Human Rights Violation Hearings — Klerksdorp — 1996-09-25

M S HASSIAN HAFFEJJE: Yes. There was a - the police came. They took statements from my wife, because she was nearest to the scene.  We recorded crimen injuria.  And they took it.  We told them to remove the pig as well, which they did. I had to shampoo my whole shop about five times over that afternoon and the following day, the Sunday. Monday morning I received a phone call from the local police to say that I must go and fetch my pig. I said my pig?  The pig belongs to one of your guys, one your right-wingers and you people know who it is.  We have given you a name, we have furnished you with names.  But they themselves, the police themselves seemed to me are afraid of these right-wingers as well, for one reason or another.  I said all right, that pig doesn't belong to me, I am so sorry, but I am getting hold of my lawyer in Klerksdorp, and through him I am getting through the Transvaal Attorney-General and taking further steps, see KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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what he has got to say about it. Oh, no, quickly they changed their story.  No, no, then all right, we will let you know, leave the pig in the pen where it is behind the police station, which they did.  
 In the meantime this became news all over.  The Press was full of it.  The boycott ended the week thereafter.  The pig story carried on.  
 The man appeared, a certain Mr Fourie appeared in court one or twice, it was postponed, and then a remarkable thing happened.  Two days, on the Monday I had to appear in court, my lawyer from Human Rights, I believe was already - I must just also mention this, that there were a sprinkling of Whites in Bloemhof, who came to me and disassociated themselves from this cruel and dirty thing.  There were a few that came, I must say this.  They gave me their hand, they said they are sorry, this is not the Christian way, for which I am thankful.
 In all this melee, I must also say, it was maybe a sergeant, a Sgt Viljoen, from the SAP in Bloemhof, who was with his girlfriend then, but now he is married of course, to the same woman, I think it is Marietjie, if I am not mistaken, were also very helpful and tried to speed up this case.  
 In any case, let me go back to where we were when I stopped.  Two weeks before that, one of the right-wingers just came to my shop and said withdraw this case, because at that stage, by now it had reached international proportions, Afrikaans papers and English papers and the TV, all were full of it.  I said I cannot do it without consulting our religious leaders of our community, my lawyers and most of all my wife, which he allowed. He said he will come back at 
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a later stage, after an hour or two or in the afternoon, which he did.  When he came back in the afternoon, after we had consulted our respective fellow members and so forth, we said all right, we will withraw the case on condition, that is if you give us an apology in writing Monday morning at the court, magistrate's court, in the presence of your lawyer and our Human Rights lawyer and our religious leaders.  Then we shall accept your apology. After all, if God can forgive,  who are we not to forgive.

PROF MEIRING: And so they did that, they gave the apology and the case was finished, the case was closed.

M S HASSIAN HAFFEJJE: Yes, but I must also admit, the case was finished, but honourable members, I must bring it to your notice that six months thereafter, a certain programme called Becker's Trek, Mr Becker came to Bloemhof to interview and see how Bloemhof was then.  He interviewed this person who rendered his apology, which I have in the files here, and which I have distributed as well, names this pig in his sty, in his farm yard of course, Styles.  Now I am known as Styles in Bloemhof too. My shop is known as Styles, because we keep clothing.  He had the audacity to name this pig Styles and I come to know of this six months thereafter, in an interview, where I saw this interview.
 Now can you imagine how low can a person get.  People said I must take further action. I said I am sick and tired, it has already affected my health.

PROF MEIRING: Mr Haffejje, I am so sorry, our time has run out.  We have been listening to you and it is an amazing story.  Thank you for telling it to us all. I think maybe some of my fellow Commissioners would like to ask a question or two.  Can I ask Dr Randera, would you like to ask some
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questions?

THOMAS MANTHATA: Mr Haffejje, in the days that you have referred to as 1964, to which political party did you belong?

M S HASSIAN HAFFEJJE: At that time I belonged to no political party.  I am a humanist at heart and I fight for the cause of humanity.  Politics didn't bother me one bit at the time.  But I wasn't an underdog. Of course, in truth, my sympathy was with the African National Congress and the liberation movement at the time.  It still is. It still is.

THOMAS MANTHATA: When you were at the college of education, were you intending to become a teacher?

M S HASSIAN HAFFEJJE: Correct.

THOMAS MANTHATA: And what became of your aspirations to be a teacher?

M S HASSIAN HAFFEJJE: No, I was - at that time the institution belonged to the State, and anything done wrong against the State you would get booted out. I was booted out and had to pay a fine above that as well. So I didn't attain that noble profession of teaching. I tried a lot thereafter.  They wouldn't accept me.  Under no circumstances. The regime wouldn't allow anybody like me in their midst.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Thanks.  You end up with a very depressing note, understandably so, for a pig sty to be called after your name.  And of course, having experienced to a few Whites who came to apologise, do you see any way forward for reconciliation, you know, between this, amongst the communities of Bloemhof?

M S HASSIAN HAFFEJJE: Yes, I am an optimist.  I have hope there will be reconciliation and we are going to overcome it.  That's for certain.
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THOMAS MANTHATA: How do you see that coming about?  Are there some key people who are committed to this cause, and if so, you know, can we be given a hint of their names?

M S HASSIAN HAFFEJJE: It can be done, because at the moment, I bring to your attention that the council is run by an ANC council and they have a lot of powers.  We do think very much alike as far as reconciliation is concerned, for the betterment of Bloemhof, its people, irrespective of race, colour, creed, religion or sex.  There is a chance, give us time, there is a chance.  There is hope and the spark of hope, and that spark of hope we are not going to put off, we are going to fight to keep the spark of hope burning.  There will be reconciliation, we will love each other, we will find each other and there will be love amongst us.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Thank you, Mr Haffejje, no more questions.

M S HASSIAN HAFFEJJE: In conclusion, if I may say, if I can - after your questions.  You have the right to ask me questions certainly, but in conclusion, if you give me two minutes, I would appreciate it.