Human Rights Violation Hearings — Sebokeng — 1996-08-06

ANNA NDLOVU: No I will try to speak.  We moved to Vereeniging and we rented a garage at a White man's place and while we were there we were scared to report to the police because we were being hunted by the people.  I went to the police after going to another church called New Vaal, people were getting food there.  They wanted to know the facts as to whether my house was burnt.  I said no it's true my house was burnt.  They said go first to the police station because we don't want people coming to get food free of charge.  They said I should go to Vanderbijl Park.  And I went to Groen Punt, when I got there they referred me to Vanderbijl Park to submit my statement.  That's where I handed my statement in.  My house had been a year being burnt.  They asked me why didn't I report at first, I said no I was scared to.

PROF MEIRING: Thank you very much.  You have been telling us your story Mrs Ndlovu and we all know it was very difficult, it was a harrowing experience for you to tell your story.  I wonder if you relax a little bit and if we are able to ask just a few questions to clarify a number of issues and then we can allow you to go back to your chair.  The first thing I would like to ask you is about your son Hector, where is he at the moment, Hector?

ANNA NDLOVU: He is at Leeuwhof(?) Prison.  Hunter is at
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Leeuwhof Prison.

PROF MEIRING: So he's at prison at the moment.

ANNA NDLOVU: Yes he is in prison at this moment.

PROF MEIRING: A difficult question I want to ask you, do you think that you had a bad time because of the fact that Hunter was seen to be one of the friends of Ketisi, of Victor Ketisi?  Or was it because of the fact that he belonged to the IFP?  In your statement you say that,
"I heard that my house is going to be burnt because my child is IFP".
Now if you think clearly was the reaction because he was a member of a political group or was the reaction because he belonged to, he was seen to belong to the gang of Ketisi?

ANNA NDLOVU: I think all this happened because he was a friend of Ketisi.

PROF MEIRING: It was not so much a political thing, it was because of his friendship with his neighbour?

ANNA NDLOVU: That's what I think. I am not too sure about it.

PROF MEIRING: Is it difficult, or was it difficult to be a family that belonged to the IFP in Sebokeng in that time?

ANNA NDLOVU: Yes it was difficult.  You know even now I am so sick I get those pains inside me since then.  Even my hand is not working properly.  I have stress, I can't sleep peacefully.  My life has completely changed.  I often ask God to help me, to help me through all this.

PROF MEIRING: Thank you Mrs Ndlovu I have no more questions.  Maybe some of the Commissioners have questions.

DR RANDERA: Mrs Ndlovu are you sure you don't want to stop now?

ANNA NDLOVU: No Sir.
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DR RANDERA: Just drink some water. Mrs Ndlovu we can all see how painful this is for you, so just take your time.  Okay are you alright?

ANNA NDLOVU: Yes.

DR RANDERA: Mrs Ndlovu can I come back to what Professor Meiring already asked you, you said Hunter is in prison at the moment.

ANNA NDLOVU: That's correct.

DR RANDERA: Why is he in prison?

ANNA NDLOVU: People died in Zone 7 in 1993 and that's the case he's been convicted of.  Ketisi was not dead by that time.  Ketisi died at the time when they were arrested together with Hunter.  I can't remember the month, but it was in 1993.

DR RANDERA: So was Hunter a member of Ketisi's gang?

ANNA NDLOVU: They were walking together, they used to be together.

DR RANDERA: How old is your son Mrs Ndlovu?

ANNA NDLOVU: He was 24 years old.

DR RANDERA: Were you or your husband or other members of your family ever members of Inkatha?

ANNA NDLOVU: No we haven't been members of Inkatha.  We haven't been members of ANC, neither Inkatha.

DR RANDERA: Where are you living now Mrs Ndlovu?

ANNA NDLOVU: I live in town and my husband is working for Rand, and we was really starving because we have to pay R750,00 for the house besides rates and taxes and we pay R65,00 for the children for school because they attend school at Vaal school.

DR RANDERA: And your property in Sebokeng, what has happened to it?
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ANNA NDLOVU: /...
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ANNA NDLOVU: They had taken all my property away, selling my property, and the people from the location know that better because they are the very ones who bought those things.  You know I feel very bad.  There are houses that have been burnt in the location, you know they will only burn the houses with the big windows because they will suspect that those houses belong to the Inkatha people.

DR RANDERA: Sorry Mrs Ndlovu my last question.  Today you have come to the Commission to tell us about what happened to you, I want you please to, in your own words and in your own time to try and tell us why you think this happened to your family and what can we do to try and ease this pain that you are going - you talk about the fact that you can't sleep, that you are having pains all the time, that you are depressed, what can we do to help you?

ANNA NDLOVU: I will ask for the Commission to help me with accommodation because where we are it's really expensive.  It's just difficulties left, right and centre.  I struggle, even about my children I cannot work and I cannot be employed.

DR RANDERA: Thank you Mrs Ndlovu.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Ndlovu we thank you for coming to share with us about what happened in your life.  We are very sorry about all what you have said today.  Also you have this huge pain in you.  We as parents we do suffer as a consequence of what our children do.  When you sleep at home you don't know what your child is doing out there at night.  We try by all means to raise these children in a good way not knowing what's happening out there when they get to the streets.  We end up suffering as parents just as you are suffering today as a parent.  And even people of Vaal did experience some
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pain about the people who've been killed in this place also they do show that they don't trust, even the policemen who were actually supposed to investigate all those things, so that all the people, the perpetrators shall come forward and be disciplined.  They have expressed some disillusionment also in the lack of enthusiasm that was expressed by our police in finding out and solving the problems in this area.  So it's clear that the pain was both sides.  You see when many people are seeing that the police are not doing their job they take the law into their own hands and want to do justice.  The pain is there now.  I do feel bad that you even left the church when you see that the church was helpless, could not help you in any way.  Also I feel bad that today Bishop Tutu is absent as he was your Archbishop in your church you would have spent some time with him if he was here.  We will kindly ask you to go back to church so you can regain that strength back and prayer will help.  The truth still has to come out and as I see, by the look of things the police should come forward, the very police you are talking about should come forward and reveal the truth.  And also your son Hunter is in prison, he is awaiting for an opportunity to say all what he can say.  We do trust and hope that when that case begins again the truth will come.
 We have heard all your requests.  As I have said already we will forward all those requests to where they should be.  Thank you.