Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pietermaritzburg — UNKNOWN

MRS GCABASHE: Tell me, because you said your hearing it's now disturbed, how is it now?

WITNESS:   No, it wasn't that painful, it just used to secrete liquid, or excrete liquid.

MRS GCABASHE: Now that you aren't working and you aren't receiving any pension how do you survive?

WITNESS:   I am just trying, like I am ploughing things, and whatever we plough we sell and I get money from that.

MRS GCABASHE: Because you were affected because of this torture maybe we can try and see that you can get pension even though you aren't that old.  Thank you.

MR LAX: Mr Mnigathi, you spoke about another person that was in the van with you that night.

WITNESS:   Yes, two persons were with me that night.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... was then released and told to walk backwards - or told to run away.

WITNESS:   Yes.

MR LAX: (Inaudible)

WITNESS:   Yes.

MR LAX: And then you said you heard a gunshot.

WITNESS:   Yes.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... or were they just shooting to try and make him run?

WITNESS:   No, they didn't.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... was he okay?

WITNESS:   Yes, he was fine.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... man was?

WITNESS:   Yes.

MR LAX: (Inaudible)

WITNESS:   Stanley Mbambo.

MR LYSTER: Thank you, Mr Mnikathi.  We have heard your story of how you were tortured in 1989.  We have heard so many stories like yours over the past months in different parts of the country, but it still shocks us to hear a story like yours, particularly when we hear that it was the police who did this to you, people who should have been here to protect and assist us, but instead very often did exactly the opposite.  They intimidated, harassed and shot people who opposed the previous Government, and we hope that with the advent of democracy and liberation that we have achieved that this is a thing of the past, although we still know that in many - in some parts of our country the police still have to undergo transformation and change in their attitudes towards people.  The sorts of things that you suffered in Mpophomeni are by and large a thing of the past.
We will make recommendations to the Government as to how you, and other people like you, should be assisted, and you will be advised of that at a later stage.  But your evidence has helped to paint a picture of what circumstances and conditions were like in those days, and we thank you for coming to the Commission and sharing your experiences with us, and we again thank you and wish you well as you go.  Thank you very much.

MR LYSTER: The next witness is Mr Themba Mchunu, if he could please come onto the stage.  Mr Mchunu, can you confirm that you can hear me and understand me?

THEMBA MCHUNU: Yes.

MR LYSTER: (Inaudible) ... to tell your story, and you are from Sobantu here in Pietermaritzburg, and you have come to tell us about the torture at the hands of the Security Branch of the South African Police in 1976.   Before ... (inaudible) ... you to stand and take the oath.

THEMBA MCHUNU: (Sworn, States)

MR LYSTER: (Inaudible) ...  my colleague, Dr Magwaza, to assist you in giving your evidence.

UNKNOWN: Good day, Mr Mchunu.  We appreciate your presence.  Can you just start by telling us about yourself.  It's the first time we see you.  We would like to know more about you.  Just tell us briefly, is there any political organisation that you are affiliated to, and how old were you when this happened?

WITNESS:   I was born in Sobantu in 1953.  We are seven in my family.  Then it's my mother, my father died.  He passed away in 1982.  I have got four sisters and two brothers.  I am the last one.

UNKNOWN: Just explain to us whether you've got a family, children and a wife?

WITNESS:   No, I don't have my own family.

UNKNOWN: In your statement you have alleged that you were harassed because you tried - you were trying to leave this country and go to the outside countries, but they arrested you even before you went out.  Just give us a background as to what happened before you tried to skip the country.

WITNESS:   I'll start from September the 11th in 1976.  We moved because of the past regime, which was not compassionate.  It hated blacks, there was apartheid, they didn't want to see a black person in South Africa.  We were being treated like slaves and animals.  We realised that the only way was for us to skip the country, leave South Africa, leave the land of oppression, go outside, learn about arms and ammunitions, as well as war, so that we may come back and fight for our oppressed people.

UNKNOWN: When you talk you say "we," as if you were not the only one.  Who were the other ones?

WITNESS:   We were seven who planned to skip the country in September on the 11th in 1976.

UNKNOWN: Who are the other ones?

WITNESS:   I still remember Mandla Mvubu, Veli Mthembu, Sithe Zemu.  I have lost recollection of the other ones.

UNKNOWN: When you got arrested you were the only one who got arrested.  What had happened to the other ones?

WITNESS:   We were arrested on the train.  We were still at the Durban Station, the seven of us.

UNKNOWN: You may continue.