Human Rights Violation Hearings — Umtata — 1996-06-20

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: Yes.  When I fell on the ground in front of Musaka's place I lay there.  There was a policeman who came who kicked me on the temple.  That is why I have a scar here.  I felt that I should pretend to be asleep.  I slept for quite a long time.  Mr Musaka came out.

CHAIRPERSON: Order please.

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: Mr Musaka came out when he saw that there was no shooting which was taking place anymore.  He took me to hospital at Maclear.  When I got there they realised that this was beyond their capability and then they rushed me to Umtata General Hospital.  When I got there I was admitted.  I think it was late in the afternoon.  Then I was operated upon.  Tubes were inserted on my body and they were trying to drain the blood from inside because they said I had internal bleeding also.
 The following week I was discharged from this hospital and then I was ordered to go back to Dumakle Hospital.  I was admitted for a month at Maclear.  When the nurses asked why are they not removing these they said they are very close to the bones and then I could be severely affected by the operations.  I was admitted for a month then.

KHOZA MGOJO: Did you make any statement to the police?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: The police came when I was discharged from the Maclear Hospital.  When I reached my place the police came and they fetched me.  I was arrested.  I went willingly with UMTATA HEARING EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE
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them to the police station.  When I got there they asked me who I was?  I gave them my particulars and then they took photos of myself.  They did not take any statement.  That is all that they did to me.

KHOZA MGOJO: You were shot several times.  How do you feel now?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: I am still walking around with a lot of pellet bullets.  They were never removed from my body.

KHOZA MGOJO: Are they still here on your body?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: Yes, they are still on my body.  I never underwent any surgery.

KHOZA MGOJO: What are you doing now?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: I a not working.

KHOZA MGOJO: Were you working?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: Yes, I once worked.

KHOZA MGOJO: Are you working lady?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: I am at the Advice Centre.

KHOZA MGOJO: Pardon me.

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: I am at the Advice Centre.

KHOZA MGOJO: What would you like the Commission to do?  What are your wishes?  Let me put it that we, what would you wish the Commission should do for you?  You have written something here on the statement and you have expressed your wishes.  Have you forgotten what you have written.

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: Yes, I can state what I am wishing.  Firstly, I would like the Commission to assist me.

KHOZA MGOJO: Take your time please.

CHAIRPERSON: Excuse me Dr Mgojo, I think there is a lot of noise down there.  Could you please maintain order.  Thank you.

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: I would request that the Commission to assist me
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because I am unable to continue with some of the things that I had planned so that I can be something or somebody prominent.  I wished to have continued with my education, but I could not.  I wish that I could be compensated.  After I had been shot, it is not easy for me to study further because when I decide to resume with education I experience a lot of pain.  I request that I should be compensated.  Even now my left eye is also deteriorating.  I see that I am going to be blind.  That is why I request assistance.

KHOZA MGOJO: I would like to remind you again what you have written here in your statement.  You have expressed yourself very well here and also you showed that you were not only thinking about yourself and I would like to commend you for that.  According to this you stated that you would like to see job creation projects being established in Maclear as a community reparation for the people of Maclear.  Did it come out from you?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: Yes.  I know that most of the people at Maclear are unemployed.  So that is what I have wished that the people and the community of the location in Maclear should be assisted as I have already stated there.

KHOZA MGOJO: The other thing that you stated is that you would like to identify the perpetrators.  Are you the person who stated that?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: Yes, it is so.

KHOZA MGOJO: Mr Bethuel, what is your wish?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: I was thinking that if the Commission can be able to assist me in arranging that some medical expenses be paid for me so that I can be well again, I will be very glad.

KHOZA MGOJO: In other words you would like the Commission to
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get specialists so that they can remove these pellet bullets.

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: Yes, that is my wish.

KHOZA MGOJO: What is the other thing that you would like to be assisted with?  Must I remind you?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: Yes, I would like you to remind me.

KHOZA MGOJO: Alright, I am going to remind you.  In your statement you stated that you would like to be compensated with an amount of R8 000,00 in respect of the loss of your job.  Is that true?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: Yes, it is true.

KHOZA MGOJO: And also you said you would like to identify the perpetrators.  Is that true?

BETHUEL TOBILANE NKUNKUMA: Yes.

KHOZA MGOJO: Again, Buyiswa, I would like to mention also that you have written something here in the statement.  You have said you would like to be compensated with an amount of
R100 000,00 to cover medical expenses.  Does that come from you?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: Yes it is so.

KHOZA MGOJO: Thank you.  I hand over to you Mr Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Order please, order please people.  Are there any questions?  Mr Sandi.

MR SANDI: Buyiswa, in your statement you mentioned that you have a prothesis to replace your eye.  Is it the right or the left eye.

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: It is the left eye.

MR SANDI: Again in your statement you mentioned the fact that this prothesis you got it out of your own expenses.  Is that so?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: Yes, it is so.
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MR SANDI: How much did you pay for the prothesis?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: I think it was about R1 000,00 and some odds.  I cannot quite remember well.

MR SANDI: Again in your statement you mention the fact that you are unable to continue with education because you get a lot of headaches the minute you start with your studies.

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: Yes, it is so.

MR SANDI: You further mention that you went to the specialists or experts who stated that the reason for the severe headache is that it is the pressure on the veins in your head.

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: Yes, it is so.

MR SANDI: Who is the specialist that you attended?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: I do not have his name.

MR SANDI: Are those the specialists in East London or are they in Maclear?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: No, they are in Johannesburg.

MR SANDI: Is it the same specialist who stated that the medical expenses would be R100 000,00?  Is it the same doctor who said so to you?

BUYISWA PATIENCE BHOTO: No, he did not mention the expenses or any estimates about the medical expenses.

MR SANDI: Thank you very much.

CHAIRPERSON: Pumla Gobodo.

MS GOBODO: Thank you very much Mr Chairperson, my honourable Reverend.  Buyiswa and Tobilane, the issue of the people who carry pellet bullets on their bodies is a very usual story.  Each hearing that we attend you would discover that most of the people mention that they still carry pellet bullets on their bodies.  Others are on their faces, where the others they are visible, there are lumps
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all over the body.  What I cannot understand is why were you transferred from Maclear to Umtata Hospital.