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

COMMISSIONER: In respect of both your mother and your brother?

WITNESS:   I didn't want to look any further from there.

COMMISSIONER: Now, you've said in your statement - you said you didn't know the identity of the people who killed your mother and your brother.

WITNESS:   Yes.

COMMISSIONER: But you said that you knew that they were from the IFP, is that correct?

WITNESS:   I wasn't too sure whether they came from IFP, but we just believe that those were from Ulundi.

COMMISSIONER: You also said in your statement that the police told you that the bullets that were used in the attack were from Ulundi.  Is that what the police told you?

WITNESS:   Can you please go through ... (incomplete)

COMMISSIONER: The police told you that the bullets that were used to shoot your mother and your brother were from Ulundi.  Is that correct, is that what the police told you?

WITNESS:  That's correct.

COMMISSIONER: Do you remember the names of any of the policemen who took statements from you?

WITNESS:  No, I don't remember. And do you remember which police station they came from?   ---   They were coming from ... (incomplete)

COMMISSIONER: Where were they coming from?

WITNESS:   From Port Shepstone.

COMMISSIONER: Was your mother working at the time also?

WITNESS:   No, she used to have part-time jobs, and also she was getting some funds from the pension fund.

COMMISSIONER: And you said your brother was working.  Was he supporting - helping to support the family?

WITNESS:   Yes.

COMMISSIONER: Did he have any children himself?

WITNESS:   No.

COMMISSIONER: So he was helping to support his brothers and his sisters, is that correct?

WITNESS:   Yes, that's correct.

COMMISSIONER: Thank you.  I'll just ask the other commissioners and committee members if they have any questions they would like to ask.

DR MAGWAZA: Nomusa, there is one question I would like to ask directed to you.  It is clear that you were so harassed and you went through difficult stages.  Especially after losing your mum and your brother, faced with the siblings and you have to bring them up, this is terrible and this is hard to bear.  As I am looking at you I feel troubled and it looks to me that you are not so healthy, your health condition is not so good.  Is there anything that is wrong, or what's happening, Nomusa?  Can you please tell me about your health condition spiritually as well.  (Pause)  I could see that you are not well, but I will like to say that it looks as though you need some help.  I understand since you lost your mum and your brother you don't even have time to think much about yourself because you are helping your other brothers and sisters and your child.  Since you are still young we believe that if you can get people who can help you psychologically you can still cope well with life.  You have brothers and sisters whom you do support.  As you have already stated everything before the Commission the Commission will take over your wishes and requests to the higher authority, and the authority will decide as to how they can help you and your brothers and sisters.  When you get out of this place you must know that we are with you and we'll always support you.

WITNESS:   Thank you.

COMMISSIONER: Nomusa, we can only imagine how terrible it must have been for you to see your mother shot in front of you in her own house, and also to find out, probably only minutes later, that your brother had also been shot.  As my colleague, Dr Magwaza says, we do extend our deep sympathies to you.  We are with you.  It seems from the manner in which they were shot and killed that it must have been a very professional job.  It sounds as though it was somebody who knew exactly how to handle a gun, which leads us to believe that it was a deliberate political assassination by somebody who was well trained in the use of firearms.  And it is quite clear that this sort of terrible violence, this political intolerance was taking place very, very frequently in those areas in those days.  As I have said earlier on Murchison certainly had its fair share of tragedy and violence in those years, 1990, 1991 and 1992, and your family was certainly a victim of that violence.  We will do everything we can to try and find out who committed this terrible act, and, as Dr Magwaza has said, we will take steps to ensure that you get the sort of treatment that you need so that you can recover properly from this tragedy.  Thank you very much for coming in to see us today.

COMMISSIONER: Can you hear me, can you understand me?

PETER MAPHUMULO: Yes, I do.

COMMISSIONER: Thank you for being so patient and waiting the whole day to give your evidence.  You have also come from Mbhayimbhayi in the Murchison area, and you have come to tell us about the death of your father.  Like the witness before you, who told us a very sad story about the death of her mother, you will tell us about the death of your father, who was an ANC member in the Murchison area.  Before you tell us that story I'd ask you to stand please and to take the oath.

PETER MAPHUMULO: (Sworn, States)   (Through Interpreter)

MRS GCABASHE: Good afternoon, Peter.  We would like to thank you for having been able to come before the Commission to tell us more about what you suffered in your family.  Before we get deep more into what happened can you tell us more about your family?

WITNESS:   Before I start explaining can I ask that I am protected?  Is there any security?

MRS GCABASHE: I just want you to tell more exactly - tell us more exactly where you were born, do you have brothers or sisters?  At the present moment that's what I ask you to tell us.

WITNESS:   Yes, I do have a mother, and we are six children at home including myself.

MRS GCABASHE: Are you staying with your mum?

WITNESS:   I am staying with my mum.

MRS GCABASHE: Are you still staying in Bhambayi?

WITNESS:   True, yes.

MRS GCABASHE: When you explained about your children at home you said there's one who's psychologically ill.  Can you tell us more about this child?

WITNESS:   This is my elder brother, the one before me.  He had some psychological problem during that time when my father was still alive.

MRS GCABASHE: How was he born?  Was he well?

WITNESS:   Yes, he was perfectly well when he was born.  After some time he fell sick.  I didn't know how it happened.  I just saw him behaving like that, showing that he was sick.

MRS GCABASHE: At school how far did he go?

WITNESS:   He dropped out at standard four.

MRS GCABASHE: Was it because of his sickness?

WITNESS:   Yes.

MRS GCABASHE: What sickness was that?

WITNESS:   It was fits.  He had fits.

MRS GCABASHE: What about the others, are they still at school, all of them are they still at school?

WITNESS:   Yes, they are still at school.

MRS GCABASHE: And including yourself?

WITNESS:   Yes.

MRS GCABASHE: What standard are you doing yourself?

WITNESS:   I am doing standard eight.

MRS GCABASHE: Peter, can you explain to us. As you've come before the Commission can you tell us exactly what happened up to the time your father was killed?

WITNESS:   As I've already asked that am I protected if I have to give witness before the Commission?

MRS GCABASHE: Maybe if you are afraid about your safety I will try to lead you through and question.  Is it true that your father got injured?  Are you free to talk about this?

WITNESS:   We were at home, myself and my mother and the young children.  My dad went to see his big wife, his elder wife.  It was on Sunday.

MRS GCABASHE: In your statement you said you said you went to your elder mother to see your father.  As you said when you had to come back your father will follow you.

WITNESS:   Yes, I visited him and I left back, I went back home.  It was still early.  He left to go to a neighbour to watch TV news.

MRS GCABASHE: This TV was - is it in your other mother's house?