Human Rights Violation Hearings — Mmabatho — 1996-07-08

CHAIRPERSON: We thank you.
 I see here in the statement there is written Florina Mahlangu.   It looks like she also wants to say something and explain what happened.  I don't know if the Chairlady will give her permission to go ahead.

MS MAHLANGU: I won't say too much because I feel bad if I remember many things that happened to my child.  It was so painful I spent sleepless nights. Everytime he was fetched by the police I would be depressed and the most painful thing that happened was when he was taken from Ramogadi.  I was very hurt.  For when I arrived there in the morning I found that all the furniture was broken.  That is why I cried, asking myself, if the situation is like this, how is my child where he is?
 This boss, when they arrived in Long Place they used to ask me where is Shimane?  And I would say to them, I don't know where Shimane is.  They would say, you are staying with MMABATHO HEARING TRC/NORTH WEST
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another person in this house.  This person is very dangerous.  How could he be dangerous whilst he is my child?   I know him very well.   And they would say, he is very dangerous and they want to help me.
 Brand and Kok came to me one day - I can't remember the other one, they said they were looking for something from the toilet.  They climbed on the toilet, searching.  When they came back my husband asked them, what are you looking for?   They said, we are looking for something and Shimane said that thing is somewhere here.
 I feel very hurt when he says he is better, because he is very weak now.   
 After they took him to Kimberley they came home and they said, we are looking for his ID and he said his ID was hidden in the toilet.  My husband said, how could his ID be in the toilet while we have such a big house.  It must be in the house.   No, they said, Shimane told us to go to the toilet, the ID was there.
 I would like to say if those people is still around, that is Kok and Brand, wouldn't they help me to give treatment to my son, so he could be the person I know originally.  He can't get better.  Sometimes his works doesn't work well - his head. And when he is in that situation he hits everyone around him.
 He also has a problem with his back.  Sometimes he lies down for two to three weeks, complaining about his back and I won't say much.  I'm very hurt about what happened to me.
 This boss made us to sleep in the cold, pointing guns at us.  When we would think they were away they would say, stay low, lie down and we would do so.  They also did this 
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to small children.  They were so full in the house we didn't know what to do and we didn't know what they were looking for.  How could you search for someone in the drawers?  I had a wooden kitchen unit but still now that kitchen unit has a mark of De Kock's boot.
 I would end there.

CHAIRPERSON: Edwin, every time they were arresting you was the UDF still continuing with its works?

EDWIN B MOLAOLWA: Yes, whilst I was still in detention they were able to sweep the village of the leadership who was still at home and there remained only the youth, but the UDF's activities stil continued.

CHAIRPERSON: Were you the only one who was a member of UDF, being arrested at the time or did you meet some in detention.  Did you know of any others?

EDWIN B MOLAOLWA: Yes, I knew that Ruflin was also in detention.  I knew about him at the time that I was going to the doctor, but I don't exactly know if it was November, but it was around that time.  One other who was also arrested was Shimi and others were arrested in Vryburg and I was not aware of them.

CHAIRPERSON: Everytime you were arrested and released, arrested and released, wasn't there an Attorney for Human Rights who would actually give service to you.

EDWIN B MOLAOLWA: When I left the plaas to attend my treatment we tried to go to the Attorney to sue the policemen.  I left the case, but he told me that the more he tried to sue this policeman they can actually harm you.  And that also scared me.   Even the days of - at home, every evening, there were cars that would be parked at the street and it was dark those days, because Vryburg is just a dark city.  We were MMABATHO HEARING TRC/NORTH WEST
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always scared for anything could happen and take place.

CHAIRPERSON: Who was your attorney?

EDWIN B MOLAOLWA: It was Priscilla, but we never continued with the case.  I just left it.

CHAIRPERSON: You were talking about the physicians, that they were treating you, diagnosing you but they could not give you proper medicine or treatment.
 Tell us, what was going on and what was happening.

EDWIN B MOLAOLWA: Yes they managed to give me some treatment, but there was a problem, because they were talking about brain shaking.

CHAIRPERSON: And then?

EDWIN B MOLAOLWA: They were contemplating about the X-ray issue and they were wondering if the X-ray wouldn't affect my brain.  They thought probably that the X-ray would worsen the problem.  Then they stopped the X-rays and they continued to give me treatment, medicine.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Edwin and your mom, we are very thankful that you came forward.  We are feeling bad about the torture that you experienced.
 I just want to ask, what are you doing now?

EDWIN B MOLAOLWA: Now, I'm just at home.  I am not employed, but I would say that I just do some voluntary work for the community.  Each time there is some job to be done in the community I will do that, but I am not employed.

CHAIRPERSON: Edwin, we trust and hope that we will provide some help.  Thank you.