Human Rights Violation Hearings — Messina — 1997-04-08

DR RANDERA: Before I proceed can I introduce the panel here to-day.  On the right, on my right hand side we have Miss Joyce Seroke who's a Member of the Human Rights Violations Committee and is based at the Johannesburg Office of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  At the extreme left, Mr Tom  Manthata who is a Member of the Reparations and Rehabilitation's Committee and Mr Manthata is also from the Johnnesburg office.  Next to me is Dr Russell Ally who is a Member of the Human Rights Violations Committee, also from Johannesburg and my name is Dr Fazel Randera.  I'm also a Member of the Human Rights Violations Committee based in Johannesburg.
 I just want to take up a few points that, that the Mayor mentioned.  Clearly, as we gather statements, we have the difficult task of deciding who should come to a public hearing.  If my memory serves me right, we have about fifty statements from Messina so far and of those we had to take thirteen or fourteen and I want to take the opportunity to say to those people who are not going to be making a statement here to-day that your statement is as important as everybody else's statement.  That the same energy will be given to corroborating what you have said in your statement that will help us make a finding as far as the process of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission goes. 
     We also want to say that if we look at the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, our responsibly is to try and develop as complete a picture of what happened in this area which contributed to these Gross Human Rights Violations and the Act is quite clear as to what the Gross Human Rights Violation is and it's defined as, as, as a killing, an abduction, torture or severe ill-treatment.  The Mayor mentioned the land mines that's, that were set off and, and my reading of the history of this area tells me that in 1985, 1986 particularly a number of people were killed and severely injured from those land mine explosions.  Now we tried on a number of occasions to contact some of the family members of the individuals who were, who are still alive from these incidents, to try and see whether they would be willing to make statements.  For different reasons people were not willing to make statements and again I would, I would appeal to those people to come forward and make a statement if it's still possible for them to do so.  Messina also is an area that clearly saw a number of young people, especially post-1976 leave the country to go and join the Liberation Movement in exile and I'm sure many people in, in these communities played a role in assisting these individuals as they, as they passed through Messina.  Now to-day you will hear some of that but again we have not had enough people coming forward to make statements.  So again our message is clear, please, in order for us first of all to give you the opportunity to make you statement, please come forward and secondly in order for us to develop as complete a picture as possible, please come forward as well.  
 Before I hand over to Miss Joyce Seroke who will be leading the first witness.  O, sorry, all right.  I just want to welcome Father Flemming.  The Reverend Joseph Umbequa we introduced already and as well as Reverend Makene.  Thank you for being here.  Can I please then call the first witness.  Humphrey Chauke has not arrived yet.  Is that right ?  I would like to welcome Betty Muleya.

MS SEROKE: Miriam.  Miriam.

DR RANDERA: Sorry, the deponent is Miriam....... (no further recording on the rest if side A of the tape)...
 Can I please ask Mr Manthata to come forward.  Mr Manthata, good morning.  Welcome.  I would just like to ask Miss Joyce Seroke to help you take the oath.

MS SEROKE: Mr Manthata, I will request you to stand up.  You will tell us that the story you're going to tell us is going to be the truth and the truth only, and God help you.

THOMAS MANTHATA: (sworn states)

RUSSELL ALLY: Mr Manthata, welcome and thank you for coming.  I can see from your statement that you were one of the older residents of, of this area and that you have a long history of involvement and understanding.  I see you give your date of birth as July 1908, so there's obviously a long involvement and rich experience and what you're going to really speak about is, is how, because of the political views which, which you held, you were victimized from early on but you're going to be speaking about, particular events and, which led to an attempted banishment and the effects that this had on you.  So I'm going to ask you if you will please just give us an account of, of, of these experiences which you have told us about in your statement.