Human Rights Violation Hearings — Bloemfontein — 1996-07-04

MR LYSTER: Mrs Kaloti, do you remember the names of any of the policemenwho you witnessed assaulting your brother?

WITNESS: I can't remember their names,but I can identify them.

MR LYSTER: (Inaudible) ... working, or where they are based?

WITNESS: I didn'tknow where do they live, but what I know it was white policemen.

MR LYSTER: How did they actually assault him?

WITNESS: They were hitting himwith guns, big guns, and they were hitting him right on his head. And they usedto point us with those guns so that we can go back inside the house.

MR LYSTER: And what became of Edwin, Mrs Kaloti?

WITNESS: Since Edwin leftand we didn't even know where he was until the day when they came and said tome I must go to Lesotho. That's when I said I am not going to Lesotho. And Iheard that he was in Tanzania until the day he came home again to stay withus.

MR LYSTER: And is he staying with you presently?

WITNESS: He is not stayingwith us.

MR LYSTER: But is he back in the country, he's living here, is that right?--- Yes, he is around.

MR LYSTER: I'll hand over now back to the Chairman and ask if there areany other questions that other people would like to ask.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you. Any further questions? Dr Mgojo.

KHOZA MGOJO: Thank you very much, my sister. Are thereany reasons that Edwin has been away from home for such a long time when mostof the people were very anxious to get home? That when he is back in South Africahe does not go home and stay at home? Have you inquired from him why he cannotcome back at home and stay at home?

WITNESS: I never asked for any reason becauseI didn't know where he was. But I wanted to the police where were they goingto take him to, and they didn't tell me where they were going to take him to.

KHOZA MGOJO: You said that Edwin is back now. When Commissioner RichardLyster was asking you you said that he is back now in the country, and the questionwas that is he living with you at home, and you said that no, he is not at home.Now, it means that now he has got a freedom of movement now because of the newSouth Africa now that things have changed. Why I am interested, is there anyreason why he does not stay at home now?

WITNESS: There's no reason. It's just thathe feels that he is going to stay wherever he stays right now, because sometimeshe is working. He is working for the Umkhonto we Sizwe, so he decided to staywhere he stays right now.

KHOZA MGOJO: In the statement here it is said that Elvis Kaloti does nothave a permanent job, and he would like to have a permanent job. What type ofa job would you think that he would do, because you have already said that heis mentally sick ... (inaudible)

WITNESS: With hands he can work. Any kind of jobhe can do. Things like cleaning. Any job that he is capable of doing he feelsthat it's right for him.

KHOZA MGOJO: Thank you, Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much for the evidence thatyou have brought forward. We don't know at the moment, maybe the Commissioncan help as he is not well. Maybe there is something that he can get. As we are still telling the othersthat God be with you, and we can also try that we be of assistance to you. Thankyou very much.

UNKNOWN: Mr Mekwe, can you hear my voice all righton the earphones?

RATSEBE JEREMIAH MEKWE: I can hear very well.

UNKNOWN: Good. Thank you very much. I can hear youtoo, so we can make a start. You are very welcome. We are pleased to see you.You are going to tell a story about what happened to you, not about what happenedto someone else, and in telling a story it brings back many memories, and someof those are very painful, and we hope that in the telling of the story it willnot a distressful experience but a healing one, because please remember thatyou are telling this story to people who have been asked by the President tohear what you have to say so that South Africa can know, and indeed the worldcan know, what took place during many years in our country. We feel deeply foryou, and so many others like you, and we wait to hear what you have to say.Before you start would you please stand for the oath?

RATSEBE JEREMIAH MEKWE: (Sworn, States)

UNKNOWN: Thank you very much. Mr Dlamini is goingto assist you in the telling of your own story, and I hand over to him now.Thank you.

MR DLAMINI: Thank you, Mr Mekwe. We appreciate the opportunitythat you have accorded us to share your experiences, which go back to 1971.And before perhaps we could ask clarifying questions can I ask you to relatethis story as it happened. Thank you.

WITNESS: It was on the 7th of May 1971. Itwas on a Friday. I was at work. As I was going out of my office, proceedingto the toilet, my co-worker called me and told me that police were looking for me. As I got there I saw quite a number of guys,there may have been 24 or 25. They were all white and they asked me what myname was. I told them my name was Jeremiah Mekwe. They handcuffed me, they putme into the car. I told them to phone somebody and tell her that I have beenarrested. They refused. They took me to the police station. I told them it wasthe first time that I was being arrested, I don't know anything about the policestation. They told me about 180 days. As we came they asked me where I was attendingschool. They asked me when did I come to Welkom. I told them it was in 1982.They asked me names of people that I knew all of them. They said to me I shouldknow these people. They asked me quite a number of persons. Each time I toldthem they used to say the right person, the right person. Thereafter they saidI should show them where I slept. I showed them my bedroom. They took my schoolbooks. They took all these books. I thought I had stolen books. They took meon a Friday, and Monday they came back to me and said they were taking me toVirginia Police Station. That is where they assaulted me, they said I must talk.They said I had said at some stage that I am going to put all the white peoplein the sea because I didn't want them. They assaulted me repeatedly. They tookme to Virginia River. They put me into a sack and they threw me in there. Theykept on saying I must speak the truth, I must admit that I at some stage saidI will put all the white people in the sea. When I went to court I told theCourt that all the things that I had said before I had said them under duress.I was sickly. Then I was taken to a doctor. I was very much afraid. Each thingthey said I

MR DLAMINI: /admitted.