Human Rights Violation Hearings — Uitenhage — 1996-08-26

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: After being taken there I was told that I - I was taken on the 6th October to Algoa Court where my Attorney, Mr Nchinga was, and also this Radebe. The Magistrate was Mr Loots and he presided over my case and every time Radebe would speak to Loots.
 I was then found guilty and sentenced to six years imprisonment. After being sentenced, I was sent back to Rooi Hell. When I got back there, there were people that had been sentenced before me in 1976 from Port Elizabeth and also people that were sentenced in 1977. When I was taken to Rooi Hell I was sentenced with criminals and we fought so that we could be separated from the criminals so that we could make a distinction between ourselves and the criminals.

MS GOBODO: Without interrupting you, I would just like to know after you were sentenced were you again assaulted in the cells?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Yes. We were. The assaults stopped after when we fought to be separated from the criminals because the criminals were working with the prison warders and, to try and get us out of politics.

MS GOBODO: When you speak about fighting with them, do you mean negotiating speaking to them?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Yes, we spoke. We said to them we shouldn't be with these people. We spoke to the person in charge of the prison.

MS GOBODO: So, you were fighting for your rights as political prisoners. I would like to know when did you realise that you had lost your hearing?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: When we were fighting for our rights, it became apparent that Lt. Gerber who was in charge of the prison had called a warder for us. These warders assaulted us and I was put into solitary confinement. That was known as "Mkulu Kutu" imprisoned - that is now when you are put in solitary confinement and when you are in there, you don't have any rights, you don't receive any visitors or anything.
 I was put into solitary confinement for 90 days. In this 90 days, I realised that I can't hear too well. There is this noise in my head and I was not sure whether Radebe was the cause of this or it was the prison warders.

MS GOBODO: I would like to know the injuries that you sustained after the assault from Radebe. We will refer to him as "Radebe". I would like to know what injuries on your body did you find after Radebe assaulted you?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Radebe assaulted me on my head, so my head was swollen and it was very sore and I couldn't even sleep on my back, even up to this day, I cannot lie on my back.

MS GOBODO: When they saw that your head was sore and swollen did they take you to a doctor for treatment, were you taken to hospital or to a doctor?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: You would only get to see a doctor when you got to Rooi Hell and the doctor there was Dr Laing.
 What he would do is he would take about two hundred people who were standing in a queue and get us all to undress. He would put one hand in his pocket, he would be wearing a stethoscope. He would be walking in conversation with this prison warder and just touch you with the stethoscope without even looking at your face and thereafter he would sign and say that there is nothing wrong with you.

MS GOBODO: Laing became very popular about something that he had done at the time of Steve Biko as well. Is this the same Laing that you say would just put the stethoscope on your chest without even examining you?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: No, he wouldn't even look at your face. He would just put the stethoscope there and walk past you while looking at this prison warder who he was talking to.

MS GOBODO: In other words, he did not offer you any treatment or help or anything?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: No. I only started receiving treatment after I was released. The South African Council of Churches sent me to Dr Breban and that's where I started receiving treatment, but Dr Breban and them didn't know what to do about the injuries that I had sustained on my head. A hearing aid wouldn't even help.

MS GOBODO: I would like us to speak about, you have already mentioned that your hearing was affected and that you cannot hear that well and I would like to know that now in your condition is there anything that you do now that you didn't do then. Could you just tell us a few of them, mention just a few of what has changed in your life?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Firstly, I lose my temper very quickly. Secondly, I am extremely forgetful. I forget very soon and I lose my temper very quickly.

MS GOBODO: Were you not like that before?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: No. I was not. Something else is that I cannot sleep on my back, I cannot lie on my back. When I lie on my back, I experience nightmares.

MS GOBODO: Let us just ask you now, what are your desires, what would you like the Truth Commission to do for you?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: My greatest wish is that I should receive a hearing aid. If I could get a hearing aid I would be able to hear so I would be able to communicate with people because Radebe and them, even if they were arrested, they wouldn't be able to bring back my hearing.

MS GOBODO: So, the main thing that you want is that your hearing, you receive a hearing aid so that you can communicate with people that you encounter?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Yes, I might even be able to earn my daily bread.

MS GOBODO: Unless there is something else that you would like to say, I would like to hand you over to our Chairperson. Is there anything else?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Yes, there were people that used to assist me. Dr Carstens used to treat me without me having to pay him.

MS GOBODO: So, you would like to express your gratitude to Dr Carstens?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Yes, I would like the Truth Commission to thank Dr Carstens for me.

MS GOBODO: Is he here in Uitenhage?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Yes. Somebody else that use to help me financially was Allen Greenstein. Allen Greenstein used to help me financially, he was a white man, he used to help me financially.

MS GOBODO: Thank you very much, I will hand you over to our Chairperson and see what he has got to say.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Ntsikelelo Sandi.

MR SANDI: Thank you Mr Chairman.
 Mr Mapela, let me put two questions to you. This Radebe that used to assault you, have you ever seen him again, in the road or anything and would you be able to identify him if you were to see him again?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: I last saw Radebe when I saw him and Loots in court.

MR SANDI: Would you be able to identify him if you were to see him again?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: I am not sure.

MR SANDI: At court when you appeared before Mr Loots, the Magistrate, did you tell him that you had been assaulted and you had been forced to make this statement?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: I could have told him, but it didn't work like that because Loots, when I was charged, Loots was in cahoots with the investigating officer and this Radebe.

MR SANDI: Did you have any visible scars or injuries that Loots could see when you appeared in court?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: No. You couldn't see them.

MR SANDI: Was it a while after you had been assaulted?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: Yes, it was nearly a month after I had been assaulted.

MR SANDI: Finally, Mr Mapela, was it a common occurrence for Mr Loots, when an accused had been assaulted by the police, that when the accused told him that they had been assaulted that he wouldn't pay any attention to it?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: He never used to pay any attention to it and also we found that the investigating officers and the Magistrates and the police used to work together.

CHAIRPERSON: Ms Tiny Maya.

MS MAYA: Thank you Mr Chairperson.
 Mr Mapela, I just have a few questions to put to you. At the time you were assaulted by this Radebe, were you working or were you a student?

MZUKISI PETROS MAPELA: I was working. I was working at Good Year.

MS MAYA: Were you able to work after these injuries?