Human Rights Violation Hearings — Nelspruit — 1996-09-04

CHAIRPERSON: Could I now call Mrs Mahlabane to the stand, please.
 Could I just inform the students from the ZB Kunene Secondary School and the Valencia Secondary School that a bus will be leaving from here at one o'clock to take you back to your school for the lunch time.  So just remember at one o'clock that you should be out there if you intend leaving.  
 Flora, can you hear me?

MRS MAHLABANE: Yes, I can hear you.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you want to tell me who the person is who has come with you so that we can welcome him?

MRS MAHLABANE: It is my parent, my father.

CHAIRPERSON: We would like to welcome you to this hearing today.  Before I begin to ask you to tell your story, I am going to ask Mr Lewin to administer the oath.

MR LEWIN: Mrs Mahlabane if you could stand please.

NQAZI FLORA MAHLABANE: (sworn states).

CHAIRPERSON: Flora, you are going to tell us about your brother and I would ask you to feel comfortable and to share with us. You can begin to tell your story.

MRS MAHLABANE: I have got my brother at home.  The name was known as Mandla.  He was a veteran. He joined the military wing in 1976.  Then he went to exile.  It took him three
years.  In 1979 he was sent to maximum jail in Pretoria. 
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That is where he was sentenced.  He was sentenced there together with his colleagues. Some of the colleagues are Naftan Manane, the other one is Sebo Mashigo.  
 He was sentenced life sentence. It was on the 27th.  After his sentence he was assisted by Dana Priscilla, they are the actual people who stood for him. His appeal was in 1980.  It was on the sixth month after his sentence, it was in June.  His appeal actually was made at Bloemfontein court.  When he explains to us the way he was arrested until he went to Pretoria, the time they were looking for him, all the time at home we used to be visited by police. They were coming time and again.  My brothers were beaten, my uncles also were beaten. They were using the back of their guns by the police. They were saying we must show where he is.  The old people said well, we don't know him, we don't know his thereabouts.  
 On the day when he was sentenced in Pretoria, the Premier actually sent a letter to inform my father that that day was the day to appear before the court and brothers and sisters should actually go and be there. They were there.
 After his sentence he was then sent to Robben Island. That's where he actually, he stayed there for 12 years. Actually he was expected to stay there for 15 years.  Then he explained there while in jail, that they want him to condemn centre. He told us that at the condemn centre they put a balaclava and an electric wire and it damaged the nerves on top of the head, until he got confused in his mind.  Even now, he is not normal, he can't work, he can't do anything.  
 After that, as we were waiting at home, they were 
waiting that we should be celebrating, he would turn 40.  We NELSPRUIT HEARING TRC/MPUMALANGA
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went there as a family.  We were going to visit him as usual.  Pres Mandela was also present on the day of the celebration and some of the other comrades were also there.  When we went back home, he was about to be released, because out of the 15 years I think, he spent only three years.  When his date came we were called.  They said to us they want us that we must go there because this person is now ill and he is confused, he is mentally disturbed. This letter actually coming from Britain. These were actually people who were giving him assistance, and people who were prepared to pay or finance him, so that we could also afford to go the place in Cape Town. Premier Phosa was also present when we received this message. He explained this to my father and he said he should go to Cape Town.  Because there is a letter which came which indicated to us that he is mentally disturbed.  They are also not aware actually what happened, what went wrong. They took him to the hospital.  That's where he got treated by Dr Zabow.  On the last date, it was myself and my father, we took some days that he should remain at Valkenberg and in an island, and it became better for him. They returned him to the hospital.  They explained to us, the doctors explained to us, he said this person will never become normal again, he does't know actually what happened. He only saw a person who was brought to him and he was told that he is mentally disturbed.  Then doctor said the only way in which you could keep him alive is only to take tablets.  There is nothing that can be done in order that he become normal.

CHAIRPERSON: Now if you are going to talk, then let me just ask you to take the oath, please.  Will you stand?

MRS MAHLABANE: Can I explain a little bit?  My father wants NELSPRUIT HEARING TRC/MPUMALANGA
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to explain himself because it is also affecting him.

CHAIRPERSON: That is fine, except that before he does I just want him to take the oath properly.  That is all right.

MR MAHLABANE: ;  (sworn states).

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Babba.

MR MAHLABANE: The last time at Robben Island, when we came from the Van Riebeeck Hospital, they called me to ask a question, to ask me how was he born, because we are surprised this person now, he is now mentally disturbed, and yet we were with him. I said to them no, you cannot actually employ a person yet you see him as mentally disturbed, how can you employ such a mentally disturbed person.  In other words, you are the people, you are the cause, he got mentally disturbed here.  Then they said well, they are also surprised, they don't know.  But before calling me as I was flying through to Cape Town, they only wanted me to ask that question.  They said to me why is your child mentally disturbed?  Then I said well, I don't know him being mentally disturbed. You can check for yourself why is he mentally disturbed. Then they said well, there is nothing that we can do, we failed; it is better for us to send him to Johanneburg, because it is far away. It will be easier for you to go and visit him. Then I said to them you want now to shift the responsibility to me. They said no, no, it is not like that.  Then it was almost during the festive season.  Then I came back with the bus. On my arrival here at home they left him in Johannesburg.  There was nobody to accompany him home. I took the trouble to hire a car, to take him home.  That is mentally disturbed to me was not,
I could not detect that. I looked at him around, no. I only said there is something of course, because what happened, 
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you find him cooking, and if someone is cooking you will find him also accompanying the person who is cooking also.  Then we left it at that.  Then they said no, he is going to be returned, he will go back, he is only here for Christmas only.  Then after Christmas he will have to be sent back.  Then I said how can you send such a person who is already mentally disturbed. Can I afford to do that?  No, I don't have means to do that.  After some time we were together with him. I am no longer working.  The little amount which I get from the pension, it is meant only for my children and also for his children. He is still there at home.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Babba.  I just want to make sure that I get the story properly so I am going to ask you, Flora, just to confirm something for me. You say that your brother was sentenced to death on the 27th of January 1980. Is that correct?

MRS MAHLABANE: Yes, it is correct.  He was sentenced to death in 1980, on the 27th.  It was a death sentence.

CHAIRPERSON: But then there was an appeal to the Appeal Court in Bloemfontein and that was then changed to a life sentence.

MRS MAHLABANE: Yes, after he was sentenced to death and he made an appeal on the 2nd of January, he got an appeal.