Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pietersburg — 1996-07-19

MR MAHUDU: This comrade, I know him by a code name only, I don't know his real names.

THOMAS MANTHATA: I see here that you used to hold meetings  wearing balaclavas, what was the reason?

MR MAHUDU: We didn't hold meetings with balaclavas but if there was a funeral of a comrade, we used to wear balaclavas when addressing people so that we could not be identified by the police.

THOMAS MANTHATA: You've answered already that they told you that you are statement ...(indistinct) from that of Patrick, my question was going to be, did they read Patrick's statement to you.

MR MAHUDU: No they didn't read it to me.

THOMAS MANTHATA: They forced you or made you to drink liquor, do you normally drink?

MR MAHUDU: Yes I do drink.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Would you say you welcomed a drink or was it just that you had been forced by the police?

MR MAHUDU: No, the situation didn't allow me to drink, I was forced by the circumstances, because I didn't eat by then, I slept in prison without having any food, so there was no need to drink liquor.

PROF MEIRING: It appears they made several offers to take you to school provided you agreed to cooperate with them.  Did you at any stage accede to this request?

MR MAHUDU: No I never thought of that.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Did you in the same breath ever think that this could be told to some of your comrades, that the police could have said to your comrades, "Look he's at school because we maintain him?"

MR MAHUDU: I didn't understand the question?

THOMAS MANTHATA: The question is, you had these several offers, did you at any stage suspect that they could con some of your comrades by saying, "Look he's at school because of us, we maintain him at school"?

MR MAHUDU: I don't think that they would have told the comrades that they took me to school, it was going to be a secret between me and them, so I don't think they were going to tell the comrades.  That's how the system used to operate.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Yes but at the same time it does operate by creating division, telling people that, look he is like this because of that, more especially if he's in a better state than others?

MR MAHUDU: They were sure that I had sensitive information because I didn't tell them about those who escaped.  I'm not going to guarantee that.

PROF MEIRING: Here you say,"They told my mother that I was refusing their offer", did your mother know about your political activities and/or did your mother even support you?

MR MAHUDU: My mother knew about these things but to support me, was not that much.  She was not used to harassment.

PROF MEIRING: Thank you.

PROF MEIRING: Dr Ally?

RUSSELL ALLY: Mr Mahudu, you've come here to speak about torture and electric shock, and I just want to ask you a few questions about that because it's quite important for us in the Commission when we do report about this to have as clear an idea as possible of the kinds of torture.  So please bear with me when I ask these questions, I don't want to subject you to any further strain.
 You spoke about being electrocuted and on your private parts, how often was this done to you?

MR MAHUDU: Yes they did this a lot and they stuck to it for a long time.

RUSSELL ALLY: Any long term effects as a result of this kind of torture?

MR MAHUDU: Yes I suffered psychologically, it had a psychological effect.  While I was asleep, I would hear dogs barking.  If a car comes and stops or if a stranger comes home, I would go wild.  If someone looks you have to think twice and your life-style changes.  Every person you see, you start suspecting him.  Even some friends and family members, if it took a long time, when you meet them sometimes you look at them suspiciously as if they are sent to you to get information from you or they can do anything to you which you don't expect.  When I was treated by a doctor there was not much effect from the torture.

RUSSELL ALLY: Physically, has it affected you in any way.  I know this  may be a deeply personal question but has it affected you in any way?

MR MAHUDU: My emotions were affected.Being tortured without answering is no way in which one can be satisfied, so one is emotionally charged.

RUSSELL ALLY: And this rubber tubing kind of torture,  can you just explain what kind of torture that is?

MR MAHUDU: It's red, I can't say how many centimetres they put on your head, it closes your mouth and your nose and they hold some other bag and press it but no air comes in or goes out.

PROF MEIRING: Thank you very much for sharing your story with us.  I have no further questions.  We wish you well, we will look into this and we will certainly report on this matter.  Thank you very much for coming to us.