Human Rights Violation Hearings — Nelspruit — 1996-09-03

DR BORAINE: Before we begin this I would just like to mention that during the tea break I met with three members of the clergy from the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church and the Methodist Church.  I confess that I've already forgotten their names because we meet so many people, but they are sitting towards my left. If they would just stand for the moment, I would like to greet them.
 Thank you very much indeed and we do appreciate the solidarity of the Church involved in these hearings, which is part and parcel of your own ministry.  Thank you very much.
 The next witness is Mr Mozi Benjamin Masangane. I'll ask him to come forward please.  Mr Masangane, can you hear me?

MR MASANGANE: Yes.

DR BORAINE: Thank you and you have brought somebody with you today.  Could you please introduce her to the Commission?

MR MASANGANE: This is my wife.

DR BORAINE: Ah, Mrs Masangane, we are very happy to have you, and thank you very much for coming.
 Mr Masangane, as you know, we usually ask one of our colleagues to assist in the telling of the story.  I'm going to do that but I'm first going to ask Jasmin Sooka if she would help you to administer the oath.
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MR MOZI BENJAMIN MASANGANI: (sworn states)

DR BORAINE: Thank you, Mr Masangane, as I have told other people, you're not only talking to us, you are talking to many people in the audience and you're also talking on the radio and you may even be on television.  It is very important that you speak up so that people can hear you loud and clear because you have an important story to tell.
 Mr Masangani, in July 1986, your house was burned down.  Can you tell us what happened, why it happened, tell us everything you know.

MR MASANGANE: IN July 1986 in the afternoon, it was about a quarter to seven. As I was sitting at home with my wife, another woman came and she said to me, "I'm asking you to leave this place now because your house is going to be burned down today". And I asked her, what happened. She said, "I don't know, and she decided to run away.  She said, "they might get me here".
 As I was puzzled by what she had just told me my children said, "Father please run away because you've got the message now."  I didn't know what to do, I decided to stay but they said to me, "please go" and I left the house. My wife was left behind with the children.
 When they arrived they were in a large number and they asked where I was.  My wife said, I'm not present, and they started shattering the windows and the other one had poured petrol and the other one lit the house.  The house was on fire and everything destroyed. My house was big but it was destroyed, food clothes, furniture, everything. I was left alone as I was together with my children. 
 On the same night the police arrived, the soldiers and they arrested two boys. These boys didn't want to cooperate NELSPRUIT  HEARING TRC/MPUMALANGA
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at all.  The next morning when we woke up, this is not my body, I'm a heavily built man but as you see me now, I was affected since the incident, and what happened because they said they want me, and I don't know, what have I done?  I still swear I don't know what wrong I have done.  And I asked this other boy.  I said, "Friend, do you know a place where they normally meet, I want them to tell me what happened, why did they burn my house, what have I done? And the boys said, "At about something to one, we'll come and take you to the place."  These were the two boys.
 And when we arrived there we found two boys and we asked them, "Where are your superiors?" They said. "No, they are not here."  And they said, "Are you Mr Masangane whose house had been burned?" I said, "Yes, I am Masangane and I'm here to get clarity as to what happened that my house was burned." They said, "You are brave enough to come here, it's true that you are innocent, try by all means."  It was on a Wednesday, they said, "Please try to be at school in the afternoon about seven o'clock, there will be the superiors there and they will give you a clear indication relating to the whole incident". 
 I decided that if I have to die, I'll just have to die because I was already dead without house and furniture and everything.  At seven o'clock I was at the place I was directed to go to, I found two heavily built men, and I asked them, I said, "I am the person whose house had been burned yesterday, what have I done, what wrong have I done?" And I said, "You are the leaders of these children".  They said, "Are you the owner?" I said, "Yes I am", and they said to me, "We heard people talking but we are now surprised as to why was your house burned.  We are really sorry and we NELSPRUIT  HEARING TRC/MPUMALANGA
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really sympathise that your house was burned without anything wrong that you have done".  And they said,"We don't know how can we help you to rebuild your house". They said, "If we had money we would give you to rebuild your house".   Then I said to them, "Tell me, what wrong have I done?"m The first thing that they told me was, "You are a school committee member".  And they said, "You are a favourite man when it comes to the chief".  And I said, "Now who elected me to be on the  school board?  Wasn't I elected by the parents?"  They said, "Yes, the parents elected you but this was a mistake.  You know, if you are well behaved in the eyes of the chief, he would praise you".  Now it was a sin to be praised by the chief then and I was told that I should go back home and if the youth comes to trouble me again I should go to the superiors to report the matter.
 On Wednesday the police arrived, Whiteriver policemen.  They wanted to hear the whole story and they said to me, "Do you know the perpetrators?"  I said, "Yes I know them, my wife told me who all was here". They went to one of them and they arrested him and we went to the court of law.  And in the court of law I was made a fool because I didn't have an attorney and I was made to stand up in the court of law and I was told that the case is dismissed, go home.  And that was when I left the court.
 One day when I was at Church, another person came and he said, "Sir I'm coming to you to ask for forgiveness.  What we did to you was really unacceptable. Please forgive me."  He was crying and I cried also, I was surprised, I did not know what to say to this person.  And I said to him, "Okay that's fine".  And that was the end of it all.  I thank you today that I am here.  I'm glad that I managed to NELSPRUIT  HEARING TRC/MPUMALANGA
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come and I'm glad that there are other people who value human live.  This boy came to me and he asked for forgiveness.  God was so great to protect my family, because my wife had a chance to take them away.  I thank God because he helped me.  I don't want to add, I don't want to reduce any information.  I thank you.

DR BORAINE: Thank you very much Mr Masangane, you have been very clear in telling your story. I only have just one or two short questions.  First, the people who came to burn your house, were they members of any political party?

MR MASANGANE: Let me say to you Sir, when I went to them they said they were the ANC.

DR BORAINE: Now can you tell me, they were upset because you were a favourite of the local chief.  Now the local chief, was he not popular in those days, was he working with the Government, is that why they didn't like the chief and that's why they didn't like you?

MR MASANGANE: It was in 1986 and I cannot separate the two, but I don't know whether he was working with the Government, but what I know, I respected the chief. I didn't have anything to say to him and he didn't have anything to say to me.  I was just a faithful member of the School Board and I was on the school council.  He liked me for that.