Amnesty Hearings — Vanderbijlpark — 1999-05-17

MR STRYDOM: Can you point out any one of the attackers?  Say for instance the attackers come in front of you now will you be able to point them out?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I said that man had a Balaclava, I won't be able to point him, it was at night as well.

MR STRYDOM: Yes but some of the other people, attackers, would you be able to point them out?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I was not fighting against many people, it was only one man against my baby.

MR STRYDOM: So this portion is actually correct, I will not be able to point out any of the suspects, is that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Yes, it's correct.

MR STRYDOM: Now why were you not able to point out any of the suspects or attackers?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I said I was attacked by one person, me and my baby and it was at night, he was a White man, that is why I am unable to point other people.

MR STRYDOM: Yes you are saying it was night and it was dark, isn't it so and you were confused and there were too many, isn't that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I didn't say I was confused and I didn't say there were many, I have already indicated that that portion is incorrect.

CHAIRPERSON: What counsel is putting to you, you've told us that you aren't able to point us to any of the suspects, is that right?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Yes that is correct.

CHAIRPERSON: What he wants to find out from you is the reason for that, not that it was at night and that it was dark.

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON: And that these people were many?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON: And that you were confused?

MIRIAM MOLETE: When this statement was written I was sick, since the attack even today I'm still sick, if that portion refers to that time.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes thank you.

MR STRYDOM: Thank you.

MR STRYDOM: When you made a statement you said you were sick, was that as a result of the attack or was it at that time that you made the statement that you had some ailment?

MIRIAM MOLETE: As a result of the attack.

MR STRYDOM: The statement goes on to read
"Four cooking pots and my wrist watch as well as my husband's watch were stolen."
Is that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR STRYDOM: "The door wardrobe is also damaged, the total cost can be R2000.  Nothing has been recovered."
Is that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR STRYDOM: So it seems to me there was no problem with the interpreter when you told him these things about what was stolen and what was damaged, is that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Yes, there was no problem.

MR STRYDOM: Now it was indicated to you that this statement was taken on the 25 March 1993.  Now subsequent to that you've signed a further statement and it purports to be a statement taken or signed, over that I can't tell you, but on the 9th November 1993.

CHAIRPERSON: Were you able to look at the original to the first statement?

MR STRYDOM: My attorney is looking for the original, what we have has another photocopy which was not cut off but the original is still not with us but I hope to get it soon.

MR LAX: Are you going to give us that uncut page?

MR STRYDOM: I can also ask my attorney to make photostat copies of that.  Thank you Chair.

CHAIRPERSON: Alright.

MR STRYDOM: I want to move onto the I think, Chairperson, it's the second statement, that's the typed one.

MS PRETORIUS: Chairperson, may I just be excused just to see if I can locate the original copy?  May I be excused for a couple of minutes, I'll try and look up the original copy.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.

MR STRYDOM: Now the date that appears on this statement is November 1993, 9th November 1993.  I can put to you that's during the time when the criminal trial was in progress.  Do you remember that you went to Pretoria?  You already said that you went to Pretoria in connection with the criminal trial at a certain time, is that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is correct.

MR STRYDOM: Do you speak Afrikaans, do you understand it?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I don't know.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you understand Afrikaans?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I don't know it well.

MR STRYDOM: When you spoke to the police officer Steenkamp, did you communicate with him in Afrikaans or can't you remember?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I never spoke to Mr Steenkamp.  There was a Black guy who was interpreting for Mr Steenkamp.

MR STRYDOM: Now when this statement was then taken during November did you still feel ill about the attack?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I have been ill since the 17th June 1992 till today.

MR STRYDOM: I don't understand what you mean by that, do you mean that therefore you can't give a proper account of what happened during that day of the attack or why do you keep on saying that you are ill?

MR STRYDOM: I became ill thereafter, I had a problem with stress and I've been frequently going to the hospital and I was told that I have heart problems, even today I still have those problems.

MR STRYDOM: I understand that but I just want to find out if that effects your ability to explain to us what happened on the day of the attack or not?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Like this lady who is sitting next to me, they know that I can have fits, I sometimes get fits.  That is since this happened to me, like now I don't feel well because now we are recounting what happened on the 17th.  I fell during the Truth Commission hearings and I was sent to the hospital.

MR STRYDOM: I will leave it at that.  I just want to ask you certain questions about this statement.  I'm going to refer to certain portions of paragraph 4.  I'm going to translate as I carry on, if I'm incorrect just correct me.
"Two male persons looked into the window and said in Zulu, we are looking for weapons."
Is that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I did not say there were two and they never asked for weapons, they said we should take out our guns.

MR STRYDOM: So how many people did you say said that?

MIRIAM MOLETE: On the window I could see three people.

MR STRYDOM: "Whilst I was on my way to speak to the two other males, took off a corrugated iron on the side of the house" or "torn off a piece of corrugated iron on the side of the house and came into the room."
Is that correct?

MIRIAM MOLETE: That is not correct, that is not true.

MR STRYDOM: So what's the untrue part of that?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Everything that you have read is not correct, I never told about corrugated iron.

MR STRYDOM: And that the impression that I gain from this is that there were two people initially and then another two so we're talking about four people.  You testified here about three people.  Is that the difference between your evidence here and the statement?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Yes, that's the difference because you asked me about the people who were standing at the window, you did not ask me about the people who were removing the corrugated iron.

MR LAX: Did I hear you correctly, did you talk about corrugated iron now being removed?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I was saying what Mr Strydom has said, I never said that they were removing corrugated iron, I said they told us to hand over our weapons.

MR STRYDOM: So at no stage did they remove corrugated iron to gain entry into the house?

MIRIAM MOLETE: I don't know about the people who were standing at the window, I said that there were many people outside so I don't know who removed the corrugated irons.

MR STRYDOM: So corrugated iron was in fact removed is that what you're saying but you don't know by whom?

MIRIAM MOLETE: Yes, hardboards were used to build the shack and they were removed, not corrugated irons.

MR STRYDOM: I'm going to read you a bit lower down.

CHAIRPERSON: Did anyone remove corrugated iron?

MIRIAM MOLETE: They removed those hardboards but I don't know who actually removed those hardboards.

MR STRYDOM: But in your statement to Mr Steenkamp you didn't tell him that someone removed corrugated iron?