Human Rights Violation Hearings — Ladybrand — 1997-06-26

WITNESS:   It was in 1992 when SANCO was launched in Ficksburg and there were problems between SANCO and the ANC, and this man called Pius Molefe Mohlome is the man behind this whole problem.  He did not want to accept that he cannot be a leader for all the organisations within the township.  Now he wanted the ANC as its leader, and he also wanted to be the leadership in the SANCO.  And on top of that he designed a badge, and we could see that he was troublesome, and this badge indicated that SANCO still existed in the township and it was under his leadership.  Now, it appeared many a time that this man was not in favour of peace.  It so happened that when SANCO was just launched, and when the people were told that they will have to have a representative, Mr David Thamahe was chosen as the chairperson of SANCO in Mukaleng(?).  At that time I was serving within the executive of SANCO, I was the media liaison officer.  Now, at the time of these conflicts of which organisation to lead and which not Pius himself was so keen to sell us out to the administrator.  Now, during those days the administrator was in charge, and we were against this notion of selling us out because previous he had been a policeman.  That was before he became the chairperson of the ANC.  Now, it clearly showed that Pius was taken by the white people, that is the administrator and them.  They made him leave his job and be involved in the ANC so that we people think that he is building the ANC.  And on the other side we were going to be thinking that he was working for the people, and yet he would be building his nationalist ideas.  We came to realise that he was a destroyer, and he wanted to be the only brilliant man.  We now wanted to keep a distance between himself and us, and this conflict erupted.  He became friends with police.  Now, during this relationship between himself and the police we found ourselves under attack at our homes.  I did not even understand what wrong did I commit, because in 1992 in August my home was destroyed.  The reason behind the destroying of the house nobody knows.  He went to my home and destroyed it.  They destroyed our house while my mother was still in the house.  She was 83 then, and they stoned her and she went to the hospital to be stitched on that night.  Just a minute after they left, that is Pius and them, because I heard them saying, "Let us go because we are finished," and Siphumudi, one of them, said, "No, can't we go back because I saw him getting underneath the bed."  Just a minute after they left the police came in so quickly.  I asked myself and I thought to myself, "This is just a foul play.  The police are involved with these people."  I did not want to concentrate on that issue during that time because I was worried about my mother.  I called Med-Risk and they quickly arrived.  The police were around, that is Sergeant Sawane and them, and they connected me to this white man from Med-Risk.  And this white man from Med-Risk came with a message and he said, "Med-Risk is not going to help, because this is the new South Africa and you wanted it just this way."  You know, I had to laugh because this white man was talking something I could not understand.  My mother was injured, she was bleeding, I had to attend to her because her forehead was hit.  Yes, they did remove her.  I was satisfied that they attended to her.  They went to the hospital, where she was admitted.  Sergeant Sawane told me to write a statement.  No, he asked me first, "Are you going to submit a statement?"  I said to him, "Sawane, you have seen what happened.  Now, is it necessary to write the statement because you are already my witness?"  He said, "No, my friend, I would like you to submit a statement," and indeed I wrote a statement.  I wrote in my statement that I did not see Molefe Mohlome with my own eyes, but I heard his voice when he said, "Comrades, we have done the job, let's leave."  My mother was at the hospital at that time and she came back home.  I am still worried about my mother really.  She is in deep trouble.  She cannot speak, she cannot walk, she is just a person, a helpless being.  I do not know what to do to make ends meet.  You know, sometimes when I meet Pius along the street I become very angry, and I decided to leave this issue because I wanted to revenge and my mother said to me, "My son, do not revenge.  God is on our side."  Even at this stage I am troubled by my mother.  That's why I am here today.  I thank you.  I heard Mr Semakale has already mentioned that how many people were affected by the attacks on their houses.  We found petrol bombs in the house before they could explode, but the doors were broken down, the windows were shattered, and I think the intention was to kill me because the roof is even damaged.  They really destroyed my mother.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Setene, are you saying then that as far as you are concerned the cause of the conflict between SANCO and the ANC in Ficksburg was caused by Mr Mohlome, who wanted to be chairperson of both organisations?

WITNESS:   Not only two organisations, all organisations.  He wanted to be the leader of all the organisations around Mukaleng because he was a policeman.  Now, this - he wanted to rule the township.  That is briefly what I can say.  There was the Womens League, SACCAWU - every organisation he wanted to be the leader.

CHAIRPERSON: Now, I am asking you questions about Mr Mohlome because we have given him notice in terms of section 30 of the Act.  We have advised him by letter that these allegations have been made about him, so accordingly you are free to mention his name as you have been doing.  Now ... (intervention)

WITNESS:   I thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Now, the police - the response by the police was that there was not sufficient evidence to charge him, is that what you said?

WITNESS:   I had enough evidence.  I do not understand why the police said the evidence was not enough to proceed with the case, because my mother was also injured.  Blood came out.  My head stood still when they told me that the evidence was not enough.  And the first letter that I received from Commissioner Stenment(?), he explained in his letter that it is true, and it is evident that the organisations are fighting against each other, and they are busy investigating the case.

CHAIRPERSON: Now, our investigators have done some work on this, and we have a letter here from the Attorney-General of the Free State saying that he declines to prosecute Mr Mohlome in this case, but he hasn't given any reasons for that.  Now, can you tell us what position does Mr Mohlome hold at the moment?

WITNESS:   I want to understand you.  What do you mean when you say what position is he holding?  Are you referring to politics or otherwise?

CHAIRPERSON: What civic or political position does he hold?

WITNESS:  I do not know how to describe him.  He doesn't take any advice from anybody.  He is self-righteous.  When you have to be tortured by the police they would torture you in ... (inaudible) ... now this is in his blood.  I do not refer him as a politician.  His blood is really boiling.  That is what I can say.  He is a parasite.

CHAIRPERSON: Ja, Mr Setene, I think you must just stick to the question I ask.  What position is he holding at present?