOZA MGOJO: Since you have come before the Commission what would you like the Commission to do for you?

WITNESS:   (No reply)

KHOZA MGOJO: Maybe I should help you.  Is it true that you would like the Commission to investigate as to who were those people who shot at you?  I get this from your statement. Is this true?

WITNESS:   Yes, this is true.

KHOZA MGOJO: Do you suspect any person as the people who shot you?

WITNESS:   Not exactly.  Yes, I don't suspect - I don't know the suspects.

KHOZA MGOJO: About your health what would you like us to - how would you like us to help you?  I can't hear you well.  What about - you told us that you have been shot and injured, and what kind of help do you need?

WITNESS:   (No reply)

KHOZA MGOJO: You say it is fine, that the doctors have operated on you and you are healthy.

WITNESS:   No, I am not satisfied because I can't do hard work at the moment.  I can't do the work that I used to do while I was still fine.  And this hurts me a lot.