Human Rights Violation Hearings — Queenstown — UNKNOWN

MS BRODY: No.  I have subsequently tried through UNISA, but I just, I don't seem to have what it takes to actually get my degree and the four year period, at the end of this year, will have fallen away which means that I loose all my credits which I've gained.  I don't seem to have the memory and I'm incredibly short on memory, I don't actually have a memory any more.
 The first two years after the bomb blast people used to QUEENSTOWN HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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get actually angry with me, because I would forget the simplest of things after they'd drummed it into my so many times.  And the stress of studying, studying, gaining an education is really not a simple thing.  
 Many educated people sit here today, they know what it takes to actually gain a degree or a qualification.  And it is actually quite ironic in that in one of my subjects, Sociology, we were asked to do a actually forgotten the word, but were asked to do a project on affirmative action and I - all the facts and the pointers were there in front of us, there I sat, I was a White male and I had to draw up something stating that affirmative action should be used to uplift all those who have been left out of things, of mainly in their working life.
 And I went ahead and I supported that study, it was done by an entire class and the funny thing is that being - they used our information we were told to actually formulate labour policies and it just seemed quite ironical that here I sit today with absolutely nothing, you know.

ADV POTGIETER: What did you, what course were you following at University?

MS BRODY: Sorry?

ADV POTGIETER: What were you studying at University?

MS BRODY: Social Science, I was doing Anthropology, Industrial Anthropology and Sociology.

ADV POTGIETER: After the incident, what were you doing between then and now?  Were you employed?

MS BRODY: Well, after that my father owns a small farm near town, which is like basically what he's been doing his entire life.  Many of the people sitting in the hall here today, will probably know me.
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 I work very closely with the Xhoza people, I supply livestock to them, mainly actually for cultural purposes.
 Being goats and sheep and also cattle, when people have funerals or circumcision ceremonies, maybe as the people say in  Xhoza, if they want to Xapa someone, then they come to us and they buy a beast, so I do work very closely with the local community.
 And as I say I also know their culture very well.  And it is a culture which I learnt to respect as I say from a very young age and a culture which I've come to know very well.  I will never know all the intricacies of the culture, but I know a lot about the Xhoza people.
 And that is another thing that I have to work over, is that okay, the people who bombed us, didn't know who they were bombing, in my case, I just feel betrayed that people who I knew so much about, and I got on so well with, actually wrecked my entire career.
 But I do not blame, they cannot be solely blamed, because violence in the South African community was totally abnormal.  And myself and my family have never and will never, we never ever supported the Apartheid system, we were totally anti it, but it did terrible things to many people.
 On both sides of the political spectrum, people were changed.  Their views were changed, they - many people became radicles and I feel that I would like to know who the people are who bombed us.
 I would like to maybe ask them what sort of a hatred drove them to actually bomb us.  And if they knew the pain and suffering which they caused.  Was it so planned that they actually went in depth and found out or even could conceptualised what future pain and suffering such an 
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incident could cause.

ADV POTGIETER: We have noted that.  We have also noted the other requests which are contained in the statement that you submitted to the Commission.  I will address you sister in a moment, just to hear if she wants anything to add to what you've said, but unless you've got anything else to add, I want to thank you at this stage for coming and to share your story with us.

MS BRODY: Thank you, I just like to add one, actually add a question.  We - as was read out in a paper clipping earlier, it mentioned what organisation was allegedly the cause of the bomb blast, or they took responsibility.  I would also like to know from that organisation if it was in fact them, what part of their - in what part of their party's policy do such acts actually fall?
 If you people could investigate that, it would, I would actually be, I'd actually appreciate it, just to find out in what sphere does such acts actually fall and what is there, why is it done.  In their minds, what is the benefit of such an act?  Thank you.

ADV POTGIETER: We have noted that and perhaps just to emphasise that the mandate of this Commission is not limited to investigating only incidents coming from one side of the conflict, we are mandated by the Law to investigate an even handed matter, all the Human Rights Violations that occurred between 1960 and 1993.  So we've noted what you've said, and I thank you very much.
 I just want to ask your sister, Miss Brody.  We have a statement that was submitted to us.

BONGANI FINCA: Sorry, Denzil just before you continue.

ADV POTGIETER: Sorry Chairperson.
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BONGANI FINCA: I understand that we are having quiet in the hall, but we are having problems outside.
 There is quiet in the hall, but there is noise outside the hall and that noise outside the hall is affecting us inside here.  Could I ask the police please to attend to the noise that is outside the hall?  Unfortunately we cannot appeal to those people, they are very far.

ADV POTGIETER: Thank you, Chairperson.  Miss Brody, just to come back to you.  We have the statement which was submitted by your brother.  It deals in great detail with the incident, it deals with the affect, the consequences, both physically, your injuries and he has also dealt with the psychological consequences of the injury.
 You have listened to his evidence, you have also listened to the evidence of Mr and Mrs Van Wyk, is there anything else that you wish to add to what was said already?  Or is there anything else that you want to emphasise that you wish the Commission to take specific note of?

MS BRODY: No.

ADV POTGIETER: Is there nothing else that you would want to add?

MS BRODY: No.

ADV POTGIETER: But I thank you in any event for being here and for coming and being with your brother.  Chairperson, thank you very much.

BONGANI FINCA: Thank you very much, Denzil, for that very careful handling of this story which consist of three testimonies in one.
 And for handling the questioning so skilfully.  Could I ask if there are any questions.  Revd Xundu?