Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1997-06-10

REV XUNDU: Opens hearing with a hymn and a prayer.

BONGANI FINCA: We are going to remember those that you're going to talk about, those who have passed away in different ways.  We'll light the candle to reflect their presence amongst us as we are going to witness about them.
 Could you please stand while I read their names with reverence.  We remember Deric John Whitfield, Boyce Michael Wheeler, Virginia Panziso, Jeff Wabena, Gerge Botha, Arnold Gush, Leon Meyer and Jacqueline Ann Quinn.  May they rest in peace Lord and give them everlasting light. Amen.  
 We welcome everybody here to-day on the second day of our hearings in East London.  We welcome those that are going to be testifying before this Commission, those people who are going to tell l the stories of their lives, the oppression and depravation of their as human beings.  This hearing to-day will be live on radio and we ask that you will co-operate so that there is order in this hall so that all South Africans can get a clear understanding of the hearings to-day.  
 There are attorneys here, legal representatives who will appear before the Commission.  They will be representing perpetrators as we sent them notices under Section 30 of the Truth and Reconciliation Law.  If these attorneys could please approach the panel so that we can give them a stipulated time.  We are going to start with perpetrators with legal representatives from mid-day however if there are people with special requests or if they want to change their time they can approach the panel so that we can organise it.  
 I'm going to hand over to Miss Maya to read the list of people who are going to appear before the Commission to-day.

MS MAYA: Thank you, Mr Chairperson.  This morning the tenth of June 1997 I'm going to read the list of people who are going to appear before the Commission, people whose rights were violated.  I'm going to read these names in a chronological order.  I'll read the witness's name, the victim, the nature of violation and the are of violation and then I will read the year of the incident.
 The first five people that we have are people falling under the same incident when a hotel in High Gate was bombed.  Doreen Rousseau who will be speaking about herself - attempted murder, Bernice Whitfield will be speaking about Deric John Whitfield who was murdered, Neville Belling will be talking about himself - attempted murder, Nkosinathi Gontshi will be speaking about himself - attempted murder, Francina Wheeler will be speaking about Boyce Michael Wheeler who was murdered.  These are all the High Gate cases.  
 Norhoza Yenana will be speaking about Virginia Panziso who was murdered in East London in 1988, Nomakhosazana Mavubengwana will be speaking about Jeff Ngxeke Wabena who was murdered in East London in 1988.
 Pralene Mora Botha will be speaking about George Botha who was murdered in Port Elizabeth in 1976, Mxolisi Leleki who will be speaking about himself - severe ill-treatment in East London in 1993.
 Mandla Tobezweni who will be speaking about himself - tortured in Mdantsane in 1987, Mandla Engelani who will be speaking about himself - severe in East London (Duncan Village) in 1985.
 Mxolisi Monakali will be speaking about himself - attempted murder Mdantsane in 1981, Naledi Gush-Nkula will be speaking about Arnold Gush - murdered in East London in 1990.
 Christian Peter Meyer who will be speaking about Leon Lionel Meyer and Jacqueline Ann Quin who was murdered in Lesotho in 1985.
 Zwelakhe Bkikitsha who will be speaking about himself - tortured in Mdantsane in 1987.
 Joseph Cochran who will be speaking about himself - severe ill-treatment in East London in 1989.
  Mawonga Gom who will be speaking about himself - tortured in Mdantsane from 1982 to 1986.  
 Mr Chairperson, number eight in our list excuse me, number seven in our list Nomakhosazana Mavubengwana has requested that she comes and gives evidence to-morrow rather than to-day as she has a bit of a problem.  The High Gate incident was in 1993.   Thank you Mr Chairperson.

BONGANI FINCA: Thank you, Miss Maya.  We are going to let you know that we have changed in our proceedings to-day.   The families that are going to talk about the High Gate incident, we are going to start with Neville Belling instead of Doreen Rousseau.
 Secondly, at eleven or eleven thirty the Commission is going to adjourn for about forty five minutes to an hour so that the Commissioners get a chance to go to High Gate where the High Gate massacre occurred.  We're going to give reverence to those who were injured and those who passed away during that incident.  We would also like to inspect the site as we usually do when we deal with such matters.   Thirdly, the notices I have for people who want to appear before the Commission giving their side of the story with allegations from witnesses, Mr T Jordan requests that he gives his side of the story in connection with Mxolisi Leleki's testimony, Dudley van Heerden will represent  ...(inaudible) Mdigane who has a submission in connection with Naledi Gush-Nkula's testimony.   He would like to rectify Naledi Gush-Nkula's testimony.  Mr ....(inaudible)  regarding the same incident will represent Mr Citi Legol.  We do not have a statement from Mr Legol on Tonga.  If they are present could they please furnish us with these statements before we can call them onto the stand.  Number fifteen, Zwelakhe Bkikitsha, Mr Bibi Ntonga will be representing Mr -  who is apparently a perpetrator in this case.  As they do not have a statement could they please provide us with that before they appear before the Commission.  It is not clear to us whether Mr I.C. Clarke would like to appear before the Commission in connection with Gloyce Nomnono.  We have a statement, if Mr I.C. Clark or the husband is here or Lewis Nomnono please let us know if you are present because the statement has to be read before the Commission.  Subject to those alterations in our programme we will now proceed.  
 I will call to the podium Mr Neville Belling whom I understand is accompanied by his father, to take the stand.

REV XUNDU: Thank you, Mr Chairman.  Can I find out the name of the other gentleman.  Who is with Neville?  He's also Neville.  Thank you.  I'm going to ask you to take the oath starting with the Jnr.  You don't have to stand but I'm going to ask you to take the oath.
MR NEVILLE BELLING (JNR): (sworn states)
MR NEVILLE BELLING (SNR): (sworn states)

BONGANI FINCA: Thank you, we welcome Neville Belling Junior and Senior.  We will ask Mr Sandi to direct some questions based on the statement that you have supplied to the Commission and give you a chance to state your evidence to the Commission.

MR SANDI: Thank you, Mr Chairman.  Good morning Mr Belling, let me say I'm glad that we have eventually met because we've been doing a lot of talking on the phone over the past few days.  To avoid confusion when I ask a question to the father I will say Mr Belling Senior and when the question is directed to the son I will say Mr Belling Junior.  As the Chairman of the panel has already stated I will ask a few questions.  The idea is not to trick you or to try to say that your story is not true, the idea is simply to assist you to present your evidence to the Commission as it has been stated in your statement.  I'm not quite sure how you're going to present your evidence, are we going to start with Mr Belling the Junior and then the father to assist him?

MR BELLING: We'll leave it to you.

MR SANDI: Okay.  Mr Belling Junior as I go through your statement it appears that you will be talking about the shooting which occurred at the High Gate Hotel on the first of May 1993, is that correct?
MR BELLING (JNR): Yes, that's correct.

MR SANDI: According to that statement you were one of the people who were shot on that day, is that correct?
MR BELLING (JNR): That's correct.