Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1996-04-15

ELIZABETH NOTHEMBILE HASHE: Yes. Mrs Hashe, can you tell the Commission what is it that you expect from this Commission, after having related your story, what do you want the Commission to do for you?

ELIZABETH NOTHEMBILE HASHE: I would like to express my feelings but I am unable to do so.  But I can just mention that I would like the Commission to empathise with me and understand what I have felt at the time and I know that there are many facts that I have left out, but I presume that they know some of the facts and they are able to sift and reconsider what
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might have happened to me.  I am now out of my mind a bit and I feel so particularly affected by what is happening.  I do not know how I can express my feelings.  I've tried my best what I want to do, but really, because of what I've experienced, I am so affected and I am unable to state exactly what, think of the situation that I have been in, please, let my family be compensated. And one of my children was still at school but had to discontinue because I do not have money. I was a bread winner but with meagre pay, I couldn't do anything.  
 The honourable minister, Steve Tchwete, tried to assist me but I was a person who never wanted to be dependant on anyone else, not that I don't trust anybody, it's just that I'm proud and I'd like to do the best for my children.  I'm in this problem, I'm emotionally upset by what has happened and I really do not know what I can say and I really want their assistance, really the Commission should sympathise with me.  I'm very much affected by all this.  It is my plea, really my plea that I should really, I don't even want it now, really I'd like people to understand.  I'll even go to the enemy and ask for help because I am unable to do some of the things for myself.  I believe that even if a person is my enemy, he will assist me because I'm in this situation because of what had happened.  I'm very glad that I could be here in this Commission and people should know what happened in the past.
 Dr Boraine assisted me, gave me support, I was very glad (end of first side of tape)
(begin next side of tape) he gave his best, and our children are exposed so emotionally and I'm really frustrated about my situation. I don't want to cry, really I don't want to cry EAST LONDON  HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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but I'd like the Commission to help me.

MR SMITH: Mr Chairman, that concludes my questioning.

DESMOND MPILO TUTU: The witnesses and their families together with the Commissioners and the Committee members are invited to a light lunch next door, the hearing will resume at half past two.
HEARING RESUMES 14H30

CHAIRPERSON: You people should keep quiet, could you please be quiet.

DESMOND MPILO TUTU: We hope to go on to about five o'clock, we ask the three ladies please to take the witness stand.

MR SMITH: Mr Chairman, I would like to recall Mrs Hashe. There are just one or two things she wishes to bring to the attention of the Commission.  Thank you.
 Mrs Hashe you wanted to have the opportunity to say something to the Commission , especially relating to the your desire to have a proper burial for your husband and to secure the return of a photograph which was taken from your house at some stage.  Can you please briefly now make that request to the Commission?

ELIZABETH NOTHEMBILE HASHE: I want to appeal to this Commission, and I also want to apologise for some of the mistakes that I made.  I'd like my husband to be exhumed or be taken back from where he is so that I can bury him in a dignified manner.  I would like to obtain his photograph, the very big one which was enlarged from Canada.  Those people took that photo, it was very important to me.  I would like them to bring it back to me.  Thank you very much.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Hashe, was the photograph taken by a policeman?
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ELIZABETH NOTHEMBILE HASHE: Yes the policemen took it.  During this time they were taking my husband the photo was in front of the state advocate and during the time when they were asking me questions, during the enquiry, they were looking at this photo, and I saw this enlarged photo and I had this sentimental attachment to it.

CHAIRPERSON: I'm sure the Commission will take that further.  Thank you Mrs Janna.

DESMOND MPILO TUTU: Can we just find out, are there any questions from the panel here?

UNKNOWN: Excuse me lady, previously you said something about Priscilla Jana who was your attorney.  When she heard and learned about the fact that de Kock's case in her witness and testimony, it was expressed that there was something done to the people by the police, and Priscilla promised to investigate into this.  Do you remember that? I'd like to ask if the Commission is able to put in assistance and give you the support that you'd like to have and make an investigation thoroughly to find out what happened to these people. Are you giving us permission to go forward and make these investigations?  Thank you.
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MR SMITH: With your permission I now call upon Mrs Godolozi to testify to the Commission.  Mrs Godolozi has already been sworn in Chairman, so I ask your permission to proceed with her evidence.
 Mrs Godolozi, you are here to testify and to give evidence about your husband, Qaqawuli Godolozi.

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: It is so.

MR SMITH: He disappeared on the 8th of May and was last in the company of Mr Hashe and Mr Galela.  Is that correct?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: Yes.

MR SMITH: Mrs Godolozi, I's just like to have some background information about yourself so that the Commission can learn to know you. When did you get married to Mr Godolozi?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: I am Nqabakazi Godolozi, I was born by the George family at Grahamstown and I met Qaqwuli Godolozi in Grahamstown in 1978.  We got married in 1981.  When we tied our knot he was working at LDA as a clerk.  In 1981 he left and he went to Losotho for the organisation. He was delegated in 1978 -  yes I've got one child, he's a boy, he is Umkondo Wesizwe.

MR SMITH: How old is he?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: 12 years.

MR SMITH: Presently  working?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: I'm not working presently, I was working at Cape Midlands Food for 8 years. I was expelled from the country in 1992 on the 5th of August during the Mass Action, just because I went out and looked at what was happening.

MR SMITH: What was your husband doing at the time of his disappearance?
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NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: My husband was working at LTA for 8 years.  He was very unfortunate because he was a member of the organisation.  He took sick leave and went to Lesotho. When he gave an account of what happened, he says he was asked who he was at ...(indistinct) Lesotho. He suspects that at his work they were informed that he was in Lesotho and not on sick leave, and when this happened, he went to work and then he was expelled from work and told that he would never be employed again.
 We stayed together and we were unemployed.  He started to be a vendor and he was selling chicken and he had a fowl run and we stayed for a long time and then I got employed at Mentone.  In 1983 I was expectant and I bore a child who is Umkondo Wesizwe, and Umkondo was born in December.  Again I was expelled because the policeman asked who is supporting my husband?  And when they discovered that I was the bread winner, I was expelled.  Again I was employed two years later.  At the time I was staying with my in laws and then I moved out and then we hired a room.  Our friend hired the room for us and we stayed there for four months.  Again the police followed us and they did investigations.