Human Rights Violation Hearings — George — 1996-06-19

MAPULE RAMASHALA: Chairperson, I'd like to call Ms Nozizwe Mzola to the witness stand please.  Would you stand please?
NOZIZWE MZOLA Duly sworn states

MAPULE RAMASHALA: [indistinct] Professor Russell Ally will facilitate the testimony, thank  you.

RUSSELL ALLY: Good afternoon Ms Mzola, I know we've kept your for a - for a long time but we want to welcome you and I assume that the person next to you is your - your son.

MS MZOLA: Yes.

RUSSELL ALLY: And welcome to him as well and you are coming to tell us about what happened to your son in 1986.  So I would ask you just to relate the events which led to your son being - being shot.

MS MZOLA: During the year 1986 on the 10th of February I woke up early in the morning to prepare for my son.  He was on his way to school, after school two men came into my house.  They took  him, they took me - they took me with their car.  They told me along the way that my son has been shot and he is dead.
 So we drove to the place where he was.  When we arrived there, there were many policemen but he was not there.  I went straight to the policemen, I met Captain Calitz.  I asked Captain Calitz to take me to the man who shoot my son because they said the guy is Michael James.
 Captain Calitz said to me he's unable to do that, he can't take me to Michael James because the whole of Nonqaba is angry.  So he doesn't know what am I going to do when I see James.  There were also some detectives who arrived.  He asked Thobile Matyila to take me to the hospital.  When I arrived there my son was not in the hospital in Mossel Bay.
 They said they - they've taken him to the - to George Hospital.  When I was taken to George Hospital he was not in  George Hospital.  He was boarded into a flight to Cape Town to Tygerberg Hospital.  
 I asked them when they were sending him to the hospital what was his name and they told me it's unknown.  So we went back to Mossel Bay.  When we arrived to Mossel Bay I tried means to get  the phone numbers of Tygerberg Hospital.  I tried and described to them that there is a child who is 9 years old from George and he has been shot.  
 I gave them the names and all particulars - he stayed there in the hospital up until it - he was discharged and taken back to Mossel Bay.  Then he arrived in Mossel Bay I was told that he is there, so I went to visit him.  I've noticed that he was shot on the right side - on the head.  So the left side was paralysed, his hand is not working and he's dragging his feet.
 He was in Std 1 at school because he was only 9 years old.  There was a time to discharge him - came and I had to be with him at home because he was unable to go to the toilet.  I had to take him to the loo, I had - I had to make up and down moving around for him.  Taking him to Cape Town, Red Cross Hospital even in Groote Schuur Hospital to get some help.  
 For the last time when I was taking him to the Groote Schuur he was taken to Red Cross also.  They told me that he was supposed to take another operation on the head but they can't do it because on his brain there - there are bullets - splinters of bullets.  They - if they could make another operation he will die.  So I've decided that he has survived, so I must not allow another operation to take place.  I stayed with him as he was.
 There was a case - a charged  was laid against - for Michael James.  The case continued but at - as the time goes on it vanished.  I don't know what happened - there was no reason.
 I also gave up because I was suffering and we were oppressed.  Fortunately God helped us - there was a office in Mossel Bay known as the advice office.  Terence Mdanda was worker there, I tried again to go there and told him my grievance.  He tried his best moving up and down with me, even then there was hope as if something could happen.  But it came out that while Michael James was shooting he was not a policeman.  He was not even involved, he was just an informer but we are not aware about that.  
 Even then they said the people who shot was Tise just because Tise had the permission to carry the gun.  But the thing was not like that, everything was quiet then up until today.  I for one - I'm with my crippled son.  I didn't - he was not born like this, he was born as a normal child but now he's abnormal.  When he tried to walk around he wanted to go to school - I tried to take to school.  
 But that couldn't even help because he couldn't just take the hours - just went out of the classroom and walk around.  Or who'll just  [indistinct] the other kids.  I persevere even then go to school and talk to the teachers and try to explain the situation.   I tried to tell them I'd like my child to be at school - I would like him to be educated.
 I stayed with him - he managed to go to school although there was no progress.  Last year when they were about to write the final examination he just dropped out.  I couldn't pursue him to - I couldn't force him to go to school because I know his situation, I am the mother.  
 Now he has got something that appeared because of his abnormality.  His got fits, so it all work on my nerves to me as a mother.  I'm finished.

RUSSELL ALLY: Ms Mzola your son - your son was 9 years old when he was shot, is that correct?  And he was in Std 1?

MS MZOLA: Yes, it's all like that.

RUSSELL ALLY: [indistinct] progress at school at that time?

MS MZOLA: Yes, he had good progress before he was shot.

RUSSELL ALLY: What standard did he eventually complete - did he - did he pass.  What was the last standard after he was shot?

MS MZOLA: He was in Std 4.

RUSSELL ALLY: Did he ever go to any special school or - or was it an ordinary Government School?

MS MZOLA: Not yet, because I haven't find any place and I've tried this year but I'm still waiting for a reply.  I've - I'm just saying that the year is going on and it's towards the end of the year now.

RUSSELL ALLY: Your son is not 18 or 19 years old?

MS MZOLA: He's 20 years old.

RUSSELL ALLY: [indistinct] obviously he lives at home with you?

MS MZOLA: Yes, he stays with me.

RUSSELL ALLY: And the doctor's reports on his condition, do they say anything about his - his mental state?

MS MZOLA: Yes, they mention something because they said he wouldn't be all right because his brain is mixed with the split of the bullets.

RUSSELL ALLY: [indistinct]

MS MZOLA: Yes, it is like that.

RUSSELL ALLY: And at the time that your son was shot, he was with a group of people and apparently when somebody tried to go and pick him up, the person who went was also shot and killed.  Can you tell us a bit about that?

MS MZOLA: As they were from school they were just running after a toi-toi because they were still kids and a car come - approached them.  It was driven by Xulu Mayixhali from Mossel Bay and he just pushed his car into to toi-toi and he injured some kids.
They were trying to take these kids to Xulu so that he can take them to hospital.  So that's where he was shot - this guy.  Nkosa Mbangi who was shot - who was shot on the left side - the bullet went threw the heart and he died instantly.

RUSSELL ALLY: He was the person who tried to go and - and fetch your son after your son was shot and was laying on the ground, is that correct?

MS MZOLA: Yes, it's correct.

RUSSELL ALLY: [indistinct] was this the case against Michael James?

MS MZOLA: Yes, it's like that.

RUSSELL ALLY: [indistinct] of your son as well as the killing of Mr Mbangi?

MS MZOLA: Yes, it's like that.

RUSSELL ALLY: And they say in this case it just suddenly stopped and you've - you've heard nothing since then?

MS MZOLA: Yes, it stopped - it's like that.

RUSSELL ALLY: What would you like the - the Truth Commission to do in relation to - or - these things that have happened to - to you and to your son?