Human Rights Violation Hearings — Messina — 1997-04-08

MRS MULEYA: Actually, it was a peaceful march at the stadium.   You know that it was right in the stadium but I couldn't go there physically.  I was just out.   I could be able to see what was happening at the stadium, because it's very near.  I was not physically there.  I did not attend.  I didn't see really what was happening actually.

RUSSELL ALLY: ..........  statement in, in your, this document that you filled in about stones being thrown.  Where does, where does that come, did you make that statement, that stones were actually thrown during this, this march.

MRS MULEYA: I, I didn't see the real person or the persons who threw stones.

RUSSELL ALLY: Also and please just understand that this is in no way about what happened to your mother.  We accept that, that the teargas canister was thrown into the, into the, into the house and this affected your mother's health very severely but again back to your statement.  When you were giving your oral testimony you seemed to suggest that, that the teargas canister was thrown in by mistake, because your house was very close to the stadium that when the police were dispersing the crowds and when they were firing these teargas canister you said this went into the bedroom and into the other room in the house but you seemed to imply that it was because your house was close to the stadium.  That's why that happened.  Now in your statement when you described what happened you say that you think that the teargas canisters were thrown into your house, because they knew that ANC members stayed in that house and that they would never vote for De Klerk.  So I would just like you to clarify, because on the one hand you seem to suggest that it was an accident and that doesn't take away what happened to your mother but on the other hand you seem to suggest that this was deliberate and it's very important for us to know if we're going to follow up on, on this and do some investigations.  So, what, what do think this actually happened or do you think your house was targeted.  That it was deliberate?

MRS MULEYA: It could have been an accident, because those people, in actual fact were right at the stadium and our house has a door which is adjacent to the stadium.  It is quite obvious that when people are throwing those teargas canisters, it could really land in our house.  Above all, it is true that there are a lot of ANC members in our house and they could have done that deliberately, because they know that most of the people that are in my house are not NP aligned they are rather ANC aligned.  That is why I guess they could have done that and well I'm saying it could have been a mistake too.

DR RANDERA: Meriam, can you just tell us how old was your mother when she  passed away?

MRS MULEYA: Well, I don't know exactly.

DR RANDERA: I just want to get some clarification.  You say your mother was paralyzed.  How soon after the teargas canister was shot into the bedroom, did she become paralyzed?

MRS MULEYA: She became paralyzed in 1994.  Shortly, around July.

DR RANDERA: So that was almost a year after, after the day of this incident?

MRS MULEYA: Yes.

DR RANDERA: Thank you very much.  I was, we're very sorry to hear of your mother's death.  We've listened very carefully to what you've said and we will come back to you in due course.  Thank you for coming to-day.
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