Human Rights Violation Hearings — Duduza — 1997-02-04

MR V MAZIBUKO: From our group, Maki was never involved and we have got absolutely no knowledge of what happened and immediately this took place we were arrested under Section 29 and we were detained for nine months and all the things that were happening outside in the location, were not known to us, but with regard to our case is concerned, even our very closest friends, they never knew, because we thought we were definitely within the MK operations.  Everything was circulating around us, no one except us knew what was happening.

RUSSELL ALLY: Thank you very much.

MR LEWIN: Could I just ask two small questions.  You mentioned earlier that the announcement came in a statement from the ANC overseas to say that people were going to be trained inside.  Where did you get that information?  Was it in the papers or how did you get it?

MR V MAZIBUKO: Well, yes, as a starting point, it appeared in the newspapers, but secondly what I would like to mention is there was material that was circulating around within the organisation and as an organisation there was what was known as "bent literature" and we had access to it.  That is how we got to know, that we knew what were the resolutions that had been taken at the conference, because we needed to update ourselves in terms of.

MR LEWIN: Okay, then could I ask just a second point, because you have obviously thought about this a great deal.  Vincent was killed by his booby trapped hand grenade, all of you were injured which suggests that the booby trap was not as well done as it was for him.  Have you thought about this at all?  Do you have any comments on it?  You should have
been killed, should you not?

MR V MAZIBUKO: I would not know how to put this.  Besides Vincent there were other people who were killed in Duduza besides Vincent.  When we talk about Vincent, we speak about Tema.  I am speaking about Duduza.  In Duduza there were nine people and presently the people remaining are five.  Same Russian made hand grenade was handed over, RGD5 hand grenade.  They gave us ten hand grenades and the last one they gave us after we had been arrested, they had to take it away from and be taken to Priscilla Jana so that they could see as to what exactly took place.  That is when it was discovered that the grenade was doctored.

MR LEWIN: So there must have been at least four people who were killed?

MR V MAZIBUKO: In Duduza there were four.

MR LEWIN: And in the other three areas, two areas, do you know?

MR V MAZIBUKO: It other places, that is in Tema, there were three if I am not mistaken, four I think in Tema and in Sakane, those who were in Sakane some of them were coming from Kwatema.

MR LEWIN: Thanks, Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Titus and the whole lot of you and those who are not here, we thank you very much for having been here to share with us, more so that you share with us collectively.  We are sorry for the limbs you have lost, but we are deeply sorry for those of your mates who have died in the cause of the struggle.  You are young, you are healthy, each time you look at your missing limbs, should be a reminder of what was involved.  You have a nation to unite, you have a nation to build, over and above you have a nation to develop.
 What lies before you is hard work and all these things are going to be healed and made useful as you daily glean, that is you gather the information behind all what took place.  It is difficult to forget, it is difficult to forgive, but I think a store of information about what transpired should give you the strength and the forgetting and the forgiving will be processes and one major process that you are going to be involved in is the one of reconciliation.  We thank you.  
 The Truth and Reconciliation Commission feels with you and we say thank you once more to you, in particular, and to your families and to the community that you so bravely fought for.  Thank you.

MR LEWIN: Are we going to have lunch now.

CHAIRPERSON: Thanks.

MR LEWIN: It is probable better that way.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.

MR LEWIN: Come back.

CHAIRPERSON: We are at a time when we must break for lunch.  Once more, we shall request the witnesses to stand, order, order, order please.  Order.  We will come back at two, we will come back at two.  Thank you.