Human Rights Violation Hearings — Soweto — 1996-07-24

MS DEBORAH: I got involved in - my major participation was in literacy. I was trained by a lady called Anne Hay, who was a member of the Grays, you know she was a nun.  The nuns that dress in the gray. Anne was also a member of the SACP, South African Communist Party, although at that stage I did not know.
 When the UCM disbanded, Anne trained ten of us, were trained in literacy, using the power of Free Method.  The ten of us, among them Steve Biko, Fanie Mpyana, Strinie Moodley, Satch Skopa, Johnny Issel, Deba Gomofole, Willie Nsapo and Jeff Pakwa.
 Shortly thereafter their idea was to go on an intensive literacy campaign through the country, using the Powell Free Method, which was just not say a mere means of teaching 
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people how to read and write, but getting into the community.  You will remember that at that stage it was during the time when there was a lull in the country and the political movements were banned.
 Before we could go on an intensive literacy campaign, most of these people were banned.  Actually, let me say, all of them, all of them, except myself. Others went into exile, Poka Mofulo, Debbie Gomufulo and Willie Lampopo went into exile. Steve, Bunny, Stringy and Satch were invariably banned and were sent to several areas.  So the challenge was left upon me at that stage, among the team of ten, to go on with the project.
 We targeted all the areas, in particular the areas where people had been resettled, like Winterveld, Rooigrond, Dimbasa, Phoenix.  They were not actually going to the people who were directly deprived, but identifying what we called allies in those areas.  We trained people to act as catalysts, using what we call generative words, words that were sensitive in the various communities, like housing.  We did not only target the rural areas, you know, I went around training several people, the allies and then coming back to train in other areas. 
 In Johannesburg for instance, most of the people we identified as allies were teachers.  Among them people like Tom Manthata, Aubrey Mokoene, Liba Mabasa, were the people that were trained to train others.  
 Student leaders were not left out.  We formed SASM, the high school wing and I was mainly responsible in organising high school students to train in their areas, people to take charge of their lives, and using the sensitive areas, things that people will understand better, like reference books 
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which were ibasi, you know hostel-dwellers. We worked very close ironically, we worked very closely with hostels and it was one of the areas that I enjoyed working in at the time.   That was my participation in SASU and as you all know, people kept on getting banned, going into exile.  Those who remained had to carry on.  I was not the kind of executive member that was getting elected every year or elect somebody else, I was also there.  The new executive, you know, found me there.  
 In 1976, in particular, my intensity of literacy work was concentrated especially on the high school students in Port Elizabeth, Durban.
 I did not lead an easy life at that stage, because one had to go on battling all the time, all the way. I remember ... (END OF TAPE 6 - SIDE A).
 ... all the way, and I had to hike in a bakery van to go back to King William's Town.  
 My activities were generally centred around literacy and conscientising and conscientising in all the areas.  
 In 1976 it began to be hectic.  The last meeting I addressed was at St Hildas (?) on March the 21st. When the students, when most of the students, Zweli Sisane, Matthew Morobe, and the teachers were involved in very serious literacy work.  The system was beginning to be suspicious about Power of Free Method. But I think it had already taken them by surprise. One of the areas that had been identified was the disenchantment of Afrikaans in schools.  But the Power of Free Method of Literacy's approach was not saying to people do this, it was saying to people look around you, and see where you want to make changes and you can effect changes.  
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 On the 15th of June, in particular, we were aware that the students had planned a march, but as intended, it was intended to be a peaceful march.  By the evening of the 15th we had been invited to a meeting which was meant to be at Orlando West High School.  Instead of seeing students, we saw police vehicles already parked at the mountain. I was in the company of Ned Chirajee that evening. Ned Chirajee is now an MEC in the Eastern Cape.  
 Not by coincidence, but because Nelson Mandela's house was like the nearest.  We camped there most of the night. Winnie Mandela was the occupant of the house, you know, in order to catch a glimpse and to try and dissuade students from marching the following day, because we had realised that the system already knew  But we couldn't find any of the student leaders that evening.
 The following day, I was not in Soweto on that day, I was in Kagiso, when it all began.  Around the 17th of June we started on an intensive move to ship out a lot of students, who already wanted to leave the country. The first batch of students actually left around the 18th.  That was my major involvement around that time, to get as many students as possible out of the country. Not only from Soweto, not only from the Transvaal. The move escalated and by July we already had a lot of students, especially coming from Natal, KwaMashu Youth Organisation and the students who were already being wanted, who were wanted for the burning of the University of Zululand.
 I was first detained on the 15th - I was first detained, I think it was on the 15th of July and taken to John Vorster Square.  There was a big raid in SASU office.  A lot of our colleagues were already at John Vorster Square. SOWETO HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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 When I got there, they had a list of names. My name was not in that list, but I was just taken to a general office.  A lot of my colleagues were already at John Vorster Square. I saw them in manacles, walking bare feet, like Tom there.  Three days later they got those that they sifted, and I was one of those who was released. Then there was already a message that they had left big fishes.  
 The raids to rearrest continued. Two weeks later I was arrested at my home at about three am and taken to the Fort.  I was not alone at the Fort and it was fortunately Section 10 of the Suppression of Communism Act.  We were not interrogated per se, but we were subjected there.  Most trying times where the students who were brought to the Fort under Section 6 who were screaming at night.  Tortured by the security police who actually entered the prison.  
 The women there were mostly community leaders, Joyce Seroke, Fatima Meer, Sele Mothlana, Winnie Mandela, Lulu Thabani and myself.  We intervened, our time was spent mostly with fighting with the prison authorities not to allow the system to come and interrogate and beat up young girls at night.  We kept on getting messages that some people had died.  We couldn't keep track of which students died at that time.  
 In December, the 28th, I was released from Section 10, but one other experience, nasty experience that one had at that time, is that I was a student, a registered student with the University of South Africa at that time.  Unisa sent our examination papers and on the eve when I had to start writing exams, with three others who were told, when we were told that we were not going to be allowed to write examinations, because the prison could not provide 
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invigilators. That was not the worst. I was released.
 In February 1977, I was detained in a road block on my way to Durban, to the head office, to the SASU head office. I was in the presence ofthe SASU president, then Mongise Stofile and Ruben Hare. We were using a car hired by Dr Motlana for us to try and disguise us because the police had been looking for us, were looking for us.  
 We spent the night at Vrede police station.  The next day four vehicles came, driven by the security police.  My other companions were told they could go and I was served with a warrant of arrest under Section 6 of the Terrorism Act.
 I was escorted, I was handcuffed and driven to the Pietermaritzburg female prison.  During the time I was practically a sufferer from asthma, especially in the Natal region.  The security police took my spray and my tablets away.  I think it was on a Wednesday that day. On the Saturday they came for me, from the female prison, and took me to a police station. I think it was called Alexandria.  There they put, my ankle was tied to a chain, with a big iron ball and I was asked to account for my actions and say, to mention the names of the students that had left the country, that I had driven out of the country.  To say who their names were and to say about my dealings with - they alleged that I had dealings with Kit Mokwape who was their ANC contact in Botswana at the time.
 I was beaten up, by in particular the security police called Rooi Otto.  I believe he came from Komatipoort.  This man tied - like I say my leg was in chains and my wrists were at the back.  He gags me with a towel, with a towel and bashed my head against the wall, hurling insults.  He beat 
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me up, punched me, kicked me when I fell to the floor, he kicked me and got joined by another one called Fourie.  The beating continued for half part of the night.  I must have passed out, because the following day I was all wet.  I was lying in a pool of water.  
 I must just mention that before teh beatings started, I had been standing for three days and three nights, I wasn't sitting down, until my legs were swollen.  This was done throughout the time when I was under the asthma attack and I was denied tablets.  
 By Sunday - it must have been Sunday, yes, they told me it was Sunday, when I came to and wet, not allowed to wash. For the two previous days denied food.  Then Rooi Otto came, I was still lying there, I couldn't stand up, I was numb, threw a packet of sanitary pads at me. I didn't know why he was doing that. I later asked to go to the bathroom.  When I went to the bathroom I was surprised to find that I was menstruating, and I just wondered how he knew.
 The next day two security police came, dressed in suits. I was left there alone. Two security police came in suits, dressed very immacutely and they introduced themselves and told me that they were Capt Dreyer and Capt Du Preez or Du Randt.  They offered me food.  They instructed that I should be given food and spoke very nicely to me.  They asked me what my complaints were and that they regret what has happened to me, this is not the way a lady should be treated, and that I would be taken care of.  
 During that same week, before they could take me back to - no, they took me back, they didn't take me to the prison, they took me to a different police station, which I learnt to know as Loop Street to recuperate.
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 But by the time, just before I left there was the security who brought food to me, his name was Lulu Okomede, there were two of them, who told me that my eye was in a state. My eye was swollen and I could only then start feeling that my eye was swollen, and that my nose, I had a broken bone, I think in my nose, and my gums were swollen. I had sustained a broken tooth which was only attended to a year later.
 I was taken back from Loop Street, back to this police station I Alexandria, where again I was beaten up, thrown to the floor by some Fourie.  Two guys exchanged punching me, throwing me up until I fell down on the floor, lifting me and throwing me up onto the floor, and this lasted for hours on end. 
 I was again taken back to Loop Street. You will realise that the dates and the days I cannot remember well. This happened in 1977.  But this was basically the beating-up stage. I was put in the cell that was infested with lice. In the first place it was a wet cell. I don't know if they had been hose-piping it with water, washing it. It had a toilet on the floor, but that was all.  There were two blankets thrown there and I was told that I could sleep if I wanted to.  During that time they had not removed the chains. It was only the following day when the police at the police station complained that the chains were removed. They couldn't be held responsible for a person who is having chains on.  The system told them that I may kill myself if my hands are free. But I didn't have any other clothing, except this skirt that was wet and a jersey, a polo-neck jersey that was also wet.
 There was nothing to wash with, until two days later 
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when I saw the magistrate.  Actually, during that time I doubt if I was in my real senses really, because I know that I was screaming and inter-mingled with singing. It was all in a frenzy. I didn't know where I was, I didn't know what was happening.  There were blood-stains splattered all over the cell, it was stinking and reeking and you know, in a very unhealthy condition, reeking of urine.  
 There was no way where I could wash, even if I had a washing rag.  But two days later the magistrate came, asked for complaints and requests and all I asked for was my toiletries, which were left in the prison.   They were brought to me later by Van Rooyen, who told me that I will never be given any tablets by them and actually this will make their lives much easier, because I am going to die of asthma.
 Outside the police station, when I got my washing rags, I was shown where I could wash. It was running taps in the yards. There were buildings across at the back, where men were working.  So I had to choose whether I wanted to wash and be watched by those men or remain in the cell, dirty.  
 One night this Van Rooyen came and he tried to strangle me, again with a towel, saying that I am not suffocating enough from asthma. But after he left, before he left, there was this uniformed policeman, called Taljaard, he was an oldish man.  This Taljaard, after he left, Taljaard refused to go actually when Van Rooyen wanted to remain with me in the cell. He refused to go, and said it is his duty not to go and not lock the cell with somebody who is not a prisoner. Ultimately this Van Rooyen left and Taljaard asked me how he could help. He came back and asked how he could help me. I told him I needed tablets and it was at night. I 
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had a friend - I knew that I was in Pietermaritzburg and I had a friend, Dr Hlongwe, who was doing her internship at the time in Edenvale prison.  Taljaard managed to go to her and brought me a spray and asthma tablets, that he smuggled into the cell.  I don't know where that man is, you know, heard where he was, but he really saved my life.
 The following days the system just forgot all about me.   When they came by with the magistrate it was just to say this one is suffering from asthma, and the magistrate didn't care at all either.
 Ultimately around May, sort of like the third month that I had spent in that cell, we had run out of tablets and all things.  Really, to be honest, I just lived on prayer and I knew that I was dying at that time.  
 Against the system's commands, it was again this Taljaard who called the district surgeon and said he can't take it anymore, he has got a sick woman in this cement floor cell and he insisted that the district surgeon should remove me from there.