Amnesty Hearings — Ermelo — 1998-07-30

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: I was also sick.  Mtunzi came at about 12 midnight.  He told me that Obed was shot next to the disco.  I woke up and I went to look for a gentleman who had a car and he took me to the hospital.
	When I went into the hospital he was asleep.  The nurses were stitching him and I asked him what happened.  Obed said: "They shot me".   He said he was shot by Bongani and I asked the reasons, he said he didn't know, he started crying and I started crying also.  
	The nurses told me not to cry because the bullets were not embedded in the body, they were just on the flesh but he bled profusely.  They inserted a drip.  We went to the ward, ward number 7 and we undressed him and he put some pyjamas.  He told me that he was hungry and I told him that it was already late, the shops were all closed because it was a quarter to two.
	I promised him that the following day I would bring him some food but he insisted.  I told him he must wait until the following day.  When I was at the door on my way out I sat down.  I sat there.  
	An old man came but I didn't know who he was.  He was fat and short.  He came and he was driving in a grey car.  He asked me where Obed was.  He said he was looking for Obed.  I didn't respond, I kept quiet.  I became afraid.  It was about 2 o'clock, 2a.m.  We were afraid to go home and we decided to stay there until early in the morning because I didn't trust this man.
	We left, we went to the graveyard.  We went to an, we went up, we went through the graveyard.  I went home and I told my mother what happened.  I woke up early in the morning and I said I was in a hurry.  I wanted to go to my work to tell my bosses that my son was in hospital. 
	When I arrived there at my work my bosses were not there.  There was only a child there.  I told them that I'm only going to do the washing because I wanted to go to the hospital.  I went to the hospital.  I brought chips, milk and bread for Obed.  When I went into the hospital I went into his ward.  I found the people waiting there, waiting for the nurses because they wanted to be discharged. 
	I went past those people and went straight to his ward.  The other people were crying inside the ward and I asked the other patients who were there, I asked them about Obed's whereabouts and they asked me if I was related to him.  I told that I'm his mother but they said to me: "We won't tell you anything, you better go and ask the nurses".
	I went to the nurses and I asked them.  The nurses kept quiet.  I asked again and they kept quiet and I asked again and they said I must come in.  They asked me about my relation to Obed.  I told them that Obed was my son.  I was very worried.  The people were still waiting.  They wanted to be discharged because they said they wanted to die in their own homes.  
	The nurses told me that Obed passed away and I asked the reason.  They said he just died but I said that is not possible.  They said he bled, that's why he passed away.  I started crying and I got some water to drink and they gave me some tablets.  From there I went straight home.

MR HATTINGH: When you left Obed the previous night, was he already asleep when you left him?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: He was lying facing upwards.

MR HATTINGH: Was he still awake?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: His eyes were closed but he was not asleep because he had drips all over.

MR HATTINGH: The wounds that he did have on that previous night when you visited him, would you just describe the wounds, were they on his side, on his arms, on his legs, what did you see?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: The wounds were on the stomach.  It means that the bullet came through the front and it went out through the back.  That's when I saw him for the first time.  The following day I went to the mortuary and I realised that he had another bullet wound on his forehead and the other one was at the back.

MR HATTINGH: At the hospital that evening, did you see any of Obed's friends there?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: No, there were patients that I didn't know, I didn't identify any of those.  I only knew Obed in the ward.

MR HATTINGH: It was already very late at night, did you see any other people at the hospital, young people apart from patients?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: No, I didn't see anyone.

MR HATTINGH: Mr Chairman, I have no further questions for this witness.  I would just like to mention that pages 1 to 10 of Exhibit B pertains to this incident.  Page 1 is the certificate of post-morten examination showing the two shot wounds.  Page 2 to 5, if I might just say that there are two statements from Selby Sonnyboy Sebusa and Mandla Steven Shongwe who make mention of 10 to 12 people coming to the ward when Obed was killed.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR HATTINGH

CHAIRPERSON: I take it nobody else has questions?

MR BLACK: Yes, I have a few questions, thanks Mr Chairman.
	Mrs Nkosi, you've told us of the terrible thing which happened to your son, but at midnight who came to tell you that Obed was in hospital?  What was his name again?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: It was Mtunzi.

MR BLACK: Mtunzi.  Now is Mtunzi a friend of Obed?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON

MR BLACK: About the same age?

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Black, what has this witness said that contradicts your client's version?

MR BLACK: I just want to clear up something that, who took Obed to the hospital.  It seems to be as if ...[intervention]

CHAIRPERSON: Well let's find that out.

MR BLACK: Yes, that's what I'm getting at, thank you.
	Did Mtunzi tell you who took Obed to the hospital?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: It was Mtunzi who took him to the hospital.

MR BLACK: And some of Obed's other friends?  Did he say that other friends of Obed also went with him to the hospital?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: He went to the hospital with Mtunzi and Cecil.

MR BLACK: Okay.  Another friend of his?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: Yes.

MR BLACK: Now Mrs Nkosi, at that time you did hear, you were aware of the fact that there were Black Cats and people in the township, is that so?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: Yes.

MR BLACK: Do you know whether Obed was mixing with some of their friends?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: He was an Inkatha member.

MR BLACK: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Does that mean he wasn't a Black Cat?

MANDLINKOSI ENOCH GITAM MNISI: I know nothing about the Black Cats, I only know Inkatha.  You used to hear people talking about it but I only know Inkatha.

MR BLACK: I've no further questions than that thanks.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR BLACK

MR PATEL: I have no questions, I've just go a general instruction during lunchtime to apologise once again.  	On behalf of my clients Mrs Nkosi, we apologise for the bereavement that you've suffered.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Kemp?

MR KEMP: I have no questions Sir.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR KEMP

CHAIRPERSON: It's patience.
	Miss van der Walt?

UNKNOWN: No questions, thank you.
NO QUESTIONS BY MS VAN DER WALT

MR PRINSLOO: No questions, thank you.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR PRINSLOO

CHAIRPERSON: ...[inaudible].  Thank you Madam for testifying, you are excused.
WITNESS EXCUSED

MR HATTINGH: Mr Chairman, the last witness will be Ntombi Malinga, the mother of Bongani Malinga.  Will she give evidence as a victim, not as witness to the incident?

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Malinga, what language would you prefer to speak?

NTOMBI MALINGA: siZulu.

CHAIRPERSON: Very well.

NTOMBI MALINGA: (sworn states)

MR HATTINGH: Mrs Malinga, is it correct that Bongani Malinga was your son?

NTOMBI MALINGA: Yes.

MR HATTINGH: How old was he when he died?

NTOMBI MALINGA: He was 18 years old.

CHAIRPERSON: What is your address Mrs Malinga?

NTOMBI MALINGA: 700 Wesselton Extension.  700 Mofokeng Street, Wesselton Extension.

CHAIRPERSON: Spell it please, 700, what's the street?

NTOMBI MALINGA: M-O-F-O-K-E-N-G.

CHAIRPERSON: Wesselton Extension, Wesselton?

NTOMBI MALINGA: Yes.