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

MR SMITH: Please, you can go on with your story.

RITA GALELA: When they left for the airport, it became dusk and they didn't come back.  When I woke up in the morning I went to my next door neighbour Mrs Hashe to find out if her husband was back and she said, no.  We were surprised because they both did not come back, but there were so many things that were happening and he was not a person who usually went out frequently.  We were concerned, wanting to know what is happening.  We all knew that they were always being looked for by the police.  Mr Fazi came in in the evening with Mrs Godolozi and they were also concerned and asked me if my husband is not yet back.  We were all surprised again. Everybody was concerned because we knew that there is this harassment from the policemen.  And Lea also came in and everybody started to come in and out of my EAST LONDON  HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
42 GALELA
house and wanted to know whether our families have come 
back.
 It was a few days and everybody was aware that my husband and his colleagues are not back.  We wanted Fezi who had got the information from Mrs Godolozi that they were seen. Fezi was willing to come and give witness, he didn't even care for anybody but he said that he would give information, he saw them in custody.  There were so many other witnesses who came after.....(intervention)

MR SMITH: Did Fezi tell you where he saw your husband?

RITA GALELA: Yes.

MR SMITH: What did he say to you?

RITA GALELA: He told me that he saw them in custody.  They were taken by the police. People were aware of them and their campaign, so everybody was more aware of them and they knew what happened to them.  They saw them when they were taken.

MR SMITH: In custody at the airport or did he see them in custody at one of the police stations?

RITA GALELA: He said he saw them at the airport.  Fezi lost his job because of the information that he gave us.

MR SMITH: Do you know what Fezi's surname is?

RITA GALELA: Fezi is the surname.

MR SMITH: It's fine if you don't remember. Did you ever go to the police to make enquiries or to any police station for that matter, to make enquiries about the whereabouts of your husband?

RITA GALELA: Yes I went to various police stations.  It was Mrs Hashe and myself, and there was this information that Mrs Hashe got from Delmas prison in Cape Town, and the letter gave information that I have a star above the eye,
EAST LONDON  HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
43 GALELA
I'm Sipho Hashe. Mrs Hashe showed us this letter and we took it to the organisation so that we can make enquiries, and this was a clue that our husbands were there in Cape Town.

MR SMITH: It came out at the trial that we were talking about.

RITA GALELA: When we reached the destination in Cape Town we were not all of us allowed to come inside. Mrs Hashe was the first one to come in, I was left behind.  She stayed for a long time inside.  That jail is very big and you could not see clearly what was going on inside.  The policemen surrounded her and the lady showed them the letter making enquiries about Sipho Hashe.  But when she made enquiries, they told her that they do not have Sipho Hashe.  When they looked at him they found that it is another Sipho Hashe with a scar and Mrs Hashe could see that there is a wound and she was listening to the police.  You know it was clear that Mr Hashe was the one who gave information to this younger boy and we also confirmed that this was what was happening.
 It was also clear that it was not the same Hashe.

MR SMITH: Do you recall that during June 1985 you were arrested, you were taken into custody, can you tell the Commission about that incident please?

RITA GALELA: In June I was arrested, I was taken from my place early in the morning when I was busy preparing breakfast for my children.  When I was still busy preparing, we called the police , the system, there was a big policeman, a huge man and I could see that there were so many Boers next to my door, and he grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and they broke in through the ceiling.  Mr Zamile Mazantsana came back very early, he was in bed, they grabbed him also and took him along and they took this
EAST LONDON  HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
44 GALELA
parcel.  We did not even know how this hand grenade got into my house.  But they broke into the ceiling and obtained so many grenades but we were not aware of them.   
 Photos were taken about the house, it was searched all around, we were taken into custody, myself and Mr Masantsana Mazamile.  We could see that there was a crowd.  A lot of policemen were standing next to my place, Mr Tungata was amongst them and the whole system was outside because I was labelled as a terrorist.  It was quite a long time that we stayed there and I just left a message for someone to look after my children.
 We went to Algoa police station, that is where I stayed for quite a long time.  I was later taken, but before that they took a statement and they put me into confinement and they said I must confess and say I know about these hand grenades.  I refused and they insisted that I should admit and say I know the grenades.  It was an exchange of words and he threatened to assault me.  It was a long argument.  Very late Nieuwhoudt came and took the statement together with Tongata. I gave an explanation and gave an account of what was happening and I even explained why I was staying with Zamile.
 They asked if I knew anything about my husband and I just stated boldly that, "He should be with you", and I was also insulting him because I was very angry.  At midnight Tongata was ordered to take me home.  I went back home and I slept where my children were.  In the morning when I was still washing dishes there was a big knock at the door, the same policeman came in together with Zamile Masantsana, he was in handcuffs.  I took the books which he brought along and I knew that those books were not allowed.  They were ANC EAST LONDON  HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
45 GALELA
books and I hid them because I was afraid.  But Zamile came 
and said. "Sissy please take out those books". It was clear that he had already confessed and I was taken and it was said, as an accomplice, I should accompany Zamile Masantsana.  I had to take just a skirt because I was only in a night gown.  We went again to Algoa and I was locked up for two days. They released me on the third day.  We went to court and Zamile was sentenced to 12 years in prison, he has just been released.

MR SMITH: You ask attorneys to investigate the whereabouts of your husband?  Is that right?

RITA GALELA: Yes.

MR SMITH: A Supreme Court application was brought in the same way as it was brought for Mr Hashe and  Mr Godolozi, is that right?

RITA GALELA: Yes.

MR SMITH: Did you also attend the court hearings in the Supreme Court, Port Elizabeth?

RITA GALELA: Yes.

MR SMITH: And you heard me putting certain statements which were made by witnesses in the court, Victor Sizani and Mkuseli Nonganga?  Were you present when they were giving evidence. In particular Sizani was giving evidence to the effect that he saw your husband, Mr Godolozi and Mr Hashe in the custody of police at Alexandria Police Station?  You were present when he gave that evidence?  And likewise, Mr Nomganga also gave evidence.  You were also present in Court when that evidence was given?  Are you aware by the evidence which had been led in the Eugene de Kock trial, where reference was made to the involvement of the Vlakplaas Unit in the disappearance of your husband?  You're aware of that? EAST LONDON  HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
46 GALELA
But you were not present obviously?  You were not present at the hearing but you are aware?  Okay.
 Mrs Galela, what do you believe, where is your husband?  Do you have any thoughts about it?