Amnesty Hearings — Benoni — 1998-09-08

UNKNOWN: Yes we had specials for children.  Parents were bringing children on that day so that they would have the food with the children.  We had balloons so that we should give to all these children that when they punched those balloons one of them would win a prize.

ADV STEENKAMP: Why did you choose this specific day, was there any reason, or did you do it on a regular basis?

UNKNOWN: Every month in Wimpy we have a special for children.

ADV STEENKAMP: And this was the specific day in the month?

UNKNOWN: Specials were issued by the company, they would not even tell us the date.  Even on Saturdays we would have specials, but those specials were usually held on month-end.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Malope tell me, you say you were injured and you were affected by what occurred that day.  How do you feel about it?

UNKNOWN: I'm not happy because I did not know what happened or what was happening on that day.

CHAIRPERSON: Well you've heard the evidence of the applicants, they now say a bomb was planted there which obviously resulted in your defects now.  What do you feel about that?

UNKNOWN: It is difficult.

CHAIRPERSON: Is it difficult to accept it?

UNKNOWN: It is difficult yes Sir - yes it's difficult.

CHAIRPERSON: Aside from not being happy about having defective hearing and eyesight, apart from that lot, why is it so difficult?

UNKNOWN: I'm not able to forgive a person.  If it was possible for him to make me recover from my problems with my eyesight and my hearing, that will be possible for me to forgive.

CHAIRPERSON: Is that the reason you oppose the applications?

UNKNOWN: That is correct Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: Has any one of them come to speak to you previously after this?

UNKNOWN: No Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: What would be your attitude if they did, any one of them did - to come make his peace with you?

UNKNOWN: I would not able to answer that.  If he will make me recover from my eyesight and my hearing, I would be able to forgive.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.

ADV STEENKAMP: Just the one question.  Maam you've heard the testimony yesterday of the applicants, do you think what they have said yesterday is the full version, or do you accept the evidence as the truth - what is your feeling about that?

UNKNOWN: I don't believe.

ADV STEENKAMP: Can you maybe just elaborate why you think you don't believe them?

UNKNOWN: Why did they plant the bomb there if they were looking for people they were looking for, their targets.

ADV STEENKAMP: Thank you Mr Chairman, no further questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY ADV STEENKAMP

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Koopedi have you got any questions.

MR KOOPEDI: No questions for this witness thank you.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR KOOPEDI

CHAIRPERSON: Yes thank you, you're excused.
WITNESS IS EXCUSED

CHAIRPERSON: Before you go Mrs Molope, what is your address?

UNKNOWN: 1761 Moutlatsi Street.

CHAIRPERSON: 1761?

UNKNOWN: Moutlatsi Street - M-O-U-T-L-A-T-S-I, Moutlatsi.

CHAIRPERSON: Where is that?

UNKNOWN: It's in Benoni Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: Is there any particular name for a suburb?

UNKNOWN: It's next to Attenville.

CHAIRPERSON: So your address would be 1761 Moutlatsi Street Benoni.

UNKNOWN: 1761.

CHAIRPERSON: Moutlatsi Street, Benoni.

UNKNOWN: Wadeville.

CHAIRPERSON: Excuse me?

UNKNOWN: Wattville.  W-A-T-T-V-I-L-L-E.

CHAIRPERSON: W-A-T-T-V-I-L-L-E.

UNKNOWN: Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Benoni.  Yes, thank you.

ADV STEENKAMP: Mr Chairman the following witness will be Ms Amanda Jane Elizabeth Clemenson - Clemenson with a "C" Mr Chairman.  Ms Clemenson?

CHAIRPERSON: Amanda?

ADV STEENKAMP: Amanda Jane Elizabeth Clemenson.  She is currently residing in London Mr Chairman, and her full address - she will state her full address just now.  Thank you Mr Chairman.  She will be testifying in English Mr Chairman.

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: (duly sworn in, states)

ADV STEENKAMP: Thank you Mr Chairman.  Ms Clemenson can you indicate before we start your physical address, where do you stay now currently and what do you do for a living?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: I stay in Newcastle ...(indistinct) in England and I'm currently unable to work because of my disabilities.

CHAIRPERSON: If I had to write a letter to you how would I address it?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: My address?

CHAIRPERSON: Ja.

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: 9 Shearwater Close ...

CHAIRPERSON: S-H ...

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: E-A-R-W-A-T-E-R Close, Etal Park Estate - E-T-A-L Park Estate, Newcastle Upon Time (?).

CHAIRPERSON: Newcastle Upon Time.

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: ME54NH, England.

ADV STEENKAMP: Thank you Mr Chairman.  Ms Clemenson - Mr Chairman I could just indicate that Ms Clemenson did make available certain photos indicating her injuries.  Can you just state for the record exactly what the extent of your injuries were as a result of this bomb blast?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: I have 70 percent deafness, I must wear a hearing-aid.  I've had two ear operations, both have failed;  I have got burns on my face which only become visible when I am upset; I have about 90 percent body burns all over.  My whole torso is completely scarred due to the fact that I had a silk shirt on which caught fire;  I have electrical cable scarring on my upper body where the cables fell down on top of me and I was electrocuted.  My abdomen was blown apart from just under where you bra-strap would be to where your panty-line runs across, that whole area was blown open.  I lost half of my large and small intestines;  I lost half of my large and small bowels.
	I was also told that had it not been for the surgeon that was present at the hospital I would have had to have had a colostomy.  I am completely embedded with shrapnel.  My right thigh was completely stripped of flesh and muscle, down to the bone;  my phenol artery was severed, I had to have several blood transfusions.  I now have an acrylic plate covering the few vessels which are still there.  I have no feeling in my right leg;  I had several large pieces shrapnel removed from my leg.  I had a big hole in the back of the right leg which needed to be stitched and there was no muscle left there.  My feet were both burnt;  I had minor shrapnel injuries which I required stitching for on my lower calves.  
	I had such internal that injuries that they do not know yet whether I will be able to carry children.  I have had constant surgery for the last ten years.  I am now currently waiting for an operation to remove the acrylic plate in my leg because it is working its way out and I have been told I stand a 50 percent chance of actually losing my leg from the hip downwards because they do not know if they will be able to do the operation successfully.  
	They plan to cut me from my right shoulder-blade down to my left hip - open my back and take a large muscle out and do a muscular graph on my upper thigh.  But due to the damage to the blood supply they do not know whether the graft will take, so they will not know whether or not I will be able to keep my leg.  I have been diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder and I go for counselling to see a psychiatrist once every two weeks.  I have done so for the last 18 months.  
	I have severe cellusitis in my right leg which causes me a great deal of pain and I am often hospitalised through it.  I have been unable to work through clinical depression as well as my injuries.  I sustained a full nervous breakdown;  I have constant flashbacks and nightmares, and basically my life is in a mess.

ADV STEENKAMP: Ms Clemenson you've heard the testimony yesterday of the applicants.  Can you indicate to the Committee why you are opposing the application?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: There was no political motive, I do not believe they disclosed the full facts.  I believe that what they said was blatant lies.  They have ruined my life and they have ruined my family's life, and I will never ever forgive that.