Human Rights Violation Hearings — Welkom — 1996-10-08

WITNESS:   I haven't seen him in a long time but  according to the information I got from people is that he hanged himself and he died.

MR DLAMINI: I see.  Okay, would you please continue if there was something else that you wanted to tell us.

WITNESS:   I would say we went to the police station and they told us they did not know his whereabouts and we came back and we told his mother that he is nowhere to be found and further steps should be taken.  And his mother said she will contact the eldest members of the family to see what would happen.  And as I was still at school I couldn't disrupt my school term and I just dropped the matter.  But we were unsure as to whether he skipped the country also and we decided to leave everything, waiting for the exiles to come back with the hope that we would see him among them.

MR DLAMINI: Thank you, Oupa.  Subsequent to that day and all the efforts that you initiated, which I'm sure the Chairman will commend you a great deal for the prompt response you took - but what I would like to find out, are there any clues subsequent to all those things?  Did you hear anything whether perhaps rumours that, look, he might have skipped or he might have been killed and thrown into the forest?  Any clues that you could help us with?

WITNESS:   Until now I didn't have any information that is why I am appearing in this Truth Commission asking for help.

MR DLAMINI: In your own opinion of whether perhaps it was explicit, why did the police officer concerned take away your friend?

WITNESS:   I don't have the full information, Sir, but I thought just because we were students and we were members of the COSAS maybe that is the reason  because all of us were members of COSAS.

MR DLAMINI: Were there any specific problems between COSAS and the local police at the time?

WITNESS:   Yes, there was a problem at the time because they were harassing us.  When we were making some demands they were always against us.

MR DLAMINI: Was there any perhaps specific event that had taken place like bombing of a certain structure, burning of a certain house perhaps belonging to a police or any of the government servants that had taken place in the area?  Is there anything that you think might have prompted that kind of action?

WITNESS:   As I said, the police were against us when we made some demands at school.  It happened that some of the police properties were burnt but my friend was never there because all the time we were together.

MR DLAMINI: And when you reported the matter to the police charge office, did they issue a CR number or the case number or any record?

WITNESS:   They gave us nothing.  They just said to us they would look for the person who was responsible for the abduction.

MR DLAMINI: And can you remember the name of the officer or officers that you found in the police station when you went to report?

WITNESS:   They didn't have their name tags so there was no one I know.

MR DLAMINI: You did not even know by perhaps their nicknames or whatever they were called in the township?  Were they complete strangers to you?

WITNESS:   I don't know the names, Sir, but those are the people I used to see when they were moving around with the vans but I don't know their names, Sir. Are they still at the Tabong police station, the officers whom you reported to?   ---   I believe some are still there.  Others maybe got their pensions but there's no one who was interested in the case.  When we arrived there always they would say, "Go home, then we'll try to help you."

MR DLAMINI: If one took you to the police station and if those individuals are there, you would be able to identify them ?

WITNESS:   Yes, I can.

MR DLAMINI: Look, we have noted your concern.  I'm sure you are speaking on behalf of the family as well that you would like the TRC to help in resolving Jafta's disappearance.  It's not going to be an easy task but what we can assure you and Jafta's mother is our full commitment to try and establish what really happened to Jafta and whether anything belonging to him can still be rescued.  I would like to hand you over to the Chairman now.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Brother Mdu.  Are there any other members of the Committee who want to say something?  Professor Magwaza?

PROF MAGWAZA: Just a few questions I would like to ask you.  You said at the time Jafta was abducted there were riots.  What were those riots?

WITNESS:   During that time it was a little bit cool but it was during the time when there was unrest.  People were struggling for their rights in education.  We were students at the time but those who were senior to us, they were giving us the light about the political problems at that time.  As people who were ready to struggle, we were trying to fight that bantu education should be removed and for us to get a better education. Okay, thanks.  The other question is you said you were all members of COSAS.  Why do you think they singled Jafta.  They left you, they only picked up Jafta.  What was different about Jafta's involvement in COSAS?   ---   I wouldn't understand how active in the COSAS activities were but he was a member of COSAS.

PROF MAGWAZA: You were also a member?

WITNESS:   That's true.

PROF MAGWAZA: And you knew Jafta very well?

WITNESS:   I grew up with him from an early age.

PROF MAGWAZA: Did he occupy a position in COSAS?

WITNESS:   The COSAS formation at that time, we had no leaders but all of us were taking an active role.  There were leaders in front by he was just among us, the ordinary members.

PROF MAGWAZA: Before that fateful day had police harassed Jafta before?

WITNESS:   Just like any other child he was harassed all the time and even when we had our meetings the would come to harass and look for information.

PROF MAGWAZA: This policeman, Masoleni, did you meet him after abducting Jafta before he died.  Did you ever see him again or meet him again or speak - anybody spoken to him?

WITNESS:   I didn't have the courage to confront him but he was always some of those policemen who were moving with vans around the township.

PROF MAGWAZA: Lastly, I would like to know if Jafta's mother wouldn't want to say a word or two.  We'd also like to know your own experiences.  You lost son.  It must have meant something to you.

CHAIRPERSON: You can't say anything before you have taken an oath, Mama.  If you want to say something, you have to take an oath.  Do you want to say something.

MRS NTOMBELA: Yes.
/CHAIRMAN

CHAIRPERSON: Then can you stand up to take an oath.

MRS NTOMBELA: (Sworn states) (Through Interpreter)

MRS NTOMBELA: ---   This Masoleni, one day when the children were as school he came in my house then he said Jafta has died and he's brought us the report.  When we ask him were did he die, he said he collided with a car near the dam.  Then I phoned my son-in-law in Kokstad who is a surgeon.  Then he came.  We went to the police station to look for Masoleni.  Then he said it's not him, he doesn't know anything.  Then when he's supposed to expose these white women he didn't.  But he was not prepared to tell us the truth.  Then we went there many times and we couldn't get him.  Then my son-in-law took me to Odendaal, at the police station at Odendaal and the mortuary's there.  We couldn't get Jafta.  Then when we looked for his clothes, they told us that he's already buried.  The we said, "Why was he buries whilst we're looking for him?"  Then when we looked for these clothes he said he was buried with his cloths.  And then when we looked for his tomb, they gave us a wrong number and then when we ran to the police station to ask for the number they said, "This number doesn't exist."   Since we tried, up to now we didn't get the full story.

MRS NTOMBELA: Who told you that Jafta has been buried and who gave you the wrong number?