Human Rights Violation Hearings — George — 1996-06-19

CASE NO: CT/00544

THOBEKA DORIS MASEKO: [wife]
THOBEKA DORIS MASEKO Duly sworn states

MS SEROKE: I greet you Tobeko, are you the husband of Nelson Zuzile Maseko?

MS MASEKO: Yes that is so.

MS SEROKE: Who was beaten to death on the 24th of March 1990.

MS MASEKO: That is so.

MS SEROKE: In the township of Bossiesgif in Plettenberg?  Can you described to us what happened for this tragedy.

MS MASEKO: Yes I can, firstly  my husband was an ANC member in Plettenberg Bay at Bossiesgif.  He was very active in the organisation and because he was so active trying to help people, there was a problem, just a slight problem that took place at Bossiesgif between the community.  There was a young girl who fought with another young girl and when they fought, this other one stabbed the other.
And after stabbing this other girl, the youth - the ANC Youth were very angry with this - released this girl.   They took her clothes off and they marched her up and down the township naked.  And that's where my husband objected to what the youth did.  Saying that, that was very unbecoming.  And Nelson Mandela wherever he was, would never agree with this, because it was a disgraceful act.  You cannot march a lady up and down naked in the township, that is very disgraceful, he didn't like it.
 And when he objected to that, there was conflict between him and the ANC Youth.  He was not the only one who was objecting against this act, a number of residents - the whole community were against this, but because he was an outspoken person, he insisted that this was very wrong.
And he even said to them if  you don't understand what I am saying, that this is a disgraceful act, I will do my best to satisfy you, by calling some members of the ANC.  I'll phone Oudtshoorn, I'll phone Cape Town and ask if this is correct, because this I do not like, I just want to confirm with them if this is not right.  They said he could go ahead, but it was clear that they were not happy - they didn't admit that  and that's when the conflict between him and the youths started.
 This continued - he was phoning the members of the ANC and they agreed that they would come to sort this out, because they didn't agree with it.  Because they also said this was bad and they said they would come for sorting this out and then  [indistinct] out ways of disciplining one another.
 And this continued, this conflict continued between him and - and I think I work thereafter.  One day he was from work, it was in the evening, he was bringing stuff.  The youth hit the van - the Kombi he was driving but he escaped, he suffered no injuries.  It was Wednesday, he went back to work, came back in the evening that same day, came back to his house, Thursday morning he went back to work, there was nothing.
Friday there was nothing and then on Saturday very early - very early and this - at about quarter to eight, we heard the sound of the toi-toi coming from outside.  We went outside to - just to check what was happening.
 Didn't see anything but we saw group of youth going up and down toi-toiing.  He went out and I followed him, I was still in my nightie and my overall because it was still very early.  He was not going to work that Saturday.  I went out - I followed him, it so happened that he went to our neighbour.  He went to the back and talked to the neighbour and I followed him and we stood there together, we just watched the youth as they were toi-toiing.
 Whilst we were standing there, a young girl, my daughter came  and said comrades have gone into - three comrades have gone into our house, they looking for my father.  I said what do they want him for.  She said they say -they  talking about him and she was blushing, she would look nervous and shaken, I said okay, wait here and she waited.
 And then I went back, I didn't see anything.  I came back stood next to my husband as I was standing there -  the other children came and said the comrades are looking for my father,  we are very scared and we all stood there, we were watching the toi-toi going on and as I was standing there, my kids were apparently hungry they would go to the house and come back quickly and they'd say there is my father's car going away.  And then I followed and then indeed my father - my husband's car was being pushed out of the yard into some open space and then they ignited it.  
 Then I went back to my husband, who was still watching, I went back to him as he was watching.  I stood next to him again as we watched and then we saw it in flame, I said phone the police, you don't know what's going to happen after this.  They said okay let me try - at my neighbours house, I won't even go to my house and indeed he went into the house and the neighbour gave him the phone and he phoned the police.  He phoned Plettenberg police station and then they said they were coming, but they didn't come.
 And whilst we were waiting for the police, one of the children said to - can you see the smoke coming from my house, I did go and the smoke was coming out and there was nothing I could do.  I was scared of going in, turned back to my husband and said the house is smoking, it's being set on fire.  I don't know who set it on fire, but there are a few who were going back to join the toi-toi and I was sure they were the ones who burned the house.
 As soon as I told him, he went back into the neighbours house and phoned the police again and told them that they - his house was on fire and I told them we didn't know what was going to happen after this, he pleaded with the police to come and he came out.  I said to him, man you shouldn't come out, you should remain inside, I'll remain inside, he refused.  He came out and stood with us outside.
And as we were standing, the toi-toi was increasing, the more and more youth coming to join it, and I said to him, seeing that the Plettenberg Bay police are not coming, call police from any other place, because we don't know what's going to happen.  So he went in again, phoned the police.  He said he would call the police from George and I'll just call all the police and I urged him on, saying that  I didn't know what was going to happen.
 Indeed he phoned but the police didn't come.  But after he phoned them he would come out - go in and phone and come out and watch - at one stage when he came out there were some young men who were coming to me and they asked me for my husband.
I said where - who was - I said he was just around, and unfortunately he was already out of the hut and he was in front of the neighbours hut and this young men went for him, the three of them, Sishuba, Tyki and Sabata, there is a fourth one whom I didn't know but Totomansi my witness knows.
 I knew only the three and when they got to him they didn't ask any question, they chopped him with a kapmes three of them with this new kapmesse and they kap him and they struck him at his shoulder, on his back, the other one on his stomach, the other one on his face and then when I - when Sabata struck the second blow, he hit him on his head.  And he blacked and he fell.

MS SEROKE: Let's wait for a while Thobeka, who's crying.

MS MASEKO: It's my daughter.

MS SEROKE: Who's this one next to you?

MS MASEKO: It's my son.

MS SEROKE: Is that your son?

MS MASEKO: Yes it's my son.

MS SEROKE: Just cool down, take your time, this is very sad what you describing to us is very sad, very-very sad.

MS MASEKO: When he fell down, I tried to lift him up, and he said get  [indistinct] if there is something I've done against you, forgive me, and they ran away.  I tried to lift him up but I couldn't manage.  And when I couldn't I left him lying on the ground and the blood was flowing in a big pool now.  I left him there, I went up.

MS SEROKE: All this time - all this time the police have not yet - had not yet come?

MS MASEKO: No - no they had not come.