Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1997-06-10

BONGANI FINCA: We will now call Zwelakhe Bikitsha.  While he is coming up to the stage I would like to ask all the witnesses for to-day to go to that table to ask for Mr Pilanxhumba so those that those can appear to-morrow can tell us and those who cannot we will try to squeeze them in to-day because it is clear that we do not have enough time to finish our order.  Those who are able to appear to-morrow please go to that table and indicate whether you will be able to appear to-morrow or not.
 Mr Bikitsah Zwelakhe we welcome you, we will ask Reverend Xundu to help you take the oath so that you can give us your testimony.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

BONGANI FINCA: Tiny Maya?

MS MAYA: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  Mr Bikitsha I greet you, your story is concerning what happened to you is that correct?

UNKNOWN: Yes, that is correct.

MS MAYA: We have a date here is the 16th of July 1987?

UNKNOWN: Yes, that is correct.

MS MAYA: Where your home was attacked and one person died inside the house and certain police were injured.  Are you going to talk about that story?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

MS MAYA: Please tell us briefly what happened on that day.

UNKNOWN: On the 16th of July 1987 Matemba and I got up in the morning, Matemba Vuso.  I was preparing to come to Highway to have my shoes repaired at the shoemaker.  I left him behind cleaning.  I went to Highway and I did all that I was supposed to do.  On my return, as I was using the main road up to Mount Ruth I got to the T-junction joining the way from Cecilia Makiwane Hospital I heard a noise.  When I looked towards the right I found that the children from Hosanah College toyi-toying.  There was someone standing next to me I asked him what was going on and he pointed in front of me and said I must look.  As I looked there was a Hippo a Casspir turning towards the main street going to Mount Ruth.  At the time there was a group of soldiers walking down from people's houses.  As I was trying to figure what was going on this Casspir went from house to house.  I thought that they'd got lost.  It went into the fourth house.  I walked into a house opposite this Casspir and a White policeman came towards me pointing a gun at me saying that I must get out of the way.  I tried to go back home but as I turned right going home I turned left again going straight home.  As I got into the street I saw  that there were a whole lot of white cars Ford  Sierra's and Ford Escourts.  I walked right past and I had a bag with me.  I looked at my house and I realised that my fencing had fallen apart.  Outside my house there were blankets and bedspreads.  I walked past my house.  I walked past my house.  Steven Knipe......  I left my bag there with Tammy and I told him that I would come back.  There were a whole lot of things going on.   Even though I was there by mistake I told myself that I was going to go to the Border Council of Churches.  As I was going up the road a child called out to me.  This child told me about his brother who was in exile.  They were fighting over the phone.  The one wanted to phone the sister and tell her what was happening.  They said that I must go and help with the dispute.  I did not realise at the time that this house was the house where the Hippo had gone in and when I went there it caused my arrest.  As I went down the road a Ford Escourt came driving very fast and when it came close to me about six metres it braked but drove past.  I thought I better not run away else they would shoot at me.  This car reversed and stopped right in front of me and a man got out of the driver's seat.  It was Mhleli whom I knew.  He would come to my aunt at Mgwane on holiday.

MS MAYA: Who is Mhleli?

UNKNOWN: He is Mfunani.  Mhleli said that I'd grown up at his home even though he was the one who was going to my aunt.  Mhleli was my cousin's half brother.

MS MAYA: Was Mhleli a policeman?

UNKNOWN: He was a Security Branch officer.

MS MAYA: Could we revert back please, please tell us what exactly happened on this day you said that you saw your fence was down.

UNKNOWN: The security officers and soldiers were at my house looking for an MK member.

MS MAYA: Was there an MK member in your house?

UNKNOWN: Yes, Rousseau was there.

MS MAYA: Is his is Matemba?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

MS MAYA: What did you eventually find out happened at your place?

UNKNOWN: Matemba passed away.  I was taken back to my house.  Van Wyk was there with Captain Mfundisi.  Captain van Wyk had my marriage certificate and pictures and asked if that was my documentation and I said yes.  He showed me two policemen that had passed away.  He then took me to a corner where Matemba was lying, dead.  I did not see anyone though.

MS MAYA: Did you eventually find out how he died?

UNKNOWN: I got his story when a State Witness Mr Mxhata gave evidence.  He gave evidence about me in court.  He said that he was on the lookout and kept on hiding behind a wall but got shot.  He said he'd been shot by a particular policeman

MS MAYA: Have you given us this name?

UNKNOWN: I do not remember it.

MS MAYA: After you were shot at home, what happened to you?

UNKNOWN: Van Wyk said that Mfundisi must take me to the police station and they must make sure that I divulge.

MS MAYA: And when you got to this police station?

UNKNOWN: They took me towards the Security section and I went in.  There was a passage and some rooms with doors closed.  I was not given a good reception as I was beaten up with all the weapons they had in their hands.  They told me to go in but I didn't know what they were talking about because the doors were closed.  Eventually a door was opened and I went into this room where there was an elderly man who strangled me saying that the police are dead and they tried to stop him.  He told me to tell them my story.

MS MAYA: Mr Bikitsha the people who were assaulting you, did you know any of them or can you identify any of them?

UNKNOWN: I saw many of them.

MS MAYA: Did you give us details about them?

UNKNOWN: I have a list of their names.

MS MAYA: Can you please give us the names of those you remember?

UNKNOWN: Mxhata, Delait Mazewa, Swelindaho, Mfundisi and Bouti.

MS MAYA: Thank you Mr Bikitsha, are there any people on that list that are still alive?

UNKNOWN: Bouti and Mtatha are in higher ranks now.

MS MAYA: Thank you, for how long were you detained?

UNKNOWN: For ninety six days.

MS MAYA: How were you treated during that time?

UNKNOWN: ................ the treatment I got after the interrogations we wrote autobiographies and they left us alone.  We appeared before the Magistrate Mxhaeba
 and we saw the doctor Agweno we made a claim and we were told that he is the Ciskei but he's still in Cecilia Makiwane even to-day.

MS MAYA: Is there anything else you would like to add before I as you for your requests or your expectations?

UNKNOWN: Yes, there is something I would like to add.  The Government robbed us because we won our claim an out of court settlement.  Firstly, we were robbed because we were sent to the Magistrate and instead of coming and checking our situation he talked to us as if he was talking to children.  Secondly, the doctor was said to be missing and our folders were missing but the doctor was there.  They made this up so that we would not be able to claim.  My house was damaged as well.

MS MAYA: Please give us the name of the Magistrate.

UNKNOWN: He is Mxhaeba.

MS MAYA: And the doctor?

UNKNOWN: Agweno.

MS MAYA: Thank you.  What are your requests or what do you expect the Commission to do for you?