Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Elizabeth — 1996-06-26

MRS MARWANQANA: I'd like to mention that my husband spent some years in Robben Island in 1964, he stayed there at Rooi Hell, he was expelled after he was released from Rooi Hell and then I was informed that I should go to Elinge.  He was taken to Elinge because they didn't want him to be here any more.
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 So I refused to go to Elinge because I didn't want to go there alone.  We really did go to Elinge.   Even though he was
at Elinge, again he was arrested, he was released after eight months.  He was detained without trial.
 He was arrested again in 1981, he served a sentence but later on they said he was not charged, it was over a year.  After that when he was released, he said he is leaving and then I said if you say you leave South Africa, I will go along with you together with my children.
 I really did go with him.  So we went to, we used passports.  When we got to Lesotho we were accommodated in a hotel.  And the following day he phoned and communicated with Pakamile and Pakamile went to fetch us from the hotel.
 After four days the Boers from South Africa came during the night, it was at 1 am, I could hear that there was a sound outside and then I woke my husband up and said I hear a sound outside, there might be a car outside.
 So he prevented me from peeping through because we were afraid that we could be injured.  My children were sleeping in the sitting room, I was in the room with my little boys.  They kicked the door, the people who were coming inside, but they said they wanted Mavimbela.  At the time they were calling Pakamile Mavimbela.
 There was a White man who had smeared himself and darkened himself, he was having rough on his shoulders.  I think he was at least embarrassed to shoot my husband in my presence, so he chased us away and send my children and I should get out of the room, so we went to the bathroom.
 But my youngest daughter came to the room, he said he would hide and then I said, no we must be together.  So that PORT ELIZABETH HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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if one of us is killed, we should all be killed.  
 Mpongoshe didn't open his door, my two children went out.  During that time my son had a baby, a seven month old
baby.  And then he said I must look after his son.  I was saying he must also join us so that if we are killed, we should all be killed here in the bathroom, but he refused and he went to one of the rooms which was owned by Pakamile.
 There was a sound of gun fire and then everything was quiet thereafter, but they didn't come to the bathroom, so I felt that we should go out.  I started in Alfred's room and I called him Alfred, Alfred and we realised that he is dead.
 So we covered him with a blanket.  We went to another room, there was also a visitor here and he was also shot dead.  We found our brother, Mpongoshe, he was killed also.
 I said to my son I told you about this.  I stated to you that I have been telling you about your laziness, I was thinking that he was asleep.  I informed him that I cannot tolerate this business, I said, why should you sleep whilst we have  been shot, if there were shots?
 I didn't realise that I was talking to a corpse because I could see that he was shot on the head.  The child that I am talking about is Mzukisi.  I could see that they started with Mzukisi because he was next to the door so he fell next to the door.
 Probably they started by shooting him.  We were looking for Thandiswa because we couldn't find him.  You could see that the door was in tatters.  They stole  my husband's watch because they are also thieves.
 I could see that Mpongoshe's room there was some money, so I felt that we should go and look for this money, but we 
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could find that they had also searched the room and took the money away.
 We were still looking for Thandiswa and then I went to 
one of the gentleman who was the next door neighbour.  This gentleman accommodated us for quite a long time after this incident.
 But when he assisted us with accommodation, I felt that I should go back to my house and see what was going on.  I informed some of the children who visited us and reported that we are still looking for one of the children.  During that period this child was still seven months, the one that was left behind by Thandiswa.  
 Some of the people came in and stated that they have brought my daughter along, but when I looked through I could see that my child was just behind the wardrobe.  I could see that it was my daughter.  She was also shot dead.
 Then we had the funeral and then we were taken to Tanzania.  One of my children wanted to come back and I felt that I cannot come back again.  I felt that I should rather go further to another area.
 So we went to Tanzania and we stayed there until last year, in 1991.

MR SANDI: We have heard what you have just said and it is terrible.  What happens to you when you think about this?

MRS MARWANQANA: During the time I just controlled myself because I didn't want to make my enemies happy, so I just pretended to be strong.

MR SANDI: When did you come back?  Did you come back when the organisations were unbanned?

MRS MARWANQANA: Yes, we came back in 1991 when the organisations were unbanned.
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MR SANDI: What would you like to happen, what would you wish that the Commission should do?

MRS MARWANQANA: I would like to find out the reason for
the massacre, it was strange because the people had already left the country so that they can be safe from them, but they kept on following them.
 And ultimately they killed him.  We'd like to find out who sent them, did they obey orders or was it done through their own individual interest because there were 42 people who died and there were 12 who were Lesotho residents.
 The other thing I would like to be assisted with the children who are attending school.

MR SANDI: Did you say you had four children who survived?

MRS MARWANQANA: Yes, one of my daughters is in Holland and the other three are still here.

MR SANDI: How old are they?

MRS MARWANQANA: Yolanda the one who was left behind by her mother, is 14 years old.  The other one is 19 years and the other one is 16 years.

MR SANDI: Where are they?

MRS MARWANQANA: They are in my house, they depend on me.

MR SANDI: Is that all that you can give us?

MRS MARWANQANA: Yes, that is all that I can tell you.

MR SANDI: Thank you.  Thank you very much.

DESMOND MPILO TUTU: Are there any questions Dr Ramashala?  Please keep quiet.

MAPULE RAMASHALA: Are any of the three ladies receiving any kind of financial assistance?  Is there any assistance or financial assistance that you receive from anywhere?

MRS MARWANQANA: No, I don't receive any assistance, but the children receive a grant.  The children receive a grant.  PORT ELIZABETH HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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I have a gentleman who is a general dealer who gives me credit, so that I can get groceries on credit.  I believe my account is R1 000-00 but he also always assists me.

MAPULE RAMASHALA: Thank you.