Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pretoria — 1996-08-14

MRS SHONGWE: 1990 In July a boy came to my house by the name of Sipho Zwane.  We were in the same street.  He is number nine and I am in number four.  He was looking for David and the kids told him that David was not around.  It was during the day.  He also came back again in the afternoon because David had gone to work.  When he came back in the afternoon David went to talk to him by the gate.  So they were talking outside, not inside the house, but outside by the gate.  I was looking through the dining room window.  When David came back inside the house I asked him how do you know this boy because this is such a horrible boy.  He said, no, there is something he wants from me and I asked what is it.  He said, no, do not worry because we did come into terms.  So we did not agree.  So he left, he went to the gym.  It was on Monday.
 On Tuesday he came back, the very same boy around the time when David was coming back from work and David went out.  When he got back to the house I said, David, today you are going to tell me the truth.  Why is it that you are so friendly to this boy because he is such a bad boy.  It is known, he is known to be a sell-out.  He said to me, no, he use to be an ANC, now he has left the ANC, he has joined Commons Party.  Now they are launching that party in Johannesburg so he has asked me to provide transport along to Johannesburg.  I asked where he is working?  He said Nampak.  Now what did you tell him. David said, no, told him that I am not going there, I am not providing any transport because when the police come they are definitely going to damage my car or even shoot all of us.  He refused. 
 On Wednesday they very same boy came.  He told him 
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exactly what he told me.  When David came back inside the house I asked him what is it.  Then he told me that, no, they said they were going to give me R400,00.  This is so important, I must take them to Johannesburg.  When should you take them, on Thursday.  I said do not go there, it is dangerous.  You are going to get hurt and why does he want you.  Why can he not go to some other people who own combis.  He said, no, I do not know Mama.  I said be careful, choose your friends and you must be careful because we know that he is notorious.  
 He came back again at six a.m. on Thursday just before David left for work.  It was on the 26th.  He said to David we will give you now R800,00, can you please take us to Johannesburg.  David, where is the money, because they have seen that David was totally refusing to take them to Johannesburg.  Now the combi that we are talking about was used by Killer Maphosa at the time and David said probably I should go to Killer to tell Killer that I need to use the combi to take people to Johannesburg.  We will get R800,00 for that.  Well, they did agree and he took the combi.  He told Sipho it was fine, he will take them to Johannesburg and Sipho left.  In the afternoon when David came back David said, no, I am not even eating, I am not even taking my bread and tea.  I want to change quickly into my tracksuit and off I will go and David left.  While he was leaving I said, David, why are you going.  He said, Mama, I am in a hurry.  I asked did you agree with Killer?  He said, yes, and that was the last time I saw David.  
 He disappeared on the 26th of July.  He left David and he was, David left and he was not coming back.  We worried, what is happening.  It was now Friday, David is not coming 
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back.  I therefore left, I went to Sipho's place to ask Sipho's mum as to where David was or if they knew anything about David's disappearance.  When I got to Sipho's mum I greeted her.  I told her, you see, I am here, I am looking for my son and your son.  Where are they?  My son has not yet come back since then.  Then she said to me, well, I am not Sipho's shepherd if you care to know.  I said, now how can you say that?  She said, leave me alone, I am busy with my work.  I left her in peace.  It was on Friday.
 On Saturday I went back again.  You know this thing was pushing me because his football club members were also looking for him and Killer was there also looking for the, wanting the combi to use the combi.  I kept telling them, David is nowhere is to be found.  Now, I had to leave Killer in the house.  I went back to Sipho's mum.  I said, hey, Sipho's mum, you better tell me where my son is.  She said to me, you know just sit down, have a seat.  I am going to tell you something.  She took her cigarette and she was smoking suddenly and she said to me you know you must take some snuff and you go back home and take this snuff.  When you get home you must pray because the people who are with David are murderers, marauders.  They will kill him, but if you can talk to the ancestors and even your God, if you believe, David may be safe.  I said who are those people, who are those marauders?  She said, you know, those people are so bad.  You just better leave now because I am expecting some people here. I said, no, I am not going.  I am not leaving this house, I am not leaving you alone, you better tell me.  She said, no, just leave me alone, I am going outside now and one woman came in and said, you get out woman, I want to talk to this woman.  You give us some 
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space.  She said to me you also, please leave us in peace.  Well, I had to leave there was no any other way.  
 I told Killer at home when I got there.  Killer said, but mum, do you believe this?  What is happening, that woman is insane.  Well, we sat down and we said what can we do because David has really disappeared.  We left, we went to some funeral of Mr Zwane.  In the very same street there was a funeral so we had to go and attend the funeral.  Just when we were at the funeral we got back.  I saw Sipho.  Sipho was there at the funeral.  You know, he was walking so pompously wearing new clothes.  You could see that he is walking so pompously.  He was just behaving so strange.  When I tried to approach him he just ignored me totally as if he did not know me whatsoever.  I left him alone.  
 After the funeral we went back to the house to wash up our hands. When I was looking at the back I just saw some boys and they were saying you know people are, have surrounded your house.  There are so many cars parked outside.  I quickly left.  I ran to my house. I met a kid, the kid was telling me, we are looking for you, go back home.  I said I am headed for home.  I found police there.  I did not know that those were police because they were not in uniform, they were in private clothes.  They were in short and in, you know, casual wear.  I asked them what do you want here?  They said where is your son, where is he?   We are looking for him.  I was surprised and astounded, what is happening here.  I told them also that I am also looking for David because he left on Thursday with Sipho, taking some people to the rally in Johannesburg.  Since then I have not seen Sipho.  They asked me did you report this to the police.  I said, yes, I have reported to every police 
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station, but Sipho is nowhere to be found.  Can you please, gentlemen, also tell me where Sipho is.  
 I went to Sipho's mother and Sipho's mother also told me that David is not known where he is.  They were busy at the same time turning the house upside down, looking for things I did not know.  You know, when I asked what are you looking for, they said we are looking for David, your son, the one who has disappeared.  They left finally.  Around eight o' clock they came back, 12 in number.  They came back also.  They were perusing, searching in the house, turning my house upside down.  We could not sleep that day, they disturbed us.  We were so astounded, we were so surprised at to what was happening.  I do not know what has eaten up my child.