Human Rights Violation Hearings — Umtata — 1996-06-20

MEMBER OF PANEL: Honourable Chairperson I would like to call upon Mankwali Madlavu to the stand.  Is she here?  Please come up.  Mrs Madlavu, I welcome you here as you are going to present here your details about the violations of your human rights especially when we are going to talk about your son Aeron.  Many woman have paid a dear price because we know that you are the people who bring up children and then when you lose the child that you have brought up you might be feeling so effected more than the males could be.  We appreciate that you never lost hope and you know the sacrifice that you have given to the people.  We thank you very much for being here.  I would like you to stand up for an oath.

MANKWALI MADLAVU: (Duly sworn in, states).

MEMBER OF PANEL: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: I call upon Ntsiki Sandi to lead the witness.

ADV SANDI: Thank you Chair.  I greet you Mrs Madlavu.  I would like to confirm your names.  Are you Mrs Mankwali Nofemilie Madlavu, is that so.

MANKWALI MADLAVU: I am Mankwali Nofemilie Madlavu.

ADV SANDI: Do you stay at Vumilwano location in Qumbu.

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes Sir.

ADV SANDI: The story that you are going to present here in connection with the death of your husband Aeron Sibhabha who UMTATA HEARING EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE
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was usually called as Babes Madlavu.  Did this happen in the location Mrs Madlavu?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes.

ADV SANDI: I think I can hand over to you so that you can continue and give us details about what happened, when did this take place and how was your husband murdered?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: In 1990 the ANC organisation was formed and we joined this organisation.  My husband was also a member of the ANC and we worked for this organisation for quite a long time.  After a period when he was still working for the organisation, there were times when he use to say he is going to attend meetings, but at a later stage he stopped attending meetings and I made inquiries about why did he discontinue attending meetings.  He stated that there were differences of opinions and this affected him.

ADV SANDI: Without disturbing you, the meetings that you talk about are the meetings of the organisation that you talked about?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes.  One day, it was in June, Nkosile Pikelela arrived at my place.  I was with my children and he requested that he was supposed to accompany him.  I asked him who is asking him to accompany him.  He said the Comrades want him to come along with him.  I said I did not know where he is.  This gentleman went out.  As he went out he saw my husband coming and then he called him and then my husband followed him.  I also followed them and I stood in a place which was nearer.  I was a bit far and I could not hear what they were talking about.  They talked for quite a long time and then he came back.  I asked what was the reason for the discussion.  He stated that they were asking why does he not attend the meetings anymore and they said
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they regard him as neutral now and they have decided that I should attend the meetings and resume my participation.  Everything became normal.  He still did not attend the meetings.

ADV SANDI: Can I just disturb you a little bit Mrs Madlavu?  When he was called, how long was it that he stopped attending the meetings?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: It was quite some time.  I think it was about two months, between two or three months.

ADV SANDI: Did he state specifically the reason for discontinuing?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes he did.  He mentioned the fact that they were supposed to patrol so as to see the thieves and control the theft which was taking place in the vicinity.

ADV SANDI: So do you say when he did not come to the meetings he was called again?  Where was this meeting?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: No, it was just in the open air.  A samsong was just next to this open air, open veld.  We came back at my place.  As it was in June they would patrol during the night and we became familiar with this arrangement, but we realised that we were no longer popular amongst these Comrades.  One day I was outside.  I saw one crippled man who was being tripped and he fell down by one of these young boys, Simpiye Sonselo was the boy.  My husband went there so as to defend this old man.  He came back and took his stick, knopkirrie to approach this.  So they chased each other and then at the end he could get him.  When he jumped over the fence my husband hit the boy with his knopkirrie and then the child fell down.  He woke up and then ran.  There were a few young men who were approaching him.  They also assisted my husband to take this young boy and then they
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were beating this one.  There was another one was also a brother to the offender.  I do not know what they did to that young boy, but my husband came back to my place.  We stayed for that day.  
 On a Sunday, I am mistaken.  On Saturday during the evening one youth Mfuzo Nokessi came to my place.  He visited, I was alone at this time, as my husband was out of the house.  He asked where my husband is.  I just kept quiet.  Whilst I was still surprised he took a bottle and hit me.  I was expecting at that time and this boy hit me on my stomach.  I was weak and then I sat on my bed.  I went out and I asked Mfuzo why do you hit me so.  He said you bitch, just go away, I am just looking for your husband.  I just kept quiet.  I was looking for my husband and trying to inform him about what has happened to me.  I looked for him, I could not see him.  I came back.  I was crying all the time because I was deeply about what had happened.  At the end my husband came in.  Seemingly he learned about what happened to me and then I informed him.  He took this knopkirrie again and went out looking for this Mfuzo.  I prevented him from doing so because I was under the impression that Mfuzo might come back again.  My husband was very angry.  He hated what happened to me.
 On the Sunday in the evening a group of young people they came into my place.  They surrounded the house, they were so abusive and insulting me about my pregnancy.  Some of them they said they were responsible for my pregnancy.

ADV SANDI: Mrs Madlavu, do you mean the day when they said you must stop selling?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: No, I have not yet come to that.

ADV SANDI: Okay.
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MANKWALI MADLAVU: They insulted me, they were so abusive and some of them were using abusive language and the others were so rude.  They were degrading me for quite a long time.  They had rocks and huge stones.  There was another gentlemen who came to prevent them from assaulting us, but there was one gentlemen, it was difficult for them to stop the fight.  Then Mr Mda came and Mr Kekengana Qondo.  I do not know what is his real name, but they usually called him as Qondo.  Those are the two gentlemen who came to assist us.  The youth was pulling me with the dresses, insulting me, calling me names and then it was said at the end these two gentlemen when they came, they were able to control the situation.  The youth was very angry and then they said they would rather stop participating in the struggle because now they are prevented by these men here.  Mr Msikolo took us to a place in an open place when we were supposed to hold a meeting.

ADV SANDI: Was this the 22nd December?