Amnesty Hearings — Boksburg — 1998-03-03

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: In June 26th Dingaan Tobela, the boxer, had a fight with Tony Lopez.  I remember that fight quite well, it was around 2a.m.  After the fight, as we were patrolling from block A right up to block F, when we got to block F after the fight we watched TV, we were watching TV and we did not have electricity in the area.  Some people who owned television used batteries because  there was no current, electricity.
	Soon after that people started to celebrate that Dingaan Tobela won the fight.  From that celebration I heard gunshots and suddenly they intensified and I was shot also.  I still have the ...[indistinct] the head on that very night, I was shot at the back.   The ANC Youth League did not come up front after that incident but people who came to enlist helped me were the SDU defence  unit members.  I regained my consciousness in hospital.
	 And secondly, after I was discharged from the hospital on the 12th of July I was still under ...[intervention]

MR MADASA: Sorry, those people who fired shots, do you know who they were?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: I don't know the people who shot.

MR MADASA: Whom did you suspect?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: As I've already said Mr Chairman, we were one with the ANC Youth League.  After it withdrew from us that conflict went on and the shots were fired in Moleleki on that day of the fight of Dingaan Tobela.
	In my view I thought they were celebrating because Dingaan Tobela won the fight and I thought the followers of Dingaan Tobela were celebrating but after some time I realised that he lost the fight but I was hurt, I was injured that day.  I'm not quite too sure as to who shot me because I did not see him in person, I did not quite see him but the people who were supposed to have been there were the members of the ANC Youth League and the defence unit.  The self-defence unit did - someone helped me.

MR MADASA: Oh you suspect that Youth League members shot at you, is that what you're saying, yes?

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Madasa, he's not suggesting that he suspects that he was shot at by the ANC Youth League, he's not suggesting that.

MR MADASA: Sorry Mr Chair.
	Right, is there any other incident where Youth League members caused trouble, that you remember and you were present?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Besides this incident, as I've already said after I was discharged from hospital, one day, the same day on the 12th of July, Lucky Pinikine Mtetwa together with Vips Motloung and Richard, I don't know his surname but he had one eye and had spectacles or wore spectacles and Maseven were seen or I saw them, they were seven, were running after seven men from block F towards the river.
	Amongst those men four of them were shot, three were left alone.  Their names are as follows: Jackson, -just let me refer to this, I beg your pardon, Jackson Nkosi, I'm sorry, his car was taken from him and Moses Mkonza and Sepo Mbogani, those were left alone, they were forgiven in other words, was Joseph Mbogani and Henry Kunene and Nuaki number 7055 in block D.

CHAIRPERSON: Would you give us the names again?  The persons that were shot at, would that include Jackson Nkosi?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Jackson Nkosi, his car was also taken from him.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, and?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Sepo Mbongani.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Moses Mkonza, have since died.

CHAIRPERSON: No, wait a minute.  They were shot and killed then?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Yes, they were shot and killed.  The ones who were forgiven as are follows: Joseph Mbongani.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Henry Kunene and Nuaki of 7055.

CHAIRPERSON: Who's this one?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Mxega.

CHAIRPERSON: Of number?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Of number 7055, block D.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, thank you.

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Thirdly, still in July as accused number 7, Oscar Motlokwa has explained that ...[indistinct] Majosi who was under SAP, ...[indistinct] and his cousins - his real name ...[intervention]

CHAIRPERSON: Wait a minute.  Majosi was a member of the South African Communist Party, right?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: That's what I meant to say.  He was active at the union at his workplace.  His real name, Majosi, is Nkosinati Nxube from 7007, number 7007 and Shlalukwa Zinube and there was one who fled.  Shlalukwa Zinube resided in block D just further down the street from my place.  As I was still under the doctor's care, I used to limp because I was severely injured.
	At night they were chased and they passed by my house.  Just before they approached my house there was gun shot that I heard and screaming that I heard.  I got out of the house and there was also so much noise, insulting one another outside like: "Get out those weapons".  And when I got out of my shack I shouted: "Comrade, comrade, what's happening"? and one responded that: "We've already arrested one who's sustained an injury on the neck and we are chasing this Inkatha member" and he says his uncle who is my opposite neighbour said the uncle has concealed some weapons in his house.  	
	And I asked as to where they found him and they answered and said they found him down the street and he was already bleeding profusely from the neck.  And I asked them: "Now what is going to happen, why would you assault some other members right here"?  They answered back, the said: "You don't know anything, there are weapons concealed in this uncle's house".  
	I asked him, the very person, as to where he was found by these people and he answered back and said: "They just arrested me for no apparent reason".  There was this one called Vips and Vips said: "Comrade, even though you are so injured, please get inside the house and rest".
	There was another one called Maseven, he was also chased.  Shaluga was chased up to Majosi's house.  It wasn't long and I heard again a gunshot - even though I've already explained that I was still under doctor's care at the time.  And firstly when we got to this area, occupying it, each time there will be an attack we will whistle and blow some whistle and we heard the sound of a whistle.  
	After we heard that all the comrades ran and approached the scene.  I couldn't because I was limping due to the injuries that I've sustained.   When the comrades arrived it was after - they arrived, when the comrades arrived, I arrived after the incident had taken place.  The attackers were already gone and Majosi himself was already taken with Shlalugasi as well. 
	The next door neighbour's bakkie was taken towards, was driven towards the bridge in block A.  When the community of Moleleki Extension 2 arrived, when we heard from Majosi's mum and wife, the one who is Mkosinati Nxube, they asked when they arrived, asked about the money that was collected to buy some equipment.  As co-accused number 7 has already said we used to donate some money to buy shovels.  We used to call guns as shovels.
	Late Majosi pointed towards the wardrobe ...[end of tape 3, day 2 side A - no follow-on sound].  They took all their possessions that the wanted, like jackets, ...[intervention]

MR MADASA: Who are these people who took Majosi's possessions?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: I've already explained Chairman, that it was Lucky Pikinini Mtetwa, Vips Motloung, Maseven and the Richard who's surname I've already forgotten but had one eye and wore spectacles and Meelie or Miles Simelani and Thabo.

MR MADASA: To which organisation did they belong?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: They came out of the self-defence unit that we all belonged to and formed the ANC Youth League that was combined with the new defence unit that was formed by Mr Buthelezi.

MR MOTATA: Just before you proceed, you spoke of Tusanang Lucky Mtetwa, is it the same Tusanang Mr Motlokwa referred to, are those two and the same person?

ZOLA NXEBA MICHAEL SONTI: Yes, that's the one, Tusanang Rigabe.