Human Rights Violation Hearings — Umtata — 1996-06-20

MS GOBODO: I would like to thank you again Mrs Madlavu.  The woman are the people who always feel and are mostly affected by the tortures.  Even if they call themselves as tortures, as Comrades, they always suffer the most because they have to always feel the pain.  Even if it is the husband or the son or anybody who is involved in the struggle.  The mother or the woman is always also affected.  It is very painful what you have just stated here.  To be insulted by a child and also to experience a child who would take a bottle and hit you while you were expectant.  This is a terrible experience.  I would like to know when did you deliver the baby that you were expecting?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: I was six months pregnant when my father died.  It was in 1990.  The baby was delivered in March 1991.

MS GOBODO: So when the child was born the father was already dead?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes, it is so.

MS GOBODO: In other words you are a widow especially it should be painful that you were killed by the people who called themselves as Comrades?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes, it is so.

MS GOBODO: Thank you very much for your explanation.

CHAIRPERSON: Dr Mgojo.

KHOZA MGOJO: Honourable lady, in your statement you said you joined the ANC in 1990.  Were you card carrying members?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes, he was a card carrying member, but I had
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not yet obtained my card.

KHOZA MGOJO: Was there any leader in the community.

INTERPRETER: I cannot hear properly.

KHOZA MGOJO: Was there a leader in the community in which you registered?  The one which you could register to.

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes, there was.

KHOZA MGOJO: What did he say during the assault and all this that happened to you?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: He did not like what happened.  All these things use to happen during the night.

KHOZA MGOJO: Are there any attempts, maybe, that he made so that he can take this up with the higher authorities of the organisation?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Usually we use to attend meetings which were organised by the members of the organisation and during the meetings the youth would appear as if they understand that we have apologised, but they would resume their dirty work in the evening.

KHOZA MGOJO: Did you have any death certificate?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: No, I did not.

KHOZA MGOJO: I just have a little question.  Who withdrew the case because I hear that you said you attended the case.

MANKWALI MADLAVU: I was just fetched by the police.  I was just stupid, I did not even know what was going on.  Nobody gave me any explanation.  I was just at home and then one policeman came and said on Monday I was supposed to attend the Court hearings.  Ever since my husband died that is the only time when I had to attend the court case.

KHOZA MGOJO: Is there any reason maybe which made you not to go and lay a charge for what happened to your husband?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: No, I had no reason.  It is just that I was
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stupid and I was ignorant and I did not have any support system and any advisory people who could assist me and tell me what to do.

CHAIRPERSON: Pumla Gobodo would like to pose a question.

MS GOBODO: I just want to confirm this.  Usually the woman, especially the people who are in the rural areas, always handle the death issues with their male counterparts.  Is there, maybe, anybody who is related to you, to whom did you hand over these problems?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes, there was somebody who handled this.  That person came back and they rejoiced.  That person just rejoiced.  They sang songs about my husband and then they said and they were shouting and saying he is an informer.

MS GOBODO: In other words that person could not continue to assist you?

MANKWALI MADLAVU: Yes, he could not because they said he was an informer.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much Mrs Madlavu about this painful story that you have presented here.  We usually listen to horrible stories, but this one seems to be exceptional.  We, as the Commission, will make investigations especially the Court in which the case was being handled.  We would like to know what happened, why did they not continue and finalise the case especially the case which involves murder.  We would really like to know what happened.  We will continue communicating with you, giving you reports of what is taking place.  I would like to thank you at this present moment.  We will now go for lunch and we will come back.
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