Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pretoria — 1996-08-15

CHAIRPERSON: Okay, Isaac, you are welcome.  Who have you brought with?  We welcome you, be relaxed.  We would like to know who is in your company.

ISAAC SAKKIE MORARE: It is my wife.

CHAIRPERSON: Is it Mrs Morare?  Mrs Morare, we also welcome you here.  I will ask Wynand to let you take the oath.

MR MALAN: Mr Morare, will you please stand and you will please raise your right hand and take the oath.

ISAAC SAKKIE MORARE: (Duly sworn in, states).

MR MALAN: Thank you very much.  You may be seated again.

CHAIRPERSON: I will ask Hugh Lewin to guide you as you tell us your story, your problems.

MR LEWIN: Thank you Mr Chair.  Morning Mr Morare.  Sorry.  Morning Mr Morare.  Thank you very much for coming to join us and to tell your story.  You have seen the way in which people are enabled here to tell their stories.  I just want to confirm that you are going to tell us about an incident which took place in March 1990 and at the time you were living in, is it, Tsepiso in Klipgat whereas now you are in Soshanguve.  Is that right?

ISAAC SAKKIE MORARE: It is so.

MR LEWIN: Yes.  Then if you could, in your own time and your own words, tell us about that incident which had such a dramatic effect on your life.  If you could also explain
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the background.  For instance what is the ODI which you mention in your statement.  If you could explain the background to the incident which took place.  Thank you very much.

ISAAC SAKKIE MORARE: On the seventh of March in 1990 I worked at Nissan.  There was a march organised.  We were supposed to march from Apon to Zone Five.  We were supposed to take a petition for the incorporation of Bophuthatswana into South Africa.  When we reached Zone Five we were singing, chanting Nkosi Sikelela.  The Bophuthatswana soldiers and policemen started shooting teargas at us.  That is when they shot on, they shot my left shoulder.  At the hospital where I was there was a lawyer who approached me and said, he said he is Willie Sebati.  He took statements.  After taking statements, his offices are still at H Block, and said once I was released was hospital I must get to his office.
 When I approached, when I reached his offices I was told that his office was burnt down.  Willie Sebati's office was burnt down.  Then he went to Zone 15 where he established an office.  I still remember his offices where they are.  I have been going to his offices, but I could not find him.  As I was still investigating and going to him I was wasting money so I went to the regional offices of Lawyers for Human Rights.  I asked them where could I get this person, Willie Sebati.  I heard from the Lawyers for Human Rights that Willie Sebati is no longer a lawyer.  The Government discovered that Willie Sebati was Mangope's lawyer.  He was just wasting your time.  
 Having heard that I asked these people from Lawyers for Human Rights to draft a letter to be sent to the Minister of Security, Minister Sydney Mufamadi.  I had a lawyer, Mr 
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Shadrack Mahlangu, who drafted the letter for me.  I said the letter must not be posted, I will personally deliver it to that office of the Minister.  When I was at the Minster's office I was asked to go back home, the Minister will reply to the letter concerning my problem.  I stayed some months thereafter.  About two to three the Minister replied to the letter.  Told me that the case that I sent to the Commissioner of SAPS has been sent to the Minister of, the Commissioner of SAPS.  
 Early this year or late last year I went to the Minister's office to enquire that the Commissioner of SAPS has not reported to me up till now.  Why is it that they are not furnishing me with a response.  Then the Minister sent me to his Director.  Director Dippenaar said he is still following or investigating the matter.  He sent me to the Area Commissioner.  I still have the file.  The Area Commissioner gave me the telephone numbers for Mmabatho.  I still have them in Mafikeng.  Even the name of Acting Commissioner Stals.  I was fortunate when I tried to phone there.  I got Constable Dintne. Constable Dintne told me that he will investigate the matter and tell me what transpired.  I must fax the letter from the Minister and then he gave me the numbers.  I told him I do not have money, then how could I fax the letter because I was retrenched in 1991.  He said to me go to any police station and fax that letter.  I agreed, I went to Roslyn Police Station.  They faxed the letter.  If I remember it was on the 12th of this April this year.  Ever since I faxed that letter they said nothing to me again.  
 I went there again to the police station, but I do not receive any correspondence.  They decided to phone and said 
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if they do not reply we will give you the numbers and then draft a letter, we will fax it again.  Ever since they have never given me any correspondence.

MR LEWIN: Thanks very much.  Could, just take you back through some earlier parts of the story to make things very clear.  What actually happened when the police and army opened fire.  You were hit in the shoulder. What happened to the other people who were taking part in the march?

ISAAC SAKKIE MORARE: The others were killed and murdered there.  As I remember a lot of people were shot because at the hospital there were a lot of stretchers outside.  They shot me on my shoulder if it is possible I can go show you the wounds.  My hand, I cannot raise my hand.  My left hand, I cannot raise it, but my right hand I can raise it.  They shot me on the seventh of March.  I was in hospital for the whole of 1990 until 1991, but in the statement I wrote the hospital file number which can maybe explain a little broader.  Even when they retrenched me at Nissan I was still in hospital.

MR LEWIN: Yes, we have that.  Could you tell us about your retrenchment?  That happened because of the incident did it?