Special Hearings — Children's Hearings — 1997-05-14

NOSIMELO ZAMA: I would like to continue from here above all these. These are   just what we've selected just to give the public knowledge as to how children   were violated. And there was also a six-year-old and a 10-year-old kid who were   also violated. After the perpetrators came and killed everyone they didn't leave   the house. Instead they continued to rape the child, a six-year-old, and now   the child can't even relate the story. If she's relating this she is crying.   Even in school she can't cope,and the teachers have sent her back because -   back by one class because they thought maybe she wasn't fit for the class she   was in. Now she knows these perpetrators, she can still see them. Now I would   like us to play her tape as well.

NOSIMELO ZAMA: "They started throwing tear gas, and then they left             - in February. And then he raped me. Now in school people came on             Monday for me, and I wasn't there. My mother is not working. We don't             have clothes to wear ... (incomplete - end of Side B, Tape 2) ...             you must see. We don't have shoes."

NOSIMELO ZAMA: As you have heard the child can't even relate her story, and   basically the society haven't paid much attention on children, and instead when   they talk about violence they talk about adults. And some parents have separated   from that violence. Some parents they have been taken by police. Up until today   they never came back home. As you have heard some are now with grandparents   or sisters, and these people who are care-givers are facing problems because   they can't provide all the needs for these children. It's very sad to know that   children have

NOSIMELO ZAMA: /suffered

NOSIMELO ZAMA: suffered more than we as adults have.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Melo. Before you go ... (inaudible)   ... comments. Nothing? Thank you then as one of the facilitators of those groups   for that very, very powerful insight into what children spoke about. I was quite   worried personally that we would not hear the voices of the children below the   age of 18, and I am pleased to see the creative way in which it's been included   into the process. So thank you very much.
/
CHAIRMAN

CHAIRPERSON: The next person who we will call up will be   Makozonkhe Elgias Nzimande. Unfortunately we will continue to half past one,   when lunch will be ready. The caterers have asked us to please do that so they   can prepare a bit more food for some of the additional children who are here   today. Welcome, Makozonkhe. Can you hear me on the headphones?

MAKOZONKHE ELGIAS NZIMANDE: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: You have come to us from Pinetown.

MAKOZONKHE ELGIAS NZIMANDE: Before you give your evidence could you   please rise to take the oath.

MAKOZONKHE ELGIAS NZIMANDE: (Sworn, States)

CHAIRPERSON: I will hand you over to my colleague, Professor   Magwaza, who will help you through your evidence.

DR MAGWAZA: Good afternoon, Makozonkhe. We would like   to thank you for coming here today and to be willing to give us a picture of   your life and the torture which you've experienced. Before you give us that   picture I would ask you to just give us a picture of your family, your brothers,   your sisters, your whole family. (Pause) Just to give us a picture of your family,   and then afterwards then you will tell us more about yourself. We need to know   about your parents, your sisters, your brothers.

WITNESS: We are two in my family.   It's my elder brother, and I am the last-born. And we were staying at KwaNdengezi,   but now we are staying at KwaDabeka. When we left KwaNdengezi we did so because   of violence.

DR MAGWAZA: Before you go in there, do you still have parents?

WITNESS: I have   a mother, I don't have a father.

DR MAGWAZA: /Before

DR MAGWAZA: Before we go on, what standard were you in when you left KwaNdengezi?

WITNESS: I was in standard six.

DR MAGWAZA: Okay.

WITNESS: "When we left KwaNdengezi for KwaDabeka because of   violence," that's where you ended. You can continue. --- There was a meeting   in a Roman Catholic Church. It was on Sunday. It was a community meeting. During   that meeting we came to know that people were not agreeing on each other, more   especially the youth. As the meeting went on we realised that we couldn't reach   a consensus, then we decided that we should leave the meeting. And as we left   one guy died from the Zumo family. And then we continued, we left for home,   until a day for the funeral came. And on that day most people died in that funeral.   After the funeral most people got injured. Some people were shot, and were shot   by people whom they didn't see, people who were hiding in the bushes waiting   for us, the people who were from the funeral. The violence went on and we were   forced to leave school and home. We left everything in our homes. We left for   Clermont. I couldn't go back to my temporary job, because I had a temporary   job which I used to work every Friday. And I couldn't go there because they   were looking for my brother, and they were after me because they thought I knew   where he was. I left school, I left my temporary job. That year was wasted.   In 1991 I registered at Clermont in another school called Sibusisiwe School.   I studied there for a year. The following year I didn't have someone to pay   for my fees. In 1992 I continued studying. In 1993 I couldn't continue because   of my family situation. I was helped by a certain organisation in Pinetown.   In 1994 they helped me. I

DR MAGWAZA: /registered

DR MAGWAZA: registered for a course, KTT course. I studied. Even now I   am still trying. I need to open my own business but I am failing.

DR MAGWAZA: What are you doing at the moment?

WITNESS: I am doing wall and floor   tiles. I am trying - I am advertising myself. Sometimes I do get customers,   sometimes I don't.

DR MAGWAZA: What kind of a job are you doing?

WITNESS: Tiling, wall and floor   tiles.

DR MAGWAZA: Can we go back a little bit. I want you to tell us more about   how your brother was killed.

WITNESS: My brother was at KwaNdengezi. He is actually   my uncle's son, but we grew up together in my father's house. So after we thought   the violence cooled down at KwaNdengezi we went back to KwaNdengezi to stay   there. One day we heard gunshots, and then we decided that we should run and   hide ourselves. And then we did that, but we didn't go in the same direction,   and then I discovered the next day that he was killed and other people were   watching. What about Khumbulani Msomi? --- Khumbulani Msomi was my brother who   was the leader of - he was my brother because we were from the same place, not   because he was my real blood brother.

DR MAGWAZA: What really tortured you or tormented you it's because you've   seen many people, friends and relatives, dying, and you also mentioned that   you couldn't further your education because of the family situation. Would you   please tell us how was the situation at home?

WITNESS: Where we were staying in Clermont   we couldn't bring my father along. It was just us and my mother, and my mother   wasn't working.

DR MAGWAZA: If we can go back and ask what wishes you had at

DR MAGWAZA: /that time

DR MAGWAZA: that time before the violence, and what wishes you still have   today? And I can see that you are still young, and I know you also had a dream   about your future. Maybe you still have some of those dreams. Can you tell us?