Human Rights Violation Hearings — Newcastle — 1996-09-10

COMMISSIONER: Mr Dlamini, thank you for coming and telling us your story.  We know that you wanted to tell us a much, much longer story, but as Mr Lax pointed out we still have a number of witnesses who have come here today.  Some of them have come from a long way, and we are not able to allow people to go on for too long.  You have told us the experiences which took place in - way back in 1972 and 1973, when the police attempted to get you to work for them, the Security Police, and one of the reasons why the police, and particularly the Security Branch, in this country were so successful is that they were able to persuade or force some black people to work for them, and to your credit you refused to do this, and by this you avoided being taken into that world which is inhabited by people like Mamasela and Nofumela and Chikalanga.  These were people who spied on opponents of apartheid, and killed them on the orders of the police.  And, going further, to your experiences in the eighties and nineties, it seems that your unwillingness to support the IFP and participate in its institutions after having been a member was the reason why you were subjected to harassment and attack, which resulted in the very terrifying attack on your house and the shooting of you and your wife, your common-law wife.
You have also mentioned the name of Mr Themba Nkabinde, who was an IFP youth leader, who was also mentioned by the previous witness, Mrs Madela, as being the person possibly responsible for her husband's death.  And you have also given us a very vivid description of the activities of the organisation that was known as Savuka at the time, and its links with the IFP youth.
So, in conclusion, we want to thank you for filling us in on what happened in Madadeni in those days.  We have to write a report to the State President, to the Government, at the end of our period of work, and the information that you have given us is valuable for that report.  And you have given us the names of people who you believe perpetrated violations against you, and it is our job through our investigation unit to take those investigations further and to try and find out who did those things and why they did them, and your information has been very valuable.  So we want to thank you again for coming and sharing your story with us today.  Thank you very much indeed.

VUSUMUZI NTULI: (Sworn, States)   (Through Interpreter)

COMMISSIONER: Mr Dlamini will assist you.

BONGINKOSI DLAMINI: Vusumuzi, we would like to thank you for the opportunity that you gave us to come here before the Commission and tell everyone about what happened to you.  We know that it's a very sad story, especially when something like this happens to someone who's very young like you.  Vusumuzi, we would like you to give us a picture of your family.

WITNESS:   I do have parents.  I am only left with my mother, I don't have a father.  I have a mother and a brother.

BONGINKOSI DLAMINI: Is there any family member inside here?

WITNESS:   No.

BONGINKOSI DLAMINI: Is your mother well?

WITNESS:   Yes.

BONGINKOSI DLAMINI: Is she old?

WITNESS:   No, not that old, but she is grown up.  I have a sister who's 22 years old.

BONGINKOSI DLAMINI: What is she doing?

WITNESS:   She is in the military force.  She is a military soldier.  The one after that she is 18 years old, she is still at school.  No, Nthombeko is a boy.  He is in standard seven.

BONGINKOSI DLAMINI: Are there any brothers and sisters?

WITNESS:   Yes, I have an elder brother, Sipho.  He is a driver.  He is in Standerton.

BONGINKOSI DLAMINI: Are there any other members?

WITNESS:   No.  I have a kid, her name is Gugu, and my brother's kid as well.

BONGINKOSI DLAMINI: Thanks for giving us this picture.  Now we would like you to give us a picture about what really happened on the 8th of November 1993.  I will disturb you as you go on so that I clarify some matters.  Thank you.