Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pietermaritzburg — UNKNOWN

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... Ngcobo, just to finish off here, when you were telling us about Thami and how he got shot you mentioned in your statement that another boy from the family Sibiya was killed in that incident.

WITNESS:   Yes, where they were standing with Thami at the neighbour's place just below.  This car passed by and started shooting.  Thami got shot as well as this Sibiya boy.  The Sibiya boy died.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... ever a case about that death?

WITNESS:  I know absolutely nothing.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... family so that we could maybe speak to them and see whether we could follow up on that?

WITNESS:  They are my neighbours.  Yes, if you want to contact them I can tell them.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... no further questions, Chairperson.

MR LYSTER: Are there any other questions from any other members?

KHOZA MGOJO: Just one question.  Mrs Ngcobo, I just want to clarify something here.  There are two people after your husband had been killed, Nhlanhlazi as well as Nkosinathi Mncwabe, but now when they got arrested we hear that Nhlanhlazi only was arrested.  What became of Nkosinathi?

WITNESS:   I don't know what happened to Nkosinathi.  I cannot say, because the detective, Mr Nxumalo, told me that they had got Nhlanhlazi.  He only told me about Nhlanhlazi.  Then after some time Nkosinathi died.  Nkosinathi died after that, but it's a long time now.

KHOZA MGOJO: I want you to try and recollect, try and think a little bit far back.  You said when they killed your husband Nhlanhlazi and Nkosinathi were taken by a car, Jerome Mncwabe's car.  What's Mrs Jerome Mncwabe's car?

WITNESS:   I don't know what the name is.

KHOZA MGOJO: Are they still staying where they were staying?

WITNESS:   The last time I knew she was still staying there.

MR LYSTER: (Inaudible) ... suffered a great deal over the past six years since the death of your husband.  Like many others instead of being assisted by the police at the time of your husband's death they abused you and even knocked you to the ground.  You have also had other members of your family assaulted and shot, and your house rudely searched.  It is also tragic to hear that the only person who would have been able to give evidence in connection with your husband's death was himself killed.
You have lost your partner and the breadwinner of your family, and we have heard how you are still suffering as a result of that.  As a Commission we are not able to give you assistance at this stage, but our job is to make recommendations to the Government as to how people like you should be assisted, and we will certainly make those recommendations.  
In the meantime we thank you very much for coming here to tell us your story, and we wish you strength and courage to face the future.  Thank you very much.

MR LYSTER: (Inaudible) ... Bishop Brian Fennell, Chairman of the Natal Churchleaders Group.  You are most welcome here today.
(Inaudible) ... Mazibuko, we greet you and we welcome you here today.  You have come from Plessislaer near Edendale and you have come to tell us about ... (intervention)

MRS MAZIBUKO: I am from Unit 18, but originally I am from Maqonqo.

MR LYSTER: You have come to tell us about the disappearance of your son, Petros Mazibuko.  Before you tell us that story please will you stand up so that you can take the oath.

THEMBELIHLE MAZIBUKO: (Sworn, States)

MR LYSTER: I now hand you over to my colleague, Dr Magwaza, who will assist you with your evidence.

DR MAGWAZA: Good afternoon, Mrs Mazibuko.  We would like to thank you for being here with us this evening.  I would like you to explain us more about your family.

WITNESS:   My family we were staying at Maqonqo at Chief Maphumulo's place.  I had eight children, and there was my husband and their four and myself, and we had two grandsons, Petros Nxobile Mazibuko was one of them.

DR MAGWAZA: As you have already explained about your family can you tell us about Petros?  How old was he at that time?  Did he belong to any organisation?  Tell us more about his involvements?

WITNESS:   It was during 1990.  That is the time in which he disappeared.  At that time he got a job.  It was peaceful place, like it was open for anyone to join whatever political party he wanted to join, and you didn't have to be sort of like show out, you just have to - you were free to join any party.  There were no sort of like harassment.  As from our background we liked the ANC.  After some time during that year my elder son - it happened that at some time all the male children we had to call them Comrades, and therefore that created the differences and the conflict in our society.  All the men in that place had a meeting, and then it was established that two of our sons were the enemy of that place because we called ourselves Comrades.

DR MAGWAZA: How old was he at that time, Petros?

WITNESS:   He was born in 1966.  I think he was 26 years old.

DR MAGWAZA: Can you please explain exactly what was happening at that time as you've explained that there has been some sort of violence, until in 1988 you have to run away and leave behind your home.  Can you explain us further from there.