Human Rights Violation Hearings — Uitenhage — 1996-08-27

CHAIRPERSON: Ms Moyesha, you would like to conclude.  When you were giving evidence, you were led by Pumla Gobodo, so were are going to hand you over to her, or Rev Xundu will take over.

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: Now, let us conclude.  Now you say, when you were at the police station your treatment was taken from you?

MS MOYESHA: Yes, it is like that.

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: Do you remember who those policemen were, who took these tablets from you?

MS MOYESHA: No, I don't remember who they were.

MS GOBDOD-MADIKIZELA: And, you were sent back to the cell and you were even charged?

MS MOYESHA: Yes, I was.

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: And, you were asked to pay R200, then what happened to this case?

MS MOYESHA: We went to court.

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: What was the outcome?

MS MOYESHA: We were sentenced to pay R200 and it was the end.
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MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: Now, what is your request to this Commission, how can we help you as a Commission?

MS MOYESHA: Firstly, ever since I was shot, I didn't enjoy good health and secondly, I would ask that this Truth Commission should now have mercy upon us and bring these Whites who shot us to come and ask for ask for an apology from us because they owe us an apology.  Most people lost there relatives, some lost their husbands.
 Thirdly I would like to say I have a child who is of school going age and the pension money I am getting is
...(tape ends)

CHAIRPERSON: I would like to say a word or gratitude to all these witnesses that gave evidence before this commission on this Langa massacre.  These witnesses on the stage and even those who are seated down there and perhaps some who may have left.
 I would like to say, we honour you because though this Commission is supposed not to take sides, it becomes very difficult that we could close our eyes and pretend not to see the bravery of the people evident as it may be, we therefore honour you because we see some heroes amongst you who have contributed greatly to the struggle of liberation here in South Africa.
 As we are listening, it is very evident that this was not a mistake but this incident occurred at a time when the struggle of the anti-apartheid was reaching a time when people had to sacrifice for liberation and so some of you handed over their relatives, some contributed themselves.  At that time, the government of apartheid was fighting a war UITENHAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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and I mean it.  That is why instead of the policemen being given arms like that shots, like ordinary rubber firearms, when they were looking at the procession of the funeral they were given live ammunition they were given some ammunition that is used in wars, whereas they were going to a procession for the people who were getting to a funeral.
 We have listened to your requests as presented to this Commission and I would like to say some of these requests can be considered and something can be done, but some of these are beyond our power.  The President and his cabinet could consider them.  
 The requests that are in our power as this Commission, we are prepared to attend to and we are going to do everything, as much as we can. 
 I cannot mention all of them, but I have heard you when you say you want the names of the killers because people did not shoot themselves, but they were shot on this particular day.  
 I have heard when you said you also would like to know what happened to the 14 corpses that went missing because according to what you know, the people who died on that day were not just 19 or 20 but 34 people died.
 I have heard you when you said we should bring these people to the front to appear before this Commission the Judge Kannemeyer to come and tell the whole of South Africa about his investigation and findings which impressed the Parliament and the Minister of Law and Order was very much impressed about.  This Minister of Law was Mr Le Grange.
According to the excerpt from the newspaper, he says Mr Kannemeyer, he thanks him for the (...indistinct). Then your request is that he should come before this Commission to 
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come and show to us the thoroughness and the incapable manner that was referred to by Le Grange.
 You also said that you want us to bring forward the magistrate, that were attending to these banning orders of which one was released by night and you want us to find out from them what law authorised them to do so.  And you also want the head of the policemen to come before this Commission together with the doctors who were working in the hospitals at the time together with Mr Anderson who was the secretary of the Town Council who expelled the drivers of the ambulance.
 You have got quite a substantial number of requests and we are going to attend to all these but I have stated that some of your requests are beyond our power but they could attended to by the president of this country together with his cabinet.
 These are requests like, that there should be a tombstone here to show that Uitenhage was placed in the map of the world because of the sacrifice you did on that day, otherwise, before that, Uitenhage was unknown.
 You also made a request that there should be some compensation to the people who made this very big contribution and it should be compared to the compensation that was given to the South African Defence Force who are evil-doers.  This request that we should look into the money that was given out by the government was it received by the people in full.  This we are going to look into.  But those about the tombstone, about the compensation, about asking for the hall, about asking for the creche and also to upgrade the living standards of the people, all those are going to be compiled into the report that is going to be 
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referred to the President of this country, otherwise all those that I mentioned earlier on we are going to address and if there is no response to them you should go and consult Reverend Xundu because he is nearest to you.
 We shall therefore thank all of you for the evidence you have given before us and even the task you have laid before us.  We are going to do everything within our powers and the rest we have left for the President and his cabinet to conclude.
 We are therefore going to close for the day and then march on to the scene of the incident to meet tomorrow morning to conclude as tomorrow this is going to be the last day and we are going to look into the matters of the UDF.   Thank you.
COMMISSION ADJOURNS