Human Rights Violation Hearings — Bisho — 1996-11-19

DILALA MTSHAMBA: He got injured on a Monday, he passed away on a Wednesday evening.  I was informed late on a Monday that the soldier's bus was shot at with a grenade.  When I heard that I sent one of my children to go and tell my sisters that the people in the bus were injured.  He came back and I sent him again to one of the relatives to go and tell her that there was an accident.  I couldn't walk at the time because one of my legs were injured.  He went there to tell my relatives.  It was painful for me because if I could walk I would go there to the hospital and look for him.
 I also sent the same child to one of his colleagues at work to get more information.  He came back and said all the EAST LONDON HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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people who were in the bus didn't turn to work.  
 Early on a Tuesday morning I woke up, I took my things, I took my crutches, I went to one of his colleagues.  I knocked there at his house.  I asked him to phone me and tell me where he was.  I went back home.  When I arrived home one of my sisters who was working at Bisho came and told me that she was not going to work that day, she was going to Bisho Hospital because some of the survivors were at Bisho Hospital and some of them were at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.
 At about eight I received a telephone call saying that my son is at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.  One of my sisters came she said he was - he didn't look like a person who was breathing, he was at the ICU.  He was not breathing.  He was badly injured. They organised a car for me.

JUNE CRICHTON: When you are ready Mrs Mtshamba I would like to ask you about whether there was a court case of any sort, and if there was whether you received any kind of compensation?  Are you ready to answer that question, did you hear it?  The question was whether there was a court case.

DILALA MTSHAMBA: I am not sure whether there was any case.  I got his pension fund, about R3 000.  From Old Mutual I got R10 000.

JUNE CRICHTON: Mrs Mtshamba the death of your son affected you and we can see that, but please tell us what problems you have experienced as a result of his death.

DILALA MTSHAMBA: The doctors said I am suffering from heart attack.  I have got problem with my memory.  What I am asking from the Commission is that since this was very painful when I saw my child at the hospital he didn't have
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hands, his head was severely injured.  At least if I can see a person who is responsible for this and talk about reconciliation I feel that I don't have peace in my heart because I don't know the person who killed my son.

JUNE CRICHTON: Did your son...(microphone not switched on)

DILALA MTSHAMBA: He didn't have children.

JUNE CRICHTON: ...(indistinct)

DILALA MTSHAMBA: Yes he was supporting me.  Though we are staying in Dimbaza at the moment he was supporting me and we do not have a house, we are staying in a shack and he also made a request for a house and then he was promised a site in Dimbaza.  We said he can stay in Dimbaza where we can start looking for a house.  One of my daughters used to stay with him.

JUNE CRICHTON: Is there anything else that you want to tell the Commission other than what you have said so far?

DILALA MTSHAMBA: No.

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you.  I will hand you back to the Chairperson then.

MR POTGIETER: Thank you Mrs Mtshamba.  Thank you June.
Can I just take the opportunity to thank all of you for having come and shared your stories and your feelings with us, you have all lost loved ones and it's quite clear that the wounds are still very fresh.  
 The testimony that you have given also reminded us of the fact that although the focus is on what happened on the 7th of September in the tragic events of that day and the many, many people that were injured and killed there was also events that followed.  We are reminded of the fact that violence leads to violence and leads to violence and it's a vicious circle. 
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 We have noted Mr Mangona what you have said.  It is precisely, in order to recognise those people who have paid so dearly for what we have and what we enjoy today that we have got this process.  A lot of what we are doing is in recognition of that fact.  
 We have listened to the appeals that you have made to us.  That has been noted.  It will receive the necessary attention from the Commission, but thank you once again for having come and shared your stories with us.   I wish you well.