Human Rights Violation Hearings — Grahamstown — 1997-04-09

MS SIKO: In 1985, Municipality police station was being burnt in the township, there was tension and chaos in the township.  My sister Nontozake was employed as a cleaner in this new police station.
 I was supposed to bring her lunch that day.  I was also looking for work in that company as I was not employed at that time.  At about three, I decided to go home because the people would come back from work.
 I went through the bush, I saw people.  I went through the open field, when I was about to reach home, there were people coming towards me and they beat me, they were using all sorts of weapons to beat me.

ADV SANDI: Did you notice any of the people who were beating you?

MS SIKO: Those were people who were staying in the same street.  Those were people whom I grew up with.  I went home and they followed me, they kicked the door.  I then opened the door for them, because I thought that they were going to talk with me.
 They then beat me in the head and they dragged me out of the gate, they were assaulting me all the time.  They took me in a corner and then they beat me there.  We were in one house, they went to one house, 161 C, to take paraffin.  They then put a tyre and put this paraffin in this tyre, they were beating me all the time.
 I couldn't bear the pain, I took out the tyre because it was burning at that time.  They beat me, I managed to take the tyre out of my neck.  They then - I then fell on top of this tyre.  All this time they were beating me.
 I was confused, I couldn't see anything at that time, it was dark.  I then heard a gunshot, but it was far away.  When they heard this gunshot, they ran away.  I then staggered, I managed to go home.  My sister took me and she tried to wash me.
 We locked the doors.  While we were still at home, the one who was a cleaner, she then came back home, these people were chasing her.

ADV SANDI: ; Are you referring to Nontozake?

MS SIKO: Yes, she ran and she opened the door quickly, she then locked the door.  My mother came back from work at about six, she then took me to hospital, Settlers Hospital.  I was operated in Settlers Hospital.
 I was then given medicine and I was bandaged.

ADV SANDI: You said that in your arm?

MS SIKO: Yes, my arm was cracked, my head was also cracked.

ADV SANDI: You suffer from continuous headaches?

MS SIKO: Yes.

ADV SANDI: How were you injured?

MS SIKO: In my left leg and in my body.

ADV SANDI: Were you still at school at that time?

MS SIKO: Yes, I was still at school.

ADV SANDI: Did you go back to school?

MS SIKO: No, I didn't manage to go back to school, because I was scared.  I couldn't even stay here in Grahamstown.

ADV SANDI: What standard were you?

MS SIKO: I was doing standard 5 at that time.

ADV SANDI: In your statement you said that the people who attacked you, they said that you were dirty?

MS SIKO: Yes.

ADV SANDI: Because you were sending lunch to your sister, Nontozake?

MS SIKO: Yes.

ADV SANDI: Did they give you any other reason for saying that you were dirty except for the reason they have given you?

MS SIKO: No, they just said that I was dirty, that is why they burnt me.

ADV SANDI: What happened to Nontozake?

MS SIKO: Nothing happened to her, they didn't manage to get her.

ADV SANDI: Are you receiving treatment now because of this incident?

MS SIKO: No.

ADV SANDI: Is there a need for you to get treatment?

MS SIKO: Yes, there is a need because of these headaches.

ADV SANDI: These continuous headaches?

MS SIKO: Yes.

ADV SANDI: Do you want to add something Ma'am, to what Nomakhwezi has already said?

MRS SIKO: No, there is nothing.

ADV SANDI: Let us now ask this question.  By coming here to the Commission, what are your expectations or what do you wish the Commission to do for you?

MRS SIKO: Yes, I do have a wish.  The people who killed Ndumasi, were not arrested.  Ndumasi was playing outside, one girl came to take him at home, there was a shot next to the stadium.  This girl said Ndumasi let us go to the shop, I will buy you sweets.
 This group was waiting for him in the shop.

ADV SANDI: Was it during the day?

MRS SIKO: It was after five.

ADV SANDI: Did Ndumasi belong to any political organisation at the time of this incident?

MRS SIKO: No, he was still young at the time.  He had two friends.

ADV SANDI: Is that all you wanted to say?  Do you want to add something to what has already been said?

MRS SIKO: I would like the people who killed Ndumasi, to be arrested.  The girl who came to fetch Ndumasi would be called now and again.

ADV SANDI: Are they still in Grahamstown?

MRS SIKO: No.

ADV SANDI: Do you know their names?  We would like you to go to our administration table to give out these names.  Is that all you wanted to say?  Do you have any more requests, except that you wanted this case to be reopened?

MS SIKO: There was one man, Mahodi, who was not arrested in
my case.  He was the one who tied me in my legs with wires.

ADV SANDI: Is he still around Grahamstown?

MS SIKO: Yes, he is here in Grahamstown.

ADV SANDI: Thank you Ma'am.  Let us now go to Mrs Sandi.   Could I call you Mrs Sandi, even though you swore yourself in as Mrs Sukula?

MRS SANDI: Yes, you may.

ADV SANDI: We are going to talk about something that happened at your place in 1986, where a house was set alight and a child, girl by the name Nontyatyambo, was attacked.  I would like you to start explaining to us what happened, which led to the setting alight of Nontyatyambo?

MRS SANDI: On the day all this happened, was on the 27th of August.  It was on a Monday after 7 pm, when these children came, knocked at my house and this one child turned up there and said that they were looking for Nontyatyambo.  Nontyatyambo was sleeping in the one room in the house.
 I asked, because I could see that there were many of them, I asked them what they wanted with her and they said that they had come to her, she then got up and came to us and they then said to her, we've come to you, you know what you have done.
 She said, what have I done?  There were approximately six children inside the house already and others were outside.  Those that were inside were looking for a phone, so that they could cut the lines, they said Nontyatyambo, you know what you have done, and she said I don't know anything.
 They said, and then I wanted to know from them, what is it, what has she done and they said no, she knows.  And they said, come, let's go to the other comrades.  We then, they
took her outside and I wanted to follow them, wanting to know where they were taking her.  They said no, we are going to the corner.  They then took her out.  The one child Lezugo and another Mfulani child.  When we got to the corner they took myself, Nontyatyambo  Zolizwa and this other child that stayed with us, when we got to the corner house, number 17 M Street, I asked them which corner is this?  They said no Ma'am, we are going to this place up ahead.
 When we got to the corner of L Street, they said no, we are passing here and we are going to this other corner.  We went to K Street.

ADV SANDI: Excuse me, were they dragging her?