Human Rights Violation Hearings — Welkom — 1996-10-09

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Well, thank you very much.  This is going to be an interesting case because it has the eyewitnesses.  It is more easier than the other cases.  I think the investigating unit is going to have an interesting case here.  Where we have got the eyewitnesses who themselves, by the way, are the victims, I think it will be interesting to see those people when they come forward to tell the story why they killed Sipho that they'll be confronted by you as also the victims and they'll have to tell the story too why they tortured you.  One of the interesting things about this case is that many people sold out during these happenings.  We have the teachers here who allowed themselves to tell lies and say that this young man was epileptic because they were asked to do so.  To me that is very serious.  And again you were confused by the lawyer from the organisation who refused the mother the  access to the inquest room and that is also going to be very interesting.  And Mr Mdu Dlamini has already said that it's the organisation which is going to help us with this why was she denied the access to the inquest room.  And again it's interesting that many names keep on coming which came yesterday, the Hugos and others.  Anyway, just as I've said already that we thank you two young men for the courage.  You have shown that you were really friends of Sipho because people tend out of sight, out of mind, but you people, in spite of all that has happened, were prepared to come forward and support Sipho's mother when she tells the story about the death of her son and also about your torture and you must be full of courage indeed.  That is why I say that you deserve to be a mayor of Odendaalsrus.  You have passed the passage - you have gone the passage of suffering and by God's miracles you're on top now.  You see, from the bottom to the top and when these people are facing you now, they'll be facing not just ordinary Silo, they'll be facing a mayor of the town.  And, Mama, Sipho's mother, you are indeed a very bold, courageous woman.  When you said that you have got courage, you wanted to come in and see, you're not just telling stories.  You are indeed very bold and very courageous and very strong.  And may the Lord help you.  We have noted all that has happened here and where there are requests made by you we shall channel them to the right places through the government.  Thank you very much for coming.
/EXCHANGE
EXCHANGE OF GREETINGS BETWEEN CHAIRMAN AND WITNESS

CHAIRPERSON: Can you please stand up and take an oath that what you are going to say here is true and then God being your helper.

EPHRAIM THAHETSI: (Sworn states) (Through Interpreter)

CHAIRPERSON: You live in 735 in Masilo, Theunissen.  Is that true?

WITNESS:   That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON: How long have you been living there?

WITNESS:   It's a long time.  I was born in that region.

CHAIRPERSON: Oh, you were born there?

WITNESS:   That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON: And you have come to testify or tell your story about the death of your son Walter Thahetsi?

WITNESS:   That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON: Wanesu Thahetsi, can you please in a sort of a nutshell give us the picture of your family - wife, if you have the wife, and other children - how many are they, how old are they, etcetera - so that we can have the picture of your family?

WITNESS:   I have a family.  I have a wife as well as four children.  They were actually five and the one died.  My firstborn is 26 years old, it's a daughter.  My second-born is the deceased son and the third one is 18 years old.  My fourth-born is 5 years old and my last-born is 2 years 3 months.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.  You said that your firstborn is 26 and is a daughter and then the one who's 18, is it a son or daughter?

WITNESS:   It's a daughter(?).  He's 18 years old and he's alive.  That is the third-born.

CHAIRPERSON: I'm trying to find out if this is a daughter or son, the one who's 18 years.

WITNESS:   It's a son. And the one who's 5 years.  Is it a son or daughter?   ---   It's a daughter.

CHAIRPERSON: And the one who's 2 years?

WITNESS:   It's a son.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Is your daughter still living with you and your wife?

WITNESS:   She's no longer staying with us.  She's working in Bloemfontein.  She's a nurse there.

CHAIRPERSON: Nurse in Bloemfontein.

WITNESS:   That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON: And the one who's 18, what is he doing?

WITNESS:   He's at school.

CHAIRPERSON: What standard?

WITNESS:   He's in Standard 7.

CHAIRPERSON: The one who's five - still at home?

WITNESS:   He's going to attend school the coming year.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.  When Walter died, he was in school or he had left school?

WITNESS:   Yes, he was attending school.

CHAIRPERSON: What class was he?

WITNESS:   He was in Standard 7.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much for giving us the picture of your family.  Is your wife working?

WITNESS:   No, she isn't.

CHAIRPERSON: And what about you, are you working?

WITNESS:   Yes, I do work.

CHAIRPERSON: What do you do?

WITNESS:   I'm a driver at Joelman(?).

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you as a family have any political affiliation?

WITNESS:   Yes, we are members of ANC - my whole family.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Wanesu, can you please give us now the whole picture beginning on the 19th May 1990?  Tell us the story what happened from 19th May 1990 beginning when you went to look for your son after your sister-in-law had warned you about his safety in the township.  Can you tell us that story please?

WITNESS:   When this  started it was on the 18th, that was on a Saturday, when the other Comrades were being assaulted and harassed by the police.  It was Groenewald together with other boers as well as a shop owner.  His name was Patrick Mwilwa(?).  After they had assaulted the Comrades on that Saturday night I went from the ... (intervention)

CHAIRPERSON: Excuse me, who was the shop owner?