Human Rights Violation Hearings — Sebokeng — 1996-08-06

MR ERNEST SOTSU: (s.s.): I will start by giving my historical, political background and events that led to the triple murder of my family at the hands of the perpetrators or violence in the Vaal as from the 3rd July 1991.  Firstly I joined the African National Congress in 1949, in the Eastern Cape, and remained a committed member to date.  I
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have engaged in the liberation struggle against white domination ever since.  In the period between 1960 to 1983 I have been engaged in the underground activities of the then banned ANC in the Vaal and surrounding areas where I recruited youth for ANC armed struggle.  When the Vaal Civic Association was formed in the Vaal and subsequently affiliated to the United Democratic Front, I emerged from underground and joined it.  The VCA, that is the Vaal Civic Association, was strongly opposed to the apartheid black councillors.  In 1984 it launched a total rent boycott, which resulted to the Vaal riots, which claimed many lives and damage of property.  As a result of police harassment, killings and arrests of VCA members and youth, I escaped police and I went once more underground, as MK/ANC local operative.  My mission took me to various surrounding countries, including Lesotho, Botswana, Transkei homeland and others.  Transkei then was led by the Matanzima brothers.   Finally, in August 1986 I was arrested and detained at De Deur for four months under Section 29 of Terrorism.  I was then transferred to Umtata in Transkei for further interrogation and detention for a year before I was charged and sentenced to eight years imprisonment.   That was in 1989.  Early. I was released in November 1989 by the Transkei military government, with five other political leaders in line with all ANC political prisoners who were being released at that time before Mandela emerged from prison.   Back in the Vaal after my release I rejoined the VCA working in conjunction with the mass democratic movement.  This earned me the wrath of the apartheid police once more who trailed me since then.  After the unbanning of ANC, IFP made a rally in Sebokeng Zone 7 on the 22nd July
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1990.   And as a result people were killed when Inkatha attacked the location and Sebokeng hostel in the evening that day.  More than 20 people were killed, secondly on the 3rd 1990 Inkatha members attacked Sebokeng hostel once more.  About 23 people were killed.  I was called by telephone by hostel comrades to come in the morning through Comrade M Hunge.  On arrival I saw dead bodies all around pointed to me.  Together with other ANC and Cosatu comrades we approached the then Colonel Van Niekerk and another high ranking police whose name I have forgotten not to rescue Inkatha led by Qozo now a member of parliament, who were surrounded and cornered inside hostel 3 block.  We said they should wait until the senior ANC members from Shell House to come and see for themselves those killers but Colonel Van Niekerk and other police called SADF to assist and rescue Inkatha.  When SADF arrived it opened fire without the slightest provocation.  During the pandemonium the IFP members were rescued by police and taken away.  An additional 15 people in the hostel were killed during that shooting.  Therefore afterwards a Stratford Commission was appointed.  I then gave evidence before the Commission whereby I pointed out that police were in total collusion with the IFP perpetrators of violence.  I was threatened right in court by the Inkatha members.  I reported the matter to the police and nothing was done.  The only thing I was told was that anybody who touches Inkatha is touching trouble.  My late wife was also - that is Constance Sotsu, was also intimidated by the then late Khetise Kheswa who I did not even know and in his company was someone known as Vananda (Mtwana Zulu) who was staying at Kwamadala hostel where some of the perpetrators of violence were harboured by
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Iscor company, a sort of a parastatal.  This was reported to the police but the police did not take the charges seriously.  They dropped them and then did nothing thereafter.  On the 3rd July 1991, whilst attending the African National Congress in Durban, my family was attacked. My wife Constance, my daughter Margaret and a grandson Sabatha were shot dead with AK47's at close range.  They were crowded together in a lavatory which was pointed to me thereafter on my arrival in Durban.  They were brutally murdered by Khetise and other murderers and faceless killers.  Two of my grandchildren, Vuyani and Vusi narrowly escaped death but were seriously injured with bullet wounds and as a result they were kept in the intensive care of Sebokeng hospital for two months.  They also underwent you know some form of surgery, operations.  After this incident police spokesperson in the name of Jooste in Pretoria issued a statement through the press that I had refused police protection.  This I denied and I said there was nothing like that but it was blatant lies as far as I was concerned.  I called on the investigating officer at that time for an identification parade and I told him that I am prepared to put my neck on the block, I will bring my two children who were recently out of hospital to come and identify Khetise who was then known as a result of that attack at my place and other places as a vile monster and who was always in the company of the police and using highly expensive cars, cars which were given to him and others by police.  I want to make it clear here that my aim was that these children should disappoint the police by identifying this vile monster, as nothing but a murderer who is in the police payroll.  They successfully identified him among the other
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four murderers who killed my family on the night of the 3rd.  Whilst clearly I was there in the police room a phone came which came through to the police who was there conducting identification parade.  This phone was coming from a high ranking police by name of Van Niekerk, the same Van Niekerk that I have mentioned several times, asking whether these two children have succeeded to identify anybody.  The police who was with me there at that point in time said they have succeeded to identify Kheswa clearly and they made no mistake. Little did this high ranking man knew that I was in that room.  He was then arrested and given bail. I still don't know that bail it was below even R200, although he had slaughtered my children.  He appeared thereafter in court in Vereeniging charged for triple murder.  He pleaded with the Judges there that he has no advocate and he wanted the case to be remanded.  This was done on condition that he gets the advocate.  The next thing a week before the second sitting of the case I learned that the same Khetise Kheswa died in the hands of his handlers in custody.  Something that surprised me a great deal, why was he in custody then.  But all what I knew and what came to me was that he had said that he cannot be so disappointed that now he was going to face a triple murder and without an advocate and the police, I  understand, got hold of him with the understanding that they must tell him that he must not talk too much, which I think is one of the main reasons which actually led to his death in custody.  Now the question I want to ask is exactly who was behind the killing of my family.  Who were the planners, what was the motive.  I therefore have no doubt whatsoever that Khetise Kheswa was a tool which was used by the so-called third force, I personally say police. I would HRV/211 be happy/...
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be happy if those who were behind the perpetration of violence in the  Vaal and the terrible killings that took place, not only of my family, that they can come forward and confess but now on my part how do I really forget and forgive the people who are still faceless, who are still not known, who are still out of reach of anybody.  I just can't understand.  I am a man of faith to say the least.  I am also a minister of religion.  I am a man with a B.A. spiritual degree.  To some it would sound very unfamiliar for a man with a spiritual B.A. degree.  Born again.  I am prepared to forget and forgive, only if those perpetrators could forward and say I am the police who was behind the whole thing.  I am a police who was paying Khetise. Khetise was in our payroll.  We are the people who told him to go and kill Sotsu's children, the reason being the political background of Sotsu as he escaped prison before he could even finalise his eight year sentence in Umtata.  Thank you.