Human Rights Violation Hearings — Mooiriver — 1997-05-28

WITNESS:   It was because the Inkatha members came and told the reverend that they were looking for a red paper - a red paper meaning R500,00.  They asked for this R500,00 from the reverend because they needed to buy something so that they can chase away the ANC people in that area.  They were not asking for this money, they were demanding it.  And then the reverend gave them the money because they were demanding it.  I am sorry, it's rather R50,00, not R500,00.  That's because I am not educated, so I am not accurate with figures.  So the reverend gave them.  The chairperson of the Inkatha, who demanded the money from the reverend, took the R50,00.  Then Reverend Shabalala gave them the money.  He is not staying far away from my area.  It's a distance approximately from here to the taxi rank.  When he gave him this R50,00 the reverend told him, the chairperson of the IFP, that we were going to have a night vigil, and he also told him that he also asked the police to come and safeguard the area.  I don't know what happened, or who told others that are members that the ANC was gathering at the reverend's place to safeguard the reverend.  Now, the Inkatha members came to look for the ANC who were safeguarding the reverend.  I think someone went to the IFP and told IFP lies, and then they came because they knew that we will be there, most ANC members will be there.  They came to the church.  The church had windows side by side or opposite.  And there was no ANC there, it was just church members.

KHOZA MGOJO: Did your church have different members of the organisation?

WITNESS:   No.

KHOZA MGOJO: But what about the church?  Did you have a combination?

WITNESS:   No, they were just church members or Christians.

KHOZA MGOJO: In other words they didn't belong to any political organisation?

WITNESS:   No, they didn't.

KHOZA MGOJO: What I am asking here is that on your statement here it's written that you believe that the church members were also members of the IFP, and those who killed the church members it's that the Inkatha people suspected that within the church there are people who were IFP and then now who had been recruited to be ANC members.

WITNESS:   Yes, that's correct.  Within the church people were forced to become members of the political organisations.  The old people they belonged to Inkatha members.  Now, if you were new in the church, or youth, they believed that you were ANC, but we all had our different card members.

KHOZA MGOJO: Now, when they came to the church what happened?

WITNESS:   They started firing, and it was quite bright, and they just shot randomly at people, even women.  They killed five people, women and children.

KHOZA MGOJO: And that's how you lost your two children?

WITNESS:   No, Thokozani didn't die there.  Jabu died.

KHOZA MGOJO: What about Thokozani?

WITNESS:   He was just shot at his leg and his fingers were cut, and he is still alive in standard six.  He is in standard six.  And his leg had been healed, and his fingers got cut, two of them.

KHOZA MGOJO: Was this matter reported to the police?

WITNESS:   Police came.  My son, my elder son, was shot by an AK47 and he was admitted in hospital.  For nine months he stayed there.  His name is Petros. Was he there?   ---   Yes, he was in the church, and he got injured.  He didn't die, he is just limping now.

KHOZA MGOJO: Is he still working?

WITNESS:   No, he is not working, he is just selling cabbages.

KHOZA MGOJO: Was he working before the incident?

WITNESS:   Yes, he was.

KHOZA MGOJO: Where?

WITNESS:   He was working at Ellerines at Estcourt.  But he started working at the police.

KHOZA MGOJO: After you reported the matter to the police did they come?

WITNESS:   Yes, they came.

KHOZA MGOJO: Was there anyone arrested?

WITNESS:   No, no one was arrested.  They came, many of them came.

KHOZA MGOJO: In your statement it's written that those people who shot at the people in church were arrested and they were released.

WITNESS:   They were arrested for a short period, and there was a case, but - they did appear in court, but they were never sentenced.  They were released and some of them went to Johannesburg.  Some of them are still here.

KHOZA MGOJO: You also made a request.  You said you're asking the Commission to investigate in connection with your daughter's death, and also you requested for bursary for your daughter's children, and also money to maintain the children.  These are just requests which we will send to the President.  We will just make recommendations.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Shabalala, you heard the witness before you, who told us about her two children who had taken refuge in a church, but even this did not protect them from people who came to the church and shot those two young boys there.  And now you have told us about your daughter and her child, your grandson, who were at this church attending a church service, and they were shot.  Your daughter was killed, your grandson was badly injured.  They were shot at by a group of people who fired on the people attending the service.  It's really - we know that these stories are true, but it's very difficult to believe them, that people can act so brutally and so callously.  In fact the stories that we have heard from Brandville I have to say are some of the worst that we have ever heard in our trips round the country, and we extend our deep sympathies to people like yourself, and those other people from Brandville here today, who have suffered so much.  We will do what we can to try and get to the bottom of some of these terrible murders, and inform the people of Brandville if we are able to get information about them.
So, thank you again very much for coming in and sharing your story with us.
/CHAIRMAN

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Majola is the next witness.  Good afternoon, Mr Majola.  Welcome today.  You have come to tell us about the death of your wife, your common-law wife in 1991 on the 4th of December, which I recognise as the date of the second Brandville massacre.  Before you tell us your story can you please stand to take the oath.

BONGENI ALSON MAJOLA: (Sworn, States)

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Lax will help you.

MR LAX: Welcome again, Mr Majola.  Thanks for coming.  Before we go to story of your wife's death if you could just give us a picture of your family please.

WITNESS:   Yes, I had children, two children.  The first-born is a boy and the second one is a girl.

MR LAX: What are their ages please?

WITNESS:   One is nine years old and the other one is 12 years old.

MR LAX: Are they schooling?

WITNESS:   Yes, they are both at school.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... working at the moment?

WITNESS:   Yes, I am.

MR LAX: What work are you doing?

WITNESS:   I am working for Mooi River Textiles.

MR LAX: Now, how old was your wife when she died?

WITNESS:   She was 27 years old.

MR LAX: Please tell us a little bit about - we've heard a great deal, in fact, about what was going on in Mooi River at that time, and in Brandville in particular.