Amnesty Hearings — Nelspruit — 1999-02-02

MZOBONA LEONARD HADEBE: Thank you.
"Madam Chairperson, I would like to explain this way.  On the 28th of September a bus was bombed.  This bus was carrying ANC supporters.  The reason why it was bombed was because we had been fighting in that community in Ratanda, which is in Heidelberg.  The fighting was between the IFP and the ANC ..."

CHAIRPERSON: We would like you to slow down as you give your evidence.  As you continue to give evidence it is being translated in different languages and therefore we would like you to slow down please, and we are also writing down whatever you say.

MZOBONA LEONARD HADEBE: Thanks, I will try and do that.

CHAIRPERSON: You were still explaining the reasons why the bus was bombed.
MR HADEBE
"The reason why the ANC bus was bombed was because they had been fighting in the community in Ratanda, which was between two political organisations, the ANC and the IFP.  The reason why we had to commit this act was because most members of the IFP had already been killed and we were diminishing in number.  We were being killed because we were IFP.  That is my opinion.  They were saying that they don't want any IFP members in that particular area in Ratanda, they wanted it to be an ANC stronghold.
			One Sunday, if I remember well it was on the 27th of September 1992, one of our Induna's, the headman who was in charge in the hostel, our leader in the hostel, was killed.  His name was - I would say his surname was Nyaki and his name was Mgababa.  After he was killed on that Sunday and he had been killed by ANC members, these members were working with us in the same company or firm.  Early the next morning which was Monday, when we were going to work, to report at work, I entered and reported at work.  We started work as usual.  As all the workers were getting into the factory - I was in the "slag" department which is a butchery, the people who were coming to work started insulting each other and I was surprised.  
			Some members of the ANC inside the same factory in my department, pointed fingers at me saying that you are the only one that's left.  You are in front and we are going to find you, we are going to get you.  I became afraid after hearing these words, therefore I approached one of the headmen who was in charge in our section.  I asked him that I'm not happy with the situation here, in other words I'm not feeling well and therefore I will need to go and consult with a doctor.  He agreed and said that he's going to go and inform our foreman and he said I can leave so that I can get a taxi to go to the doctor because if the taxis run out of the firm's gate I will not be able to walk on foot until I reach town where I could get taxis.  The reason was that I might die on the way if I don't get a taxi to take me to town.  
			When he left to go and inform the foreman, I also went out and took off my overall and wore my formal clothes.  I went straight to the township.  I alighted from the taxi next to the hostel in Ratanda.  I went and stayed inside the hostel.  
			Coming to the bombing of the bus, it was during the evening.  I won't say it was late evening, it was about late afternoon, in the evening ..."
...(intervention)

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Claassen, won't you please take charge of the evidence that is being presented to us?

MR CLAASSEN: As the Committee pleases.

CHAIRPERSON: I have not been able to know the relevance.

MR CLAASSEN: As the Committee pleases.

CHAIRPERSON: The evidence that has been led up to now by Mr Hadebe, I do not understand it's relevance in relation to the incident for which amnesty is being sought by him.  Won't you please just try and come to our assistance so that we can curtail these proceedings without having to lead unnecessary evidence?

MR CLAASSEN: I will do so, Madam Chair.
	Mr Hadebe, just getting back to the situation at work, was the situation at work - you now indicated that you were a member of the IFP and there was opposition in the work context.   The work situation, were the workers at the factory predominantly IFP supporting or ANC supporting?

MZOBONA LEONARD HADEBE: I won't be able to estimate who were the majority, I would say we were about 50/50.

MR CLAASSEN: Mr Hadebe, you also mentioned now that when leaving the factory you made use of a taxi, is there any relevance to this?  Why did you specifically take a taxi?

CHAIRPERSON: I think we've covered that, Mr Claassen, unless you think there is something that will be taking us to ...(inaudible) be relevant in respect of the incident itself for which amnesty is being sought, we would like him to cover that aspect.

MR CLAASSEN: As the Committee pleases, Madam Chair.  I just wish to establish that certain modes of transport were used by certain political factions.

CHAIRPERSON: You may proceed then.

MR CLAASSEN: Thank you, Madam Chair.
	Mr Hadebe, could you just explain why did you specifically take a taxi and not for instance a bus?

MZOBONA LEONARD HADEBE: I took a taxi because we didn't use the buses because it was known that only the ANC members could use buses and the IFP members should take taxis.  Even the taxis, there were two groups of taxis.  Others carried the ANC members, others carried the ANC(sic) members.