Human Rights Violation Hearings — Johannesburg — 1996-04-29

DR BORAINE: Mr Chairperson, members of the Commission and those who have gathered here today in underlining the very warm word of welcome that you have already received from Dr Randera and the Chairperson, I want to also mention in particular members of the Belgium Embassy.  I understand that there are eight representatives who have joined us for a while.  Also representatives from the American Consulate and certainly not least I understand the Mayor is with us.  We are very, very grateful for those who have showed their interest in the proceedings of the Commission.  We have said many times that without the assistance and care of people throughout South Africa and even throughout the world the tasks that we are undertaking would have been quite impossible.  So thank you again very warmly.
 I have also been told by the Chairperson that there are representatives from the Jewish Board of Deputies.  You will know that you are very welcome also.  If I have missed out anyone and if anybody would like to indicate during the course of the day of special guests then obviously we would JOHANNESBURG HEARING TRC/

GAUTENG: 11

MOLESENG ANNA TIRO: like to hear that so that we can make mention of them.
 Mr Chairperson the first witness who will be appearing before the Commission in this third official hearing is Mrs Molaseng Anna Tiro and I invite her to come to the witness stand.
 We want to welcome you very, very warmly indeed.  You are the first witness and therefore perhaps a little more nervous than others.  They can watch you, learn from you, but you are the first, so you are very special, but it's also quite an ordeal, but we want you to be very, very relaxed and very comfortable.  I have to ask you to take an oath and I would be grateful if you could please stand now.

MOLESENG ANNA TIRO: (sworn states)

DR BORAINE: I will ask you a question ...(tape ends) ...and the loss of a very well-beloved son, Abraham.  You have come here to tell us that story.
 In order to make it a little more comfortable for you and easier for you one of our Commissioners, Tom Manthata will be leading you in the questions he asks, but I want to assure you and assure all witnesses that it's your story.  You tell it how you want to tell it.  All we are here to do is to help you.  So welcome again and I will hand over again to Mr Manthata.  Perhaps if you would just pull the microphone very close to you please.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Mrs Moleseng Tiro can you please tell the Commission who you are and why you are here?  Can you just relate to us the relation between your life and what brought you here today.

MOLESENG ANNA TIRO: Yes I can indicate to the Commission.  Can I continue?

THOMAS MANTHATA: Yes continue.
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GAUTENG: 12

MOLESENG ANNA TIRO: I greet you all, my elders.  I thank you that I am here today after so many years that have gone by.   I can actually relate the story from the day I started sending my child to school.  He was at school and thereafter he went to further his studies at Turfloop.  He completed three years and in his fourth year he graduated and I was called to attend the ceremony. After the function at the hall I was asked to make a vote of thanks.  Well I read the vote of thanks that he wrote.
 On that same day, the afternoon I went back home.  I was staying here in Gauteng.  Three days or even four days passed and I saw him coming home and he said I am expelled from school.  I said to him why?  He said I was reading a speech and they expelled me.  I don't know English, I don't know what happened I only gathered information from him.
 Well we departed.  He stayed at home for a few days.  I think it was a month. He was in Soweto.  He said Mr Matabata hired me.  I am going to work together with him in Morris Isaacson and he went to work.  I think he worked a few months there.  It wasn't even a year.  The school closed and they reopened and I saw him coming home.  He was together with another one, it was his companion that I don't know and he said to me Mamma they expelled me again from school.  And I asked him again why have you been expelled?  No they just said I should get out of the school, I will teach my fellow schoolmates wrong information.  That was the last day I saw my son.  I never saw him again.  I didn't hear anything about him.  I don't know where he stayed because he was being sought by the police around Soweto.  I didn't see him, even his grandmother didn't see him.
 Well it was up to 1973, it was the end, I think it was 
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GAUTENG: 13

MOLESENG ANNA TIRO: in October 1973 I heard that his aunt saw him somewhere.  He saw someone who is our neighbour at home and he received a letter.  He said I am from Botswana.   I saw Ngopotsi there.  He said I should give you this letter.  His aunt took the letter and he said aunt I am here, I am in exile.  But I must say throughout his aunt was not in a good position to tell where he is.  I was at home Nduyangana myself. 
 Well after reading the letter she went into Botswana without any passport and she found him there.  She stayed with him two days and she came back.  While she arrived from Botswana she found my second daughter and she said to her your mom is sick.  I think it was on a Thursday when they came back home.  On Friday she went further to come and tell me that she saw the son in Botswana.  Well in those days we used to travel by train.  I think it was on a Saturday afternoon she went to Soweto.  In Soweto she overnighted there.  On Sunday morning I didn't see the aunt.  We got a message that Omgepotsi is now dead.  His aunt was now troubled.  They were still in Soweto and I was in Parktown North.  They searched for me on that day and they couldn't find me.  They only saw me that night.  They said to me your son is dead.  He tried to open a parcel and the parcel killed him.
 From there I took initiatives to go to Botswana.  I saw my son in pieces.  The police from Botswana helped me a lot.  They gathered all the pieces, only a few pieces were left there and they took that to the mortuary.  
 Now I wanted to make arrangements for his funeral.  We were a family together planning all the funeral arrangements and we asked the South African Government to give us permission to transport him to South Africa to bring him 
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GAUTENG: 14