Human Rights Violation Hearings — Bloemfontein — UNKNOWN

DR MAGWAZA: Mokama, you are here today because you wantto share with us your suffering, and you want some justice to be done. We arehere to listen to you and support you throughout. Could you start by tellingus more about yourself. How old were you at that time? Were you at school, wereyou involved in politics?

WITNESS: I was 19 years old when this happened. I was attendingschool at Direko. In 1990 our schools were closed. I was not affiliated to anypolitical organisation.

DR MAGWAZA: (Inaudible)

WITNESS: I was in standard eight.

DR MAGWAZA: Tell us about what happened on that day.

WITNESS: We were from NalethiSun(?). It was myself and my three friends. When we were in Nalethi Sun we metother people, our neighbours. When we left we left together with my friend,as well as the fourth one. We were with another gentleman who is staying oppositemy place. We went when the disco closed during the night. When we got at thegate in Nalethi Sun we were accosted by two policemen in a police van. They asked us where we were off to. They saidwe should get into the van. One of them opened up the van and they said we shouldget into the back of the van. The others were put at the front. We were goingto Mokwena. We went to another police station in town. The van got into theyard. Two policemen got off the van. They left us in the van. They came backwith some sjamboks. They opened the door of the van. They also opened for thethree girls who were at the front of the van. They started assaulting us. Westarted running. We were scattered as we were running. There was a new roadthat was being erected that was under construction. They accosted me and theytook me and put me inside the van. They took me for about 30 minutes. When theyarrested me there was a gentleman who was knocking off from his duty. They tookhim together with me. They drove for quite some distance. We didn't see wherewe were going to. We went to the police station. They took us into the chargeoffice. Only one got into the charge office with us, the other one was leftin the van. They asked this gentleman whether he was with us. He said no, hewas from work. They asked me where my friends were. I said I don't know, becauseI didn't see where they were headed to when we were running. There was anotherfemale ... (incomplete - end of Side B, Tape 12) ... me with an object on thehead, and I fell. They started kicking me. As they were kicking me and assaultingme they were asking me questions as to whether I knew where my friends werestaying. When I tried to answer them they kept on assaulting me. They even askedme where I attended school. They told me that I had come to teach the ThabaNchu children about politics. They kicked me even in the ribs. I couldn't breatheat that stage and I lost consciousness. I only regained my consciousness whenthey were taking me to the tap and they opened some water. It was very coldand the water was cold. They put my head under the tap. I sort of regained consciousness.They started kicking me once more, and they chased me, they said I must fuckoff. The gates were locked, I couldn't get out. Two of them came to me. Whenthe other one was trying to open the gate the other one was assaulting me, andI couldn't run. As I was on the way, I wasn't very far away from the policestation, they drove towards me. There was this girl in the van, and I was walkingvery slowly. They got out and they further assaulted me. I fell on the new roadthat was under construction. They left me there. I struggled to stand up andwalk. I couldn't even see because my eyes were swollen. I could only see throughmy left eye. I got to a certain house. It was round about past six in the morning.I told them at home that I had been assaulted by police. As I was still explainingand relating this story one of the girls came in and asked me how I got home.I was so swollen I couldn't speak. They took me - they took me to the hospital.As we were at the hospital my mother went to fetch some forms at the policestation, because the doctor wanted to fill the forms in so that I could be ableto open up a case. They refused to give my mother the forms. The following dayon a Monday I went there. There was another girl who was also involved. Whenthey asked where this other girl was nobody knew where she had gone to. I wasultimately able to get the forms. I took them to the doctor, the doctor filled them in. I took them to the police station. They didn'twant to take the forms, they said I must bring all the people who were involved.On Monday - that was only on Monday when they released that other girl, andshe went on Tuesday. We all went to make some statements. They said they weregoing to let us know as to when the case will be heard. I was never notified.A month lapsed. After about a month there came another policeman. He said hewanted the statement from the witnesses. I took him to the witnesses. I wasawaiting to be told as to when the matter was going to be heard. That policemanpaid me regular visits and told me that he was handling the case. A year lapsedwith a few months. One time they came and got my mother. They gave her a letterthat said the person had been acquitted and the case had been finalised. Thepoliceman said he didn't know how the case ended because the people had soughtthe help of an attorney. That's all.

DR MAGWAZA: Thank you very much. It's a sad story and you are still veryyoung, still look very young. You have been through such a difficult time atyour age. Which police station was this one, the name of the police station?--- It was Thaba Nchu Police Station.

DR MAGWAZA: I would like to ask a few other questions. You were accostedby the police at 2.00 am, which was the early hours in the morning, but youalso say they released you in the early hours of the morning. At what time doyou think you were releasd from the police station?

WITNESS: They didn't arrest us.It was only one girl who was taken into custody. They only called us, but wemanaged to run and they assaulted us.

DR MAGWAZA: (Inaudible) ... in the police station?

WITNESS: I didn't stay long.They kept on assaulting me until I left.

DR MAGWAZA: You also mentioned that there were these girls. Do you knowtheir names? Where are these girls?

WITNESS: The other one is Masisini, and Mpayi,as well as Sarah.

DR MAGWAZA: You've also given the names of the witnesses, people who actuallywitnesses this incident, as Jacob and Richard. Were they part of the group?Who is Richard and Jacob?

WITNESS: They are my friends.

DR MAGWAZA: Were they with you when you were assaulted, or were they thepeople who ran away when you were being assaulted?

WITNESS: They are the ones whoescaped. When I was assaulted it was the second time that they had got to me.

DR MAGWAZA: You said there were two police who assaulted you and you mentionedone as Warrant-Officer Michael. Who is the second one?

WITNESS: I don't know thesecond one.

DR MAGWAZA: Do you know where Warrant-Officer Michael is now?

WITNESS: I heardthat thereafter he got transferred, but it seems as if he has come back now.

DR MAGWAZA: You mean come back to Thaba Nchu, or come back to where? ---Yes, Thaba Nchu.

DR MAGWAZA: Okay. You also mentioned that you had some kidney failure andsome headaches. Can you tell us more about that, and whether you did get treatmentfor that?

WITNESS: Yes, I paid regular visits to the doctors. This year I sufferedfrom kidneys as well as constant headaches.

DR MAGWAZA: We would like to have the records of your treatment as well.--- I believe they are in the hospitals at which I have been treated.

DR MAGWAZA: Can you tell us which hospitals?

WITNESS: On the first day I went to Moroka. Thereafter I went to Philonomi.

DR MAGWAZA: To which police station did you report it?

WITNESS: Selosesha PoliceStation.