Human Rights Violation Hearings — Tembisa — 1996-11-26

SARAH MAMANGENA MNYELE: (sworn states)

YASMINE SOOKA: We would like to welcome the person who has accompanied you, is that a relative?

SARAH MAMANGENA MNYELE: That is my sister.

YASMINE SOOKA: We would like to welcome you as well.  I am going to ask Commission Hlengiwe Mkhize to assist you with the leading of your evidence.

MS MKHIZE: We welcome you Mrs Mnyele.  I would like you to inform the Commission about your son and your lives.

SARAH MAMANGENA MNYELE: The first thing that I would like to say is that my name is Sarah Mamangena Mnyele.  I was born in Alexander.  I was Alexander as an activist.  When I arrived here in Tembisa I was an activist from Alexander.  There were two men who arrived at my place who were the CID.  They are from Alexander as activists.  These are things that I remember.  One of them who said in my house that he is looking for Mandela's comrades.  He said he wanted my name and ANC members.  I said it's funny because you have a gun and ANC have a gun.  We are activist and we use prayer so that God must help us.  What you are saying is that Mandela can run the world, or rule the world.  This is our world.  Our forefather's world.  The Boers came with Jan van Riebeek in a ship to South Africa here.  This is our world you are not going to tell us what to do.
 I said to them I am an Ndebele and a Zulu from Babane.  We are from the Zulu nation of Chaka.  You work for the 
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White people, you cannot tell me that I must not work for Mandela.  You work for the Boers who are paying you.  One of them said you must take care because the Boers will damage you.  I said Pat Vilakazi and one other man that I don't remember his name suffered because of these White people. I said come what may Mandela will win the elections and will rule South Africa.  I will stand in front of the police station so that you shoot me like some of these other boys that you shoot.   They said to me he wanted Sarah.  And I said to them here I am.  The very same night Captain van Wyk and five White people came armed looking for this old woman.  They said "open up, open up", I said not in this manner, you broke my door, you broke my wardrobes nothing is functioning well in my house. They asked for Tami, I said you will forgive me you asked for Sarah now you are looking for Timu. Get Sarah before you can get Tami  They said now you are a communist.  I said yes it's correct.  When I worked in Bedfordview they told my employers to dismiss me from employment.  Ever since from that time I have not been employed. 
  What they beat me for they sent this small White policeman then I would fight back also.  I wouldn't just let them do what they wanted with me.  I get emotional when I speak about these White man's things because I didn't lock my door.  They said old woman why don't you lock your door?  I asked them what for, because you are watching over me.  Now you come and wake me up in the evening.  This Pat Vilakazi said to me we came here to collect you during the night.  You must fight here in this house.  I said I would say that because now he helped me.  
 It went on like this.  I lived like this until they 
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killed my son Tami.  Even after when Tami skipped the country he was at this technical college as an artist.  One Sunday when he came back a few years ago, I don't remember quite well he said to me mother there was a White policeman who came here.  I drew a picture of him and said if I do not skip the country by Tuesday he has given the authority to kill me.  I said we are Ndebele's we would have a ritual to perform here.  It was Tuesday then he left.  Wednesday a phone call came from Mafikeng then from that you must get the first train to Mafikeng and give Tami some of these things that you gave them.
 I took the first train.  I brought some clothing for him.  The following month Tami phoned me from Tanzania.  There were a lot of White policemen in the house, hitting me, assaulting me.  When I tried to pick up the phone I hear that I heard the - I knew his nickname, when he said "hello" I said "hello", I said to him Matami there are White policemen in this house.  I said to him talk Tami talk to van Wyk.  For a lot of time I said to him it is just like that.  I never lived in peace.  He said to me I am "kaffirmate" as he used this language.

MS MKHIZE: We thank you Mrs Mnyele.  I want to understand your story.  You said you were an activist from Alexander, maybe you can tell us what you were involved in?

SARAH MAMANGENA MNYELE: I was a marshall within the ANC in the Women's League of the ANC, the late Flori Mposho, Malats Sperepere, David Mpowe, that organisation from Alexander, when we immigrated here we were still ANC members.  When we arrived here Mrs Zodwa who was here invited me and said they have their organisation which is the Women's Group.  I joined them.  At these meetings during the night we would be told
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that there's a Hippo and I would be whisked out.  They would be waiting for me and when they tried to fight me I would fight back. They wanted to fight me and I used to fight.  I fought for the ANC.  I am not sorry that my son has died.  He has died for the world that was won by Mandela for everybody.  He never said the world is ours or South Africa is ours, he said South Africa is for everybody.

MS MKHIZE: Please forgive us, time has left us now.  You say you were an activist, did you carry a gun?

SARAH MAMANGENA MNYELE: We were activists singing and chanting freedom songs.  We would not go to their offices, you go to the shop, the sugar there is expensive, let us go and talk to the owner that this sugar be very cheap.  We struggled and suffered, from Alexander to Johannesburg on food.  We boycotted the buses that day.  Not what is done these days.  We never fought, we would sing and chant our freedom songs.  I don't like a White man.  The White man kicked me very hard on my side in number 4.  They said I must speak the truth and tell them where Tami is.  I said to them I wouldn't.  Van Wyk and Vilakazi came with this young policeman, they arrested me saying I must tell them what I saw in Botswana.  I said I am not an informer.
 During the same week I received a letter.  I don't remember the comrade who brought the letter. Captain van Wyk was arrested in Swaziland.  I left on foot and then I pressed the bell here at Rabasoto Police Station.  They opened the door and I said where is Captain van Wyk.  They said he is on leave.  I said you are lying, he is a thief, he was a thief, and I said to them they must open the door and then I left.

MS MKHIZE: So that we can understand your story quite well TEMBISA HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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I would ask you to tell the Commission about Tami's life.  You did tell us that he was an artist, he used to sketch.  Let us understand how he grew up, his life until he became this good artist and now tell us something about his art.