Human Rights Violation Hearings — Queenstown — 1996-07-22

KE NYANI: All these things happened in my absence, then it is only when I went back, that I got to know about them and you must know that I stayed away for about two years there.
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 When I was there for quite some time, that is last year, then one of the men who was with me in the struggle, asked me to go back home because my mother was complaining and my youngest son was sick, then I asked him where do I go to, then he offered to keep me.
 Then I said no, I'm too old for that, I couldn't live with other people, but he pleaded with me and they actually managed to persuade me, then I said, do you see the damage caused, then he said there has been some money that we got for our loss.
 In fact what actually happened, our houses were rebuilt and we were also given some clothing.  Then I asked what am I going to do then, then he said we shall see.
 I wasn't happy, I wasn't comfortable at all, then at night, I escaped to (indistinct) and I found my youngest son very sick, then I took him to the Doctors.
 I was then called back to my home and I went.  I was told that there were elections that were taking place, then I said no, I was not standing for any elections, I wasn't going to.
 They wanted to force me to stand for the election, then I said no, I won't be in a position to, for that matter I don't now have a home, I no longer have my children staying here with me, now why should I stay?
 Then he said I could go, then I got into a car and went away.

REV XUNDU: Now, you want to say you never got any compensation for your loss?

KE NYANI: No, I did not.

REV XUNDU: What actually happened?

KE NYANI: When I met him, I asked him where do I actually
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feature because we were actually together in the struggle, but I am not happy because most people are dying in a very mysterious way, then this man said, no, we shall see, we shall see.
 Last year in September, I got into a car and went to Basalone, to see the Regional Magistrate in Thabatemba, then I tried to find out since I had also lost and my house was burnt down, how was I going to be compensated.
 The Magistrate said we - what happened actually.  I told him that I did not have a home.  Then the Magistrate did not have any knowledge about this, because he said this was handled by the ADM, he as a Magistrate did not have full information.  He had heard about compensation that was being done to the people, but he did not know exactly what this compensation was for.

REV XUNDU: Now in your story that is so painful, if you were to make a request, what would you actually say you would like us to assist you with?

KE NYANI: My request, in fact let me say, when I heard of it that there was going to be this hearing by the Commission, sick as I was with an eye problem, I talked to one nurse.  I said to her I've heard that there is a Commission from East London, that there is a Commission that helps people that have got problems, then this nurse said yes, if you have any problem on the 22nd and 23rd, there will be a hearing in Queenstown, so that is when I decided to come here on Saturday and gave in my statement.
 So that is why therefor I am here today to come and get some help and ask for, make a request to get some help from this Commission.
 Now, even if I don't get anything, I want this 
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Commission to know that my house was burnt down and nothing could be survived, so even if I don't get anything, I don't mind.

REV XUNDU: Now, are you enjoying ... (intervention)

KE NYANI: Sorry, I can't hear because I have a problem with my hearing.

REV XUNDU: Now, tell us, did this - all this affect your health?  All these incidents?

KE NYANI: Yes, I am enjoying ill health and I have been now and again visiting Doctors and I have been admitted to hospital three times.
 Even just before I came here, the Doctor said my blood pressure was very high, even at night I sleep well.

REV XUNDU: Commissioner, I would like you to take over from me.

BONGANI FINCA: We thank you Mr Xundu.  Are there any other questions you may be having.  Ntsikelelo Sandi, do you have any questions to ask the witness?

MR SANDI: I would like to ask you some questions because I want to have full clarity.  When you joined the ADM were you a resident at Tendergate?  How long had you been there?

KE NYANI: When people started occupying that land, I was there.

MR SANDI: When was that?

KE NYANI: I think it was in 1979.

MR SANDI: At the time you were a resident there, how was your life with other residents just before you joined the ADM?

KE NYANI: There were no problems whatsoever, in stead people wanted to work with me until they elected me as their Headman.
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MR SANDI: When you joined the ADM was there any other member who came to you to ask you to join the ADM?

KE NYANI: Our Headmen happened to be a member of the ADM, so therefor we were also asked to join as members of the ADM.

MR SANDI: Now could you tell us briefly when you were told about the aims of the ADM what did they actually  say to you?

KE NYANI: At first it was if it was an organisation that wouldn't pose any problems to us, but later on I could see that it had many problems.
 Such that when there were these problems just before I left, I said to the Headmen, no, let's just leave everything and let people do things on their own, because I was in fear that the end would be bitter.
 There was a certain person that people had asked him to assist them, but he decided not to help them, so I was thinking of such things.

MR SANDI: Are there any other organisations that used to ask the people to become members?

KE NYANI: No, I can't think of any.  We had the ANC, the ADM and the PAC organisations.

MR SANDI: Is the ADM as an organisation still there?

KE NYANI: I don't know, but in fact I think it doesn't exist, not at all, I don't even hear a thing about this ADM.

MR SANDI: You mentioned once the name of a certain man that you said was the leader of the ADM, where is that man?

KE NYANI: Oh, you mean our leader in the location that is Gqozo.  I really don't know what happened to him.

MR SANDI: Thank you.