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

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: Yes it has.

MR SMITH: Were you aware of the evidence that had been led in the Eugene de Kock trial relating to the disappearance of your husband and the involvement of the Vlakplaas Unit in their disappearance?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: Yes I learned about it but I don't know how true it is.
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MR SMITH: What eventually happened to the court case, what was the outcome?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: There were so many witnesses who stated that they had seen my husband, and after the court hearing, there was nobody who could give us enough evidence, they just said they do not know anything about this.  But our attorney stated that it seems as if these people are still inside, but we are unable to enforce them to produce the people.

MR SMITH: Did you manage to find out where your husband is or what happened to your husband?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: We could not get any information, besides the information that we got from the people that were also in the cells, we do not have any other evidence besides that. I'm praying to God that everything that has happened to my husband should come from God.  I request that God through his powers, should expose these people.  I would like all the people who are implicated in the disappearance of my husband, I also wish that if my husband has been murdered, because in one of the City Press Newspapers it was said those people were taken from airports and were killed, they were taken from various places, Alexandria, Skinnerbos, SANLAM, every place that you can think of, they have been taken from, but we could not confirm all that. I request that God could help us and have all the information come from the perpetrators, because I was so emotionally involved in my husband.  Even if I was hiring a place, I was also chased or expelled, I was always expelled wherever I was going to. I was also always unemployed or would get employment which does not pay anything.
 I request and appeal that if the perpetrators have killed my husband, that they should p[lease bring his 
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remains so that I can bury him in a very dignified manner. I would like them to come and confess so that we can be reconciled.

MR SMITH: Just one last question, your son, what is he doing now, is he at school?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: My child Umkonto Wesizwe is twelve years old, he is doing Standard six.

MR SMITH: Is there any way in which you want the Truth Commission to assist you?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: I'd request that they assist me, even if he's still in the primary level, I would request that I should be supported and assisted.  My husband tied the knot whilst I was still at school, but he couldn't fulfil his dreams.  He was expelled from work and I had to be a bread winner, and I didn't have education because I would like to make my future bright, because that was the wish of my husband.

MR SMITH: Thank you very much.  The Commissioners might still have a few questions to ask you.  That concludes my questioning Mr Chairman, thank you.

MR LEWIN: Mrs Godolozi, you mentioned that the court case, at least two people, perhaps more but at least two people gave evidence that they had seen your husband in the prison. Are those present here today?

NQABAKAZI GODOLOZI: No they are not here today.  But there are so many of them.. There are so many witnesses who even witnessed when they were arrested at the airport.  It is the same witness who informed us when my husband was arrested a few days after.

MR LEWIN: Thank you very much.
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MR SMITH: Mr Chairman I now request from the Commission to lead to the testimony of Mrs Galela.

CHAIRPERSON: Please be quiet!

MR SMITH: Mrs Galela, I'm sure that you're not as nervous as the other two might have been.  At least you've had the opportunity to listen to them giving evidence.  You are also here to testify about the disappearance of your husband Champion Galela, and the Commission has already heard evidence from Mrs Godolozi and Mrs Hashe that your husband disappeared whilst he was in the company of Mr Hashe and Mr Godolozi. Is that correct?
 Maybe we should start off by asking you to say something about yourself, when did you get married to Mr Galela?

RITA GALELA: I got married to Mr Galela in 1975.  I was working at Fort Harris during those years and he was working at a furniture shop. I am normally Rita from Newbright, we're actually from Korsten in Port Elizabeth. I have two boys. Curly Wee and Dilgronalo Galela.

MR SMITH: What was your husband doing at the time of his disappearance?

RITA GALELA: During that time he was not working any more.  He was expelled from work due to politics.  He appeared in newspapers and at work the manager would say, "No you're poison, you'll have to leave."  He would get another job and still he would be turned away, saying he is a poison, because he was actually trying to negotiate with the Boers who were working with him.  Now during his disappearance he was at the PEPCO offices in that building, Laman Building.  They were working doing cards and people were joining PEPCO during that time when he disappeared.
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 I was working but not now. I went on maternity leave, 
when I was eight months pregnant, I had a paraffin fridge and then after being released from the hospital I stayed two years at home, and then in 1985 my husband disappeared.  Now this really made my life miserable, because it was really difficult to raise the children without their father.

MR SMITH: Are they at school now?

RITA GALELA: Yes they are at school.  The elder one is in standard 8 and the younger one in standard 4.

MR SMITH: When did he become involved with PEPCO?

RITA GALELA: In 1982 I started realising that he was involved.  I have to tell you he was very secretive but now as time went on, he was now appearing in public.

MR SMITH: When he was involved with PEPCO and before his disappearance, was he at any stage arrested or detained by police?  He was involved because before his disappearance he would time and again be sought by the police and he would come home very late.  He didn't sleep at home for two days and then come back and go again, come back so that the police do not get him.  That was before his disappearance. The day of his disappearance, can you tell the Commission what happened on that day?

RITA GALELA: On 8 May my husband came home with Mr Hashe from their offices and he was carrying food so that I can prepare it for him and he told me that they have to rush to the airport for the British Consulate, but he wants to eat first.  And I told him that I was busy preparing food and it was winter a bit dark.  I said to my husband, "Shall we eat when you come back?  You know that the councillors want you every time".  I took a very black hat and put it on his head, after a minute the yellow van driven by Mr Hashe who
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was already wearing a hat.  My husband went out of the house with another person who was staying with us in the house, Owise Zamile.  At the time when the councillors were burning houses, seeking these children, during those times it was AZAPO. Even if it wasn't, I wasn't sleeping in the house with my children, it was only my husband and the children, you know, they were really guarding the situation.
 Zamile tried to get into the van, and I said, "No this is not going to happen, Zamile please come back!"  Because I left Zamile and he never came back today.  They went off then to go to the airport because they were really saying they were going to the airport.  Even today...(intervention)

MR SMITH: Mr Hashe and your husband, your husband was accompanied by Mr Hashe?

RITA GALELA: Yes my husband come to pick up Mr Hashe and they both left.