Human Rights Violation Hearings — King William's Town — 1997-05-13

RHYLINE NENE: I told my son to take a photograph of him, I thought that I would be having a photograph with me now because my husband's death touches me because ever since 1990, he is receiving  treatment in hospital.  Doctor Van Niekerk told me that we have been to Humansdorp and everywhere, he is in bed all the time.
 He suffered from a stroke because of that Dr Copperwitz who is treating him now, said that my husband is not supposed to be in hospital, he is supposed to go to Chiasma because of his condition.
 In December he was discharged from Chiasma, because he suffers from strokes now and again.  Before he was treated by Dr Copperwitz, I took him myself, but because he was mentally disturbed, I had to take him to a Psychiatrist.
 I was told that he had to be taken to St Dominique's and in St Dominique's I paid R1 500-00 for a brain scan.  He's got a poor health, he cannot do anything for himself.  I thought I would bring his photograph so that you can see his condition from 1`990.

MS MAYA: Ma'am, you said that you had businesses.  Did you loose all your businesses because of his health?

RHYLINE NENE: Not only our businesses were destroyed, but my health was also damaged because in 1994 I had a heart attack.
 I used to feel a pain but when I visited a Doctor, they would tell me that I have pneumonia.  I was then attacked.  I had a heart attack in 1994.  I was in hospital in ICU for eight days.  I am receiving medical treatment, even yesterday I was in hospital to get my treatment.
 Because of my husband's health, we don't have any money left.

MS MAYA: Ma'am, are there any other members of SINIP or Councillors that were treated like your husband by the government?

RHYLINE NENE: Yes, there are other members because their houses were burnt down at that time.

MS MAYA: Do you know their names?

RHYLINE NENE: Mr Danana is one of them.  I forgot the others, but there are quite a lot.

MS MAYA: Thank you Ma'am.  Do you have expectations or requests to the Commission?

RHYLINE NENE: I would like to be helped with medical costs of my husband especially I had to be paid a lot of money.  Every month he has got to go to Dr Copperwitz in East London for medical treatment.
 Dr Copperwitz, his treatment is not less than R300-00 every month.  I was supposed to go to Cape Town to undergo an operation but they told me that I had to pay R60 000-00.

MS MAYA: A heart operation?

RHYLINE NENE: Yes, a heart operation.

MS MAYA: In other words you would like to be helped with medical costs?

RHYLINE NENE: Yes.  Myself and my husband.

MS MAYA: Is that all Ma'am?

RHYLINE NENE: I would also like to be helped with my shop.  I cannot afford because of my husband's health.

MS MAYA: Do you receive any grants from the government?

RHYLINE NENE: No, we've been trying for a long time, but with no success.

MS MAYA: Thank you  Ma'am.  I will hand over to the Chairperson after I've finished with both of you.
 Mrs Madikane, your story is also about your husband, Mr Carrington Mcoseleli Madikane who was murdered on the 12th of August, 1992, in your home, is that correct?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: Yes, that is correct.

MS MAYA: You say that your husband was a member of ADM and also a Headman, is that correct?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: Yes, that is correct.

MS MAYA: You are going to talk about two incidents.  The first one that happened on the 16th of November 1991 and the one I've just mentioned.  Please tell us briefly Ma'am, about your husband.

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: Thank you.  In November 1991 it was on the 16th, my husband went to town.  I waited for him to come back, but he did not arrive.   At about twelve o'clock midnight, I saw two vans arriving at home.
 These people asked me where my husband was, I told them that he went to town.  They said that he had been shot.  They gave me his watch.  I did not believe them, so I asked them whether he was still alive.  They said that he was taken to Mount Coke hospital.  In the morning I went to visit him in Mount Coke hospital.
 He was still alive, he said that he did not know the perpetrators.  He said that he was shot in the hand and he was bitten in the hand and in his shoulder.  He was transferred to Cecilia Makiwane hospital.  He then recovered, he came back home.
 On the 12th of August 1992 at about nine o'clock in the evening, we were sleeping at home.  The children were playing in the kitchen.  We heard children crying, coming towards the bedroom, saying that someone wanted to kill them.
 This person was following them to the bedroom.  He asked where my husband was.  I said that he was not here, he was sleeping in his bed and I was sleeping in mine.
 He then shot at us.  He shot at him, he died on the spot.  I went to take a candle from another room.  He went to take a candle from another room, he lit the candle and he made sure that he was dead.  After that he left.

MS MAYA: Did you see this person, Ma'am?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: Yes, I saw him but he had a balaclava on.  I could just see his eyes.

MS MAYA: Was he alone?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: Yes, he was alone.

MS MAYA: Did you know who the person was?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: No, we did not know.

MS MAYA: Was there an investigation done by the police?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: No, but the Detectives just came and they wanted us to give them a statement.  Nothing happened after that.

MS MAYA: Are you from Qhugqwa?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: Yes.

MS MAYA: What was happening in the township at that time, what was the condition?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: It was this thing about the different organisations.

MS MAYA: As he was a member of ADM, which other organisations was there?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: It was the ANC.

MS MAYA: What happened before, were there any other incidents that may have led to his death?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: I don't know because other people who died, were from the ANC, that is all I know.

MS MAYA: Is that all your story Ma'am?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: Yes, that is all.

MS MAYA: What would you like the Commission to do for you, what are your requests?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: I would like the Commission to help me because since my husband's death, there is nobody supporting us.  I've got children and I am suffering a lot.

MS MAYA: How old was your husband at this time, if you remember?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: He was born in 1927, he died in 1992.

MS MAYA: Thank you Ma'am, is that all you wanted to tell us today?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: Yes, that is all.

MS MAYA: I will now hand over to the Chairperson, thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Sandi?

ADV SANDI: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  Let me ask Mrs Madikane, were you supported by the leader of the ADM or by the members of the ADM?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: No.  There was no support from them.

ADV SANDI: Was there any support by the ADM leader or by the ADM members to the members of the ADM who were involved in such incidents?

NONKULULEKO NONYANISO GLADYS MADIKANE: He was the first person, nobody helped us.

ADV SANDI: Thank you Mr Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Revd Xundu?

REV XUNDU: Mrs Nene, why were these people from the government, why were they accusing you, why were they accusing your husband of contacting Mr Sebe?

RHYLINE NENE: Can you please repeat sir?

REV XUNDU: I was saying Ma'am, these people from the Gqozo government who came to ask for the whereabouts of Mr Sebe, why did they come to your husband?  Was there any connection between your husband and Mr Sebe?  Why did they think that your husband would know the whereabouts of Mr Sebe?