Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pretoria — 1996-08-12

THOMAS MANTHATA: Mrs Phalatse, the location was Atteridgeville before your daughter got shot.  How was the situation in Atteridgeville before your daughter was shot?
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6 W PHALATSE

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: It was a bit violent on that day.  Unfortunately on that day my daughter was shot, but some of the school children did not get, suffer any injuries, but mine did suffer or sustain some injuries on that day.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Were you summoned to court or you voluntarily approached the court?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: We were summoned to appear at court and then I was in the company of teacher Moseneke because the letter that we did received did summons us, summoned us to court or to appear before court.  They called us the second time and the third time also.  Then I was in the company of Mr Moseneke.

THOMAS MANTHATA: You never reported to the police that your daughter got shot.  That is why they asked you who shot your daughter?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: It is so because when we arrived at court the first thing that they asked us was who shot your daughter, but we explained that we do not know who that person was, but people tell us it was the police who shot my daughter.  Even on the second time that we approached the court that is when this Meintjies said that they stoned us hence I fired a shot in the air, but the bullet did not go up, but it did hit my daughter.

THOMAS MANTHATA: How old was your daughter when she died?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: She was 16.

THOMAS MANTHATA: What were your expectations?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: She was doing standard six.  I expected a lot from her.  Maybe she would bring something that will bring joy in our family as she progresses with her studies.

THOMAS MANTHATA: I thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Mrs Sooka.
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7 W PHALATSE

YASMINE SOOKA: Mama, could you tell me, your daughter was she a member of the SRC at school?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: I do not have any information with respect to that.

YASMINE SOOKA: Do you know if she was involved in any political activity at the school?  Was she involved in the protests that were taking place?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: No, it is not like that.  She never engaged in any political activities on that school.

YASMINE SOOKA: At the time when the court case was taking place did you have an attorney to represent you?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: I had one.  He was Makambele, his name.  He stays in Mamelodi.  He is Makambele.

YASMINE SOOKA: And do you know or while you were at court did they call Mr Moseneke or any of the other teachers to tell the court if they saw who had actually shot your daughter?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: They were not asked to give evidence, but I said what they told to, what they told me, but they were not asked to give evidence.  The way these teachers explained to me that is what I said to the court.  They wrapped her in jerseys, they were all stained in blood.  I did not ask any questions, but I accepted what they said to me because they were with her at the time when she was shot.

YASMINE SOOKA: Did the teachers tell you who had shot your daughter?  Was it this man Meintjies?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: What the teachers said was that the bullet was from the direction of the street and then it hit the child when she just went out of the classroom heading for the library.  Then when she went out she said you have killed this child and then the person she saw was Meintjies and then Meintjies asked where is she?  Then she said there
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she is lying down and then they said take her to the hospital.  He did not even apologise.  He said take her to the hospital.  How were they going to take her to the hospital if they did not have cars?

YASMINE SOOKA: You mention in your statement that when you saw your daughter in the hospital she could still speak.  Did she tell you anything while she was able to speak?

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: She was not able to speak.  She just looked at me.  She just smiled when she saw me.  She did not speak at all.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Phalatse, thank you very much.  We are pretty sure that it will be difficult to get the information specifically on the inquest that having take place some 20 years ago.

WELHEMINAH PHALATSE: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: But we have your statement.  We have also listened to your testimony and through our Investigative Unit research activities we will see what we can find out and we will, in due course, report to you.  Thank you very much for coming to us.
 Just before you leave the stand we will be breaking for tea, but before we do so I would ask your indulgence to allow the witnesses to leave the hall first while we remain standing.  Will you please stand and then if the witnesses will move out to tea.  We will be coming back in half an hour.
PRETORIA HEARING TRC/GAUTENG