Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1997-06-12

PATRICIA GXIDI: Yes, that is my request.

JUNE CRICHTON: Is there anything further you want to add to what you have said 
already?

PATRICIA GXIDI: No Mam.

JUNE CRICHTON: Perhaps my colleagues would like to ask some questions.  Madam 
Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you June.  Are there any questions?  Thank you Mrs Gxidi. 
 No further questions.  I will ask Mrs Crichton to thank you.

JUNE CRICHTON: Phumla, an experience such as you had is one that will live with 
you for the rest of the life, your life, not only in your memory, but also in the evidence 
of your child and his condition.  We thank you for coming to tell us this story.  We 
weep with you for what has happened, but we trust that as we move forward, 
schooling will be found for him and that the Commission will be able to, through the 
President's Office, assist in finding the correct place for him to grow to his full 
potential.  Thank you for coming.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you June.  Thank your Mrs Gxidi.  (Not translated) Mrs 
Jako (not translated Advocate Ntsiki Sandi (not translated).

ADV SANDI: Thank you Madam Chair.  Mrs Jako, you have a very long story.  As I 
look at it and the statements and conversing with you on our way to East London 
yesterday.  Was it in 1962 or 63?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: 62.

ADV SANDI: You were arrested.  The police were looking for your husband.  Is that 
so Mrs Jako?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: I was not arrested in 1962.

ADV SANDI: Let me not lead you.  Please tell us what happened Mrs Jako.

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: In 1962 I gave birth to my son, Vanele Jako, my third child after I had 
miscarried.  After that in December, as I had given birth to my child in July, Special 
Branch officers came to my house asking for my husband.  They searched my house 
upside down.  They did as they pleased.

ADV SANDI: Excuse me Mam, what was your husband's name?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Nkululelo Jako.

ADV SANDI: Was he a member of a political organisation?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: I did not know at the time that he was a member of a political 
organisation.  They did not tell me why they were looking for him either.  All they said 
was that where they found him they were going to kill him, I will never see him again.

ADV SANDI: Did they find him?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: No, he skipped the country.  I got a letter after a while. He was using a 
pseudonyme.  Even my name was a pseudonyme.  I would get letters, registered 
letters with money.  After a while I did not get any other letters.  They eventually kept 
the letters to themselves and would not give them to me.  I did not have any money, I 
was just sitting at home.  I thought eventually that I should go look for a job.  I went 
to Majwalena.  These Special Branch officers would come even when I was not there. 
 I worked there at the hospital at Majwalena.  
 One day, as we did not earn enough money I, we, I spoke with a friend of 
mine who is referred to as my cousin.  We had to go and ask for money, because we 
were not earning enough.  We were working for long hours.  We went to ask for this 
money.  At the time when we were trying to talk with the workers they were 
threatening us saying that they were going to lose their jobs and they were not asking 
for more money.  We tried to talk to them and negotiate with them.  We concluded to 
go to ask for more money to the people who were in authority there in the hospital.  
We were told that a certain doctor was not there, Dr Jansen.  He was not there and we 
were going to get our answer when he returned.
 The doctor returned from where he was and the secretary called us from the 
office.  He called all of us, called everybody.  When we got to the office their secretary 
said that there is a request here that you were looking for more money.  People said 
that, no, we were not complaining, we did not say that we want more money.  The 
secretary then asked is there anybody who does not want more money.  Nobody 
answered.  He said that what we concluded is that we would increase your money 
with R1,00, if I remember well.

ADV SANDI: Excuse me Mrs Jako, at this time you were not arrested?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: No.

ADV SANDI: Please tell us about the time when you were arrested and taken to 
Cambridge.  When was this?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: It was when I was working at the hospital, when I was arrested.

ADV SANDI: Were you arrested because of your involvement in this wage increase?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: No.

ADV SANDI: Can you please tell us about the day of your arrest when you were sent 
to Cambridge.  Let us talk about the day of your arrest.  What happened?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: I was together with one lady I was working with.  We just finished our 
meal.  We were sitting at home.  They came in, they said that we were looking 
Shumikazi.  Because I was scared I said I am Shumikazi.  I said why are you looking 
for me?  They said that we want you.  I was wearing a nightdress at the time.  They 
told me to dress up.  While I was trying to put on my clothes they told me to wear my 
clothes quickly and they said that I was a Kaffir maid.  Card was saying that.

ADV SANDI: Did you know who this man was?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Yes, people told me who this man was, because when we left my home 
we met another man who was working in the hospital.  He asked them where are you 
taking this woman.  They told him to shut up and we passed him.  These were two 
White men and the third one was Card.  Card was driving the car.  We then went to 
Kwaaiman and to Umtata.  It was at night at that time, it was dark.  They then brought 
me to Cambridge.  They were hitting me and assaulting me at the time.  The two 
policemen who were with me at the back of the car.  One of them was pressing my 
breasts while I would try to car, the other one would put his hands in my mouth.  We 
then travelled to East London.  They then detained me in Cambridge.
 While we were on our way Card would say that I was going to tell them the 
truth on the following day as I was lying to them.  He said that I was going to tell them 
where Nkululeka was.  I was taken to the cell.  In the morning they brought us 
porridge in the cell.  After that they interrogated me.  Card kicked me.  When I woke 
up I was bleeding.  I had blood all over my body.  Card said that I was going to tell 
him the truth.  He asked me where Nkululeko was.  They said that they were looking 
for Nkululeko and I was not telling them the truth.  I said that I did not know.  I said 
how could you charge me of something I do not know.  I do not know where 
Nkululeko was.  They beat me that day and they took me back to the cell.

ADV SANDI: At the time of this assault was there, were there any other police?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Yes, there were other White and Black policemen.

ADV SANDI: Were they stopping or were they stopping Card or were they helping 
him?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: Yes, they were helping him.  They were also assaulting me.  He would 
take me to one police and that police would assault me and he would take me to 
another police.

ADV SANDI: When were you released in the police station?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: They released me after two days.  They asked me the bus fare.  I told 
them to take me back home, because they took me at my home.

ADV SANDI: Were you ever arrested again after that?

SHUMIKAZI SARA JAKO: No, but what they would do was that they were harassing my family all 
the time.  Everybody who had my surname was harassed.  They grandmother of the 
boy behind me was not well, was harassed.  They said that I got married to the, to a 
cruel man.  People were scared of me, they could not come near me, because they saw 
police vans at home all the time.  Even when I was coming from a holiday in 
Johannesburg, at eight o' clock in the morning the police would be there next to my 
house.  I was taken as if I have done something.