Human Rights Violation Hearings — King William's Town — 1997-05-13

MEYILE MALCOMESO SIWAYI: Therefore I need help from the Commission.

MS MAYA: According to our documents you are born on the 15th of May 1915, is that so?

MEYILE MALCOMESO SIWAYI: That is the truth.  It is just that I am strong, the Lord is with me.

CHAIRPERSON: Sandi?

ADV SANDI: Mr Mtyobile, I have questions for you.  I think that we are fortunate that you've come before us as part of the Ciskeian Police Force.  Maybe you can clarify a few things for us in connection with the Ciskeian Police Force.
 When did you start?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: In 1986.

ADV SANDI: When did you stop?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: 1992.

ADV SANDI: What was your rank?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: I was a Constable.

ADV SANDI: Were you in Qongqweni?  You said that there were fights, who was fighting?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: I am not sure, but the entire village was in disharmony and there was fighting.
 Our tent was not far from the Headman's house.

ADV SANDI: Were you given particular instructions?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: We were given instructions to look after the Headman's place.

ADV SANDI: Were you armed so that you could protect yourself?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: There was teargas.  We had teargas and pistols.

ADV SANDI: Did you think that there would be a certain group, resistance group that would attack you?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: We did not think that we would be attacked.  We thought that the Headman would be attacked.

ADV SANDI: You never thought that perhaps Umkonto We Sizwe would attack you?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: No.

ADV SANDI: Who was the Commander of the Unit at the time?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: Zwahlana.

ADV SANDI: Is he still in the Force?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: I think he is in Port Elizabeth.  I think he is in Port Elizabeth.

ADV SANDI: You said that there were rumours that it was a certain man who was leading the Elite Unit in Ciskei who sent people to attack you?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: It is my colleagues who rumoured this after I had gotten out of hospital.

ADV SANDI: Was this so that you would think that you were attacked by the ANC?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: Yes.

ADV SANDI: If that had succeeded, you would have thought that it is the ANC that attacked you and then what?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: I don't know to hide the atrocity they had committed.

MS MAYA: Perhaps I should ask the question in another manner.   Are you talking about Kwane Sebe?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: Yes, he was the head of the Elite.

ADV SANDI: You say it is him who planned so that you could be attacked?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: Yes.

ADV SANDI: What was his intention?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: He wanted us to be anti-ANC.

ADV SANDI: Was there disharmony within the Police Force?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: Yes.

ADV SANDI: What was it all about?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: We did not know what the Elite Unit was all about, we perceived them as our superiors therefore we were not connected to them.

ADV SANDI: The man that led your Unit, did he work together well with the Elite Unit that belonged to Kwane Sebe?  Were they aligned?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: Even if he did not work well with him, he could not voice that out because the Elite Unit was like the government at the time.

ADV SANDI: Therefore there was no conflict between these two Units?

BOYCE MTYOBILE: No.

ADV SANDI: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you for bringing your evidence before the Commission.  We've heard your requests before the Commission - we will look into them.  You can take your seats and we are going to call the last people to the stage.