Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pietermaritzburg — UNKNOWN

WITNESS:   My family is really disturbed.  Like for instance my kids are still at school, and I am having a problem and they are having a problem.  Sometimes my kids come home and say to me, "Mother, if father was still alive we could meet things like uniform," because sometimes they run out of uniform, and all those things remind them of their father.  And before this when I lost my husband I used to run out of food.  I never knew what to do because I didn't know what to give my kids.  And fortunately enough I have a sister who really helps me, who is working with me.  And sometimes I'll tell them, "I've run out of maize meal," and they'll give me.  And they really do help me.  Because I am working at creche school, and we cook for these kids, sometimes I take the maize meal from the creche.  It's so sad, it's very sad.  I don't know what to do.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... and you are lucky to have a sister that is very caring and able to be generous with you and share.  I have no further questions, Chairperson.

MR LAX: We heard about your misery.  What I would really like to know is that did you ever try to go to Welfare Department, see social workers to help you?

WITNESS:   Yes, I did try, like I went to Vulindlela social workers and I gave them my request.  And people received money and I also received one, but now I don't.  I don't know what stopped this money from coming now.

MR LAX: When was the last time you received?

WITNESS:   Three months ago.  It stopped for three years and then it came back, and then now it's been three months since it stopped.

MR LAX: Do you still remember these three years when you stopped receiving the money?

WITNESS:   No, even though I can't remember very well.

MR LAX: How many kids who are over 18 years?

WITNESS:   Yes, my boy, my first-born, and the rest they are below 18.

MR LAX: Thank you.

MR LAX: /MR LYSTER

MR LYSTER: You have both suffered terrible tragedies and sadness arising out of that incident on 5th December 1986.  Mr Sibiya, you escaped from certain death, and these memories I am sure will live with you for the rest of your life.  You are a very lucky person, and you were lucky enough to have been protected after this incident by people who gave you a safe place to live and a place to work.

MR LYSTER: Mrs Ngobani, you suffered the brutal murder of your husband and the father of your children, and we express our deepest sympathies to you.  I hope it is of some comfort to you both that the people that you lost, the comrades that you lost, Mr Sibiya, and the husband that you lost, Mrs Ngobani, are regarded by thousands and thousands of people as heroes of the struggle for liberation which allows us to sit today in this hall and to hear your story today.

MR LYSTER: The Commission, as you will have heard me say earlier today, doesn't have power to assist you or award you compensation of any sort, but we have the power to make recommendations to the Government, and we will make recommendations to the Government in that regard.  With regard to the people who committed these terrible acts, and who have not yet been brought to justice, that is something which clearly we will follow up on your behalf, and on behalf of all the other people who have fought like you have for freedom in this country.

MR LYSTER: Thank you very much both for coming here today, and we all wish you strength and courage.  Thank you.

WITNESS:   Thank you.

MR LYSTER: Mr Dube, are you able to hear me and to understand me through the ... (intervention)

DUMISANI DUBE: Yes, I can hear you.

MR LYSTER: You have come today from Mpophomeni township, and you have come to tell us a story which relates to the murder of your friend, Bongani Cele, who was shot by the police in Mpophomeni.  Before you tell us that story please could you stand and take the oath.

DUMISANI DUBE: (Sworn, States)

MR LYSTER: Mr Dube, you have somebody with you on the stage.  Can you just tell us who that is?

WITNESS:   He is my friend.  We are staying together at Mpophomeni.  His name is Sizwe Nkomo.

MR LYSTER: (Inaudible) ... you today?  It'll be you ... (intervention)

WITNESS:   He is just accompanying me.

MR LYSTER: Thank you.  I am going to therefore hand over to my colleague, Mrs Virginia Gcabashe, who will assist you with your evidence today.  Thank you.

MRS GCABASHE: Good day, Mr Dube.  I can see that you are from Mpophomeni.  We've heard so much about the violence that took place in Mpophomeni.  We shall now start by sympathising with you during the hard times that you've gone through.  Now, before we start even hearing your testimony I would like you to give us a general overview of your family background, and just tell us a bit about Bongani also, because he is not here.  Is it true that you were born in 1963?

WITNESS:   Yes, it is.

MRS GCABASHE: So you are 33 years old now.

WITNESS:   Yes, I am.  We are nine at home.  Two of them have died.  Three boys left, and there are four girls.  My father has also passed away.  I am left with my mother.  I think that's where I'll end as far as my immediate family is concerned.  I will soon be getting married.

MRS GCABASHE: That's quite a wonderful idea to increase your family.  Are there any who are attending school in your family?

WITNESS:   They are all grown up.  They have all matriculated, and some are going on with their education.  On the 31st March 1990, if I am not mistaken, it was about quarter to 10 to quarter past 10 - it was on a Saturday - we woke up with Bongani, the deceased.  Let me just tell you what my relationship is with Bongani.  He is not my relative, he is quite a close friend.  In December we had run away from Haza because of being harassed by a certain political group.  We ran to a place that was next to Haza, probably five kilometres from Haza.  That's where we ran to.  It was an ANC region.  When we got there we were accepted.  They took us into a hall.  We had to find means of surviving.  I was running away with Bongani, because he was also being harassed and told that he was a member of the ANC.  At Mpophomeni we didn't know what to do because we were not working and we just had no means of earning a living.  Now I decided that I should get something to do.  I opened up a tuck shop.  I was selling fruits and vegetables.  Now one of our friends said he wanted to help me with transport so that we could order the goods that I was selling, and I would give him a nominal fee.

MRS GCABASHE: When you said you ran away, where were your parents?  Did you leave them behind?

WITNESS:   No, our parents also packed their belongings.  We left our homes and we moved to a totally different area.  On the 31st March we just woke up as usual and we were heading for our stalls.  I had a car at that time.  My uncle had borrowed me a car.  I was using that car to ... (intervention)

MRS GCABASHE: Tell us who your uncle is.