Human Rights Violation Hearings — Grahamstown — 1997-04-09

CHAIRPERSON: We would now like to call Nonzima Edna Bikishi, Koloman James Mantile, Zinakile Eric Peter.

REV XUNDU: Mr Chairperson, with your permission, I would like to swear them in.

NONZIMA EDNA BIKISHI: (sworn states)

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: (sworn states)

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: Thank you.  Mr Chairman, they have been duly sworn in.

CHAIRPERSON: Ms Maya?

MS MAYA: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  I greet all of you.  I would like to start with Mr Peter.  Mr Peter the incident which you are going to talk about  involve your wife, Nomavokutu Topsy Peter, is that correct?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes.

MS MAYA: This happened in 1986.  In your statement there is no date except that it happened in 1986.  Is this the same date as the mother and gentleman next to you?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes, all three of us.  This happened in the same day.

MS MAYA: Do we agree that it was the same date?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: It was in 1987.

MS MAYA: Thank you.  What was happening, what was the
situation in your area because it is not clear why the police went to people's houses and kill them?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Nothing was happening Ma'am at that time.  We were sitting at home, I was just coming from work.  I was sitting with my wife and my grandchild.
 We were sitting in the couch, it was myself, my wife, my grandchild and my daughter-in-law.  We heard a gunshot.  These people were coming towards my gate.  I was trying to go out and look at what was happening.
 My daughter-in-law told me not to go out because those people had guns on them.  They then came to us and asked us why were you shooting at us.

MS MAYA: Were these people asking you why were you shooting at them?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes.

MS MAYA: Please come nearer to the mike, sir.

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: These people asked us why are we shooting at them.  My daughter-in-law then answered them, telling them that nobody was shooting at anyone.  They then told her to shut up.
 They shot at me, but I managed to bend down.  They then shot on top of me.  While we were still looking at that, they shot my wife and my son.

MS MAYA: What do you mean by saying that?  Did they kill them?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: They shot my son and then they beat my wife in the head.

MS MAYA: How was she injured?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: I don't know, but she was taken to the hospital and she passed away in hospital.

MS MAYA: What then happened to you?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: My son did not go to a Doctor, I did not even go to a Doctor.

MS MAYA: In other words people came in your home, you were sitting at home, relaxing at home, your wife was beaten up and she died?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: She died.

MS MAYA: Who was this people?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: They were the Amangundwana with their overalls.

MS MAYA: Did you notice any one?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes, I noticed Madoda, he is staying in Fort Beaufort.

MS MAYA: Do you know his surname?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: No, I don't know his surname.

MS MAYA: Is he still alive?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: He is in prison, he was sentenced for 20 years.

MS MAYA: Was he sentenced for this case?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes, because he shot four people and they died.

MS MAYA: Thank you sir.  After his arrest, did you lay a claim?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes, I hired a lawyer.

MS MAYA: What happened about that claim?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: I did manage to get a certain amount, but it was not enough.  I built a house for my children.  I have eight children.

MS MAYA: In your story  here, you mention that these people left your house and they shot Lhelhe, they also killed Mrs Mandile.  Is this Lhelhe Mbenge and Mrs Mandile?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes.

MS MAYA: Were you members of any political organisation?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: No.

MS MAYA: In other words  you were just shot by the police,
you were not aware of what was going on?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes, that is true.

MS MAYA: Do you want to add something in your story?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: Yes, I would like to be helped and to be assisted, to be supported for my children.

MS MAYA: Do you have any other requests, sir?

ZINAKILE ERIC PETER: No, I've got no requests.  I don't want to waste  your time.

MS MAYA: Thank you sir.  Mr Koloman James Mantile, in your statement you speak about two people, Mrs Jane Msuthukazi Matyani and also Johnson Matile, is that correct?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: Yes, that is correct.

MS MAYA: Was Jane your wife?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: Jane was my brother's wife, Pakamile Johnson Mantile.

MS MAYA: Was Johnson Jane's husband?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: Yes.

MS MAYA: Were they both killed on the same day?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: Yes.

MS MAYA: What happened to you, why were they killed?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: I was at number 13 G Street and they were at number 28 Victoria Road with this mother and Peter.  I was on my way back from work at 5 pm where I was working at Lewis Stores and I went via my brother Johnson's house.
 We were planning to go somewhere which was a church meeting.  And that was in 1987.  And he said, look I am not going to make it, he was working at GG at the time, the Waterworks.
 He was driving these bulldozers and loaders and the machinery used there.  I said to him, give me your jacket and your tie, I am going to go.  I am not going to go via
home, I am going to go straight to the church meeting.

MS MAYA: What happened when they were shot, what time were they shot?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: They were shot at approximately 7 or 8 pm.

MS MAYA: What news did you receive?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: I was in J Street when a child came to me and said Uncle Pakamile has been shot.  The child didn't know why but the scull and brain was scattered all over the wall.
Is it possible that this person is still alive, it was just a small child.  My wife and I spoke and said this is very difficult to understand and she said that she did not think I should go alone.
 We decided to go and tell my younger brother.  When we got there, we discussed what to do and we could see that it was quite busy.

MS MAYA: When you went there, what did you find?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: When we got there, the place was full of soldiers and policemen and people and we were asked where we were going because no one was to go there.  We said that we were there to see what had happened.  We were family of the person who had been shot and then they opened up a way for us to go through.

MS MAYA: What were things like when you got there?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: When we got to the house, I found my brother sitting like this, half of his head was shot against the wall.  Where he was sitting when I - he was still seated where I had left him sitting, and there was a hole in the wall and his - half of his scull had gone through that hole into the bedroom.
 His wife was still holding the potato which she was peeling and the bullet had penetrated her on one side and
gone out on the other side.

MS MAYA: Did you receive details of what had happened?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: We enquired from the time we were coming on, we asked White policeman coming out on the other side of the school, carrying bottles of wine.

MS MAYA: In your statement you say that these White policemen were intoxicated to such an extend that they told the court that they were so drunk that they did not know what they were doing?  Did your brother and his wife have any kids?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: Yes, they are with me.

MS MAYA: How old are they?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: The oldest boy has been circumcised and the other two are also grown up now.

MS MAYA: Are any of them still at school?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: Yes, two of them are.

MS MAYA: Is there anything else which you would like to say to us, with regards to the story?

KOLOMAN JAMES MANTILE: It is a long story but it is basically what I have told you but because nothing else could be done about the fact that they were dead.