Human Rights Violation Hearings — Krugersdorp — 1996-11-12

MRS SEKHOACHA: I do not know really, because that was parental matters.  They were doing everything on their own.  I just told them the whole story and they did the follow-up.

YASMINE SOOKA: Mama, after this incident did you go to a doctor?  Was any medical examination done on you?

MRS SEKHOACHA: There was a clinic.  We were only going to the clinic and not to doctors.  I went to Perdekraal when my health situation deteriorated, but I was only getting treatment from the clinic and even my parents tried to give me herbs, because that is what we were relying on in those days.  We were not aware of X-rays and all those facilities at that time.  Our parents did their best.

YASMINE SOOKA: Mama, a few more questions.  In any of the years after this incident, have you still kept contact with Maria's family at all?

MRS SEKHOACHA: Maria's family, when this happened, they moved away from our yard.  They went away, they removed their shack because they said that whenever they see Maria, I remind them of Maria whenever they see me.

YASMINE SOOKA: Mama, just on the, you mention that you had been dismissed when you were involved in discussing problems with management.  Where were you employed as a nurse?

MRS SEKHOACHA: It was Mohlakeng Physciatry Hospital.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you.  Mama, and one more question.  Your son, you say, in your evidence you talk about your son being KRUGERSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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almost blinded and also about the fact that he is a cripple.  Can you just tell us a little more about what the details are?

MRS SEKHOACHA: My health situation, it is quite unpleasant because in my life, at the moment, I am not healthy because when I look back to my youth days I realise that because of being imprisoned all that time, because I was trying to address people's grievances and, as I have said, for 20 years I never got a cent when I tried to struggle for freedom.  Thereafter my son, also, was as unfortunate like me.  Until today I do not know whether my son will be as unfortunate like me or will I also die like my father before I can do anything for him.

YASMINE SOOKA: Sorry, Mama, I think that, perhaps, I did not ask the question properly.  What I am trying to find out is exactly what is wrong with your son?  You see in your story you talked about the fact that he needed spectacles and you also talked about him being a cripple.  Now can you tell us exactly what is wrong with him?

MRS SEKHOACHA: He is not physically fit because he cannot just do ordinary housework.  Since he was beaten by these white men.  He use to love doing gardening, but he cannot even use a spade to dig in the garden.  He is semi-blinded.  He has got too many mistakes at school.  He has got problems.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you Mama, no more questions.

CHAIRPERSON: Dr Randera.

DR RANDERA: Mrs Sekhoacha, I just want to ask you, again, about your son.  At the time that he was arrested, at the football field, you said, what was the reason, not arrested, they were taken by these four policemen.  What was the
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reason, I mean were they involved in any political activity, was he a member of any political structure in Mohlakeng?

MRS SEKHOACHA: No, this child was taken by white men in the soccer field and took them to Botha's farm.  When they got there they tied them up next to the dam and attempted to kill them.  Therefore the policemen to know that these children are there, they were informed by some men in the neighbourhood.  That is how the statement goes.

DR RANDERA: And how did you find him?  You said he was taken to Botha's farm.  Did he walk home after that?

MRS SEKHOACHA: No, he was brought by the police.  After this man phoned in the neighbourhood, the child who saw the direction taken, in which these children were taken by these white men and kicking them with his horses.  A police van followed them and found these children there being kept by these white men.  They put them in the van and brought them home.  They were showing these policemen their homes and my son directed them to my house as well.

DR RANDERA: So these white men who took your son and his friends to Botha's farm were not policemen?

MRS SEKHOACHA: They were not tortured by policemen.  It was white farmers.

DR RANDERA: Okay, thank you.  Did you have to take him to hospital when he came home?

MRS SEKHOACHA: I took him to Dr Morula because I did not have money.  The neighbours suggested that I must take him to Dr Morula because he was helpless, he could not even walk properly.

DR RANDERA: How old is he now?

MRS SEKHOACHA: 14 Years old at the moment.

DR RANDERA: Thank you very much, I have no further
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questions.

CHAIRPERSON: You have told us very painful things.  That on your way back from home to be assaulted because of a dumb statue and people did not even respect your school uniform and threw you in the cells.  It shows about the past, the painful past that we come from and we know that the disappearance of Maria has haunted you, until today you do not where Maria is.  We are so sorry for you that, unfortunately, your son was also affected as well.  Is there any request that you have from the Truth Commission or anything that we can follow-up or any recommendations that we can put forward.

MRS SEKHOACHA: The one thing that would make me happy was to know about Maria's whereabouts.  Is she dead or what has happened to her, and if she is dead, they must show us where they buried her because there is nothing painful like somebody disappearing.  I use to treat her like my sister.  We were innocent.  If she was buried by her parents and me knowing that where is she buried, I would not be hurt anymore because sometimes I dream of Maria.  Secondly, these policemen are no longer around.  I am a mother today who cannot do washing for her children like any mother does.  I need help because I cannot do anything for my children because I must pay for somebodies services to do this washing.  As I have said I cannot eat apples and peanuts like ordinary mothers.  I wish that the Truth Commission could see what they could do with us.  My husband is not working, I am the breadwinner as I have already mentioned.

CHAIRPERSON: We will try to forward our recommendations to the Reparation and Rehabilitation Committee.  It is not something that will happen rapidly because all this will
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still be discussed in Parliament, but there is an urgent interim relief that we are trying.  We will try and forward your request to them.  We thank you for coming here today and we trust that God will help heal all these wounds after so many years.  We thank you.
 Whilst we are waiting for our next witness we would like to ...
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