Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Shepstone — 1996-08-13

DR MAGWAZA: What I would like to say to both of you is that as you are sitting there we all can see that you have been victimised and harassed, and we know that normally people like you who have through such difficulties are normally affected psychologically.  There is a need therefore for you to get some medical help, either from psychologists or psychiatrists.  One other thing is that we as parents we normally don't see that also our children they get affected because we don't observe them at the early ages of their life.  Therefore I would like to ask both the families to try and seek help to be treated psychologically.  Thank you.

KHOZA MGOJO: When you talk about the Nhlakuku place it's a place that I know personally.  I also know the time.  I know what happened at Ixopo.  People were shot at Ixopo in town.  I would like to go back to Xolani's incident.  You said he was in the company of this young man, Thembelani.  Where is this Thembelani?  If we may like maybe to contact Thembelani where can we find him?

WITNESS:   He is at Umlazi.

KHOZA MGOJO: Where in Umlazi?

WITNESS:   At G Section.  He is working.  He is working in town at Lake Victoria, Jabulani Security.

KHOZA MGOJO: What is this Jabulani?

WITNESS:   This is a butchery.

KHOZA MGOJO: Is this butchery at Umlazi?

WITNESS:   It's at Durban, at Victoria Street.

KHOZA MGOJO: This woman - I am back now onto Balinganisile Vezi.  Do you know this woman who was with your child?

WITNESS:   It was at night and I didn't recognise her looks, but she knows me.  My child said she was always comforting the child, saying, "Thula," to this child, so that means that she knows me, but I didn't see her.

KHOZA MGOJO: Does it mean that it's a woman who's staying just like in that place?

WITNESS:   Yes.

KHOZA MGOJO: This gentleman who wanted to give you a clap.  Where is he?

WITNESS:   Yes, he's at Jolivet.  I think he's still staying there, but it's a place which we don't frequent, so I don't know. Since Ixopo is a small place won't you be able to know the name of the Magistrate who was trying the case?  ---   I don't know the name.

KHOZA MGOJO: Who is the chief in that place at the moment?

WITNESS:  I don't know, since the one that I know passed away.

KHOZA MGOJO: You said your house was burned down.  Who is staying  in that place?

WITNESS:   I don't know, but there were some people staying there.  We heard that some people had started building their houses in that place, but they haven't yet built anything where we were staying.

KHOZA MGOJO: Was this garden yours?

WITNESS:   Yes, it was.

KHOZA MGOJO: Bashadile said you would like some help to find a place to stay.  Are you still prepared to go back to that place?

WITNESS:   No, I am not prepared to go back.  I am afraid.

COMMISSIONER: Mrs Vezi, just for the record, is it correct that after you had picked up your child from Chief Mkhize's house it was the next evening that your house was burnt down?

WITNESS:   The day in which Sipho was shot is the day I got my child.  The house was burnt on the following day.  It was Sunday.  Sipho was killed on Saturday.  The following day, as the chief had already said that he doesn't want us at his place, he's going to burn us, he burned the house on Sunday.  And he took all the belongings which were in the house because we couldn't take anything while we were running away.

COMMISSIONER: Were you in the house when it was attacked by the group of people who burnt it?

WITNESS:   No, we heard them coming.  We heard the noises and then we ran out of the house.  When they burnt the house at that time we were all gone.  There was no one in the house.  There was only property and other belongings and some livestocks.

COMMISSIONER: We want to thank you both very, very much for coming in today to tell us this very, very sad and tragic story about the death of your son and the death of your husband.  It's a shocking thing that that happened, that after your son was killed that somebody who attended the funeral, somebody who was assisting with funeral-goers, should himself also have been shot.  And this is a theme that we have seen all over this country, where people have died in political violence, or as a result of assassinations, and at their funeral, which should be a time for quietness and mourning, and for people to be together, a time when they should be respected, it often has happened that they have been attacked at those funerals, and even the funeral-goers themselves have been killed.  And this is what happened to your husband, and it's a terrible thing that people are able to do this to each other, that there is such disrespect for human life, and such hate, and that there are such high levels of political intolerance in our community.  And in many parts of this province, of course, that has not changed, and we think of the victims of the Shobani massacre, who cannot come to this Commission because that happened beyond 1993.  And we think of the people who died in massacres recently in Donnybrook, and we realise that there are still very powerful forces in this province of people do not want reconciliation at all, but people who want total political domination.  And when we hear stories like yours it should make us all the more determined that these sorts of things should never ever happen again.  So you have both given us a very clear picture of what life was like in those days, and we hope that you have got some strength and support from each other by the fact that you have been able to give your story together on the stage.  You've heard my colleague, Dr Magwaza, saying that people like you really should seek psychological assistance, and if you want assistance in that regard you can contact the Commission, and we will be able to point you in the right direction and to assist you with that.  So once again we thank you very, very much for coming and having the courage to share your story with us today.  Thank you very much.

COMMISSIONER: You are Felix Thulani Kheswa, is that right?

FELIX THULANI KHESWA: Yes.

COMMISSIONER: Can you hear me?  Who is with you on the stage today, Mr Kheswa?

FELIX THULANI KHESWA: My mother.

COMMISSIONER: We welcome and greet you both.  You have also come to tell us more details about this terrible story which we have heard from Mrs Dlamini.  Mrs Dlamini, as you heard, lost her daughter in that incident.  You were lucky enough not to lose your life, and you can tell us some of the terrible things which you experienced on that day.  Before you tell us that can you stand and take the oath please, or if you find it difficult to stand - I see that - can you manage to stand?  Or please be seated.

FELIX THULANI KHESWA: (Sworn, States)   (Through Interpreter)

MRS GCABASHE: Good afternoon my son, Thulani, and your mother.  It's difficult to keep listening to such sad stories, but we would like to thank you for, after having gone through this, still you are brave enough to come forth to tell the truth, and open up and ventilate.  We consider very brave.  Because Thulani is the one who will be testifying I would ask you, Thulani, to tell me concisely about your family.  I have already seen your mum, but please tell us briefly about your family.

WITNESS:  I don't have a father, I only have a mother, and I have my sisters and brothers, and also nephews and cousins.

MRS GCABASHE: How many are you in your family?  Let's first begin with your brothers and sisters.  How many are you?

WITNESS:  If I am not mistaken ... (intervention)

MRS GCABASHE: No, in your family, just your family, not remote.

WITNESS:   We are eight.

MRS GCABASHE: How many are the boys?

WITNESS:   Three.

MRS GCABASHE: Girls?

WITNESS:   Five.

MRS GCABASHE: Are there any who still attend school?

WITNESS:   Yes, my one sister is attending school, and she is in standard seven.

MRS GCABASHE: Is she the youngest?

WITNESS:   Yes.