Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pietermaritzburg — UNKNOWN

WITNESS:   The second meeting also took place at the same venue, so the IFP members left and the ANC members and the police stayed behind.  And then at the ... (inaudible) ... had finished I think we all more or less left at the same time.

MR LYSTER: And then you went to lunch and then left for 'Maritzburg.

WITNESS:   And then left for 'Maritzburg after lunch.

DR MAGWAZA: Again this is not a question, but it's just a comment which I would like to address to Mrs Hadebe.  I address it as a comment in that, Mrs Hadebe, you represent a large number of women who have lost their husbands, who were the heroes to us, and you have an overwhelming responsibility of taking care of a big family of six single-handedly.  In big families like yours some of the children are deeply affected, and it will be a big mistake if the Commission we forget the children of Reggie Hadebe.  I will therefore like you to - just to make a brief comment about the state of Reggie's children.  I heard you mention that you felt the children were not loving and caring as they should.  Could you tell us how have their lives changed.

WITNESS:   One of them is not performing well at school.  We've even sent her to schools for special education.  The other ones they are not affectionate, they are not even caring.  They are so violent, they are showing some violent tendencies.  They are just not caring.  Their lives are not as well as before.

DR MAGWAZA: (Inaudible) ... that you are a very strong lady, but  /sometimes

DR MAGWAZA: sometimes do accept that you are a human being who can be

DR MAGWAZA: weak.  Take care of yourself, as well as your children, and seek help.  Thank you very much.

MR LYSTER: Mrs Hadebe and Mr Jefrey, we as a Commission express our deep sympathy to you, to you both.  Mrs Hadebe, you have lost your partner of many, many years, your breadwinner and the father of your children, and, Mr Jefrey, you have lost a friend and a colleague, and on top of that had to suffer the shock of watching him being killed in front of you, and driving with his body many kilometres from Ixopo to 'Maritzburg.

MR LYSTER: Mrs Hadebe, your husband was a famous person and a dynamic person, and this city and this province is a poorer place as a result of his death.  He was a natural leader, he was a well educated man.  We understand that at the time of his death he was studying for his masters degree in education, and there is no doubt that had he still been alive he would have taken his place amongst the leaders of this province.  If one looks back at the last 30 years and considers the number of dynamic young people who were cut down in their youth, before they had a proper opportunity to fulfil their potential for their communities and their country, it only adds to the tragedy of this country.

MR LYSTER: Your husband's name will, I have no doubt, go down in the history of this country, and we hope that it is of some comfort to you that he is regarded by many thousands of people as a hero.

MR LYSTER: The tragedy of your husband's death is made worse by the fact that the people who committed this crime are  still walking free, and the Commission will certainly do

MR LYSTER: whatever it can to try to ensure that those who committed this act are brought to justice.

MR LYSTER: We sympathise with you and your family, and we thank you both very much for coming here today to relive those memories, and to once again bring the death of Reggie Hadebe into the public light.  Thank you very much for coming in, and we wish you well as you go.

MR LYSTER: NKHANYISI DLOMO

MR LYSTER: Can we have the translation please?

WITNESS:   Yes, that is true.

MR LYSTER: Where were you born?

WITNESS:   I was born at New Hanover at Mshwati.

MR LYSTER: Where are you staying?

WITNESS:   At the present moment I am staying at Pietermaritzburg in the place called Grange.

MR LYSTER: Did you run away from New Hanover during the harassments?

WITNESS:   Yes, that is true.

MR LYSTER: In those organisations which were existing at that time to which organisation did you belong?

WITNESS:   I was a member of the ANC.

MR LYSTER: In your statement I find that it's not clearly stated as to when you were born.

WITNESS:   I was born on the 23rd of May of 1970.

MR LYSTER: About your family, can you tell us how many you were at home?

WITNESS:   At home I am the third out of four children.

MR LYSTER: Where are the others?

WITNESS:   They are still with me.  They are staying with me here at 'Maritzburg.  My elder brother is staying at Hammarsdale.

MR LYSTER: Is he married?

WITNESS:   No, he's not married.

MR LYSTER: Nkhanyisi, can you explain what happened during September 1992 at night?  What happened during that night?

WITNESS:   During that night people came to attack my family.  At the end it was discovered that they were police, the Internal Stability Unit.  They were coming from Group 9 from Durban.  That was not the first time for the police to come to my place or our place.  It was the third time.  They came the first time to harass one of the members of

MR LYSTER: / the ANC,

MR LYSTER: the ANC, Mr Maseko, and they then arrived the second time

MR LYSTER: at home during the day.  By that time I was at school in the University of Zululand.  It was 1991.   I was doing my second year in a B Comm degree.  When they arrived at home i wasn't there.  There was a note which I left at the door so that whoever was looking for me could find out where I were.  They get inside and ransack the house.  They said they were looking for arms which were stored at my home. And then they took the note, they never contacted me and then they went away, and they left some message that ... (intervention)

MR LYSTER: When they arrive at home was your mother at home?

WITNESS:   My mother wasn't at home.  She was working as a nurse in one of the hospitals nearby.

MR LYSTER: Was she a nurse?

WITNESS:   Yes, she was a nurse.

MR LYSTER: You may continue.

WITNESS:   At that time the school closed.  They came back to Mr Maseko and again - oh, I have to explain there.  After I discovered that one of my sisters - they do came looking for her.  I talked to Mary de Haas at the University of Natal, who was going to have a meeting with the district commissioner of that place to ask from the district commissioner why were the police looking for me.  Mrs de Haas tried to do that, got the explanation from the lieutenant was that they were just conducting a normal raid in that area.  They were searching all the homes at that place.

MR LYSTER: Are there any other families that were searched besides your home?

WITNESS:   No, they only searched my place, my home.

MR LYSTER: Thank you.  You can go on.

WITNESS:   They went away.  During that time in 1991 during December 16 my dad died because he was sick.  I was writing my exams.  I couldn't write my exams because I have to come home to see my father.  I found that he was very sick.  I was so afraid that if I go back to school I might have to come back again if he dies.  I took him to hospital in Applesford.  They took him to Edendale Hospital, where he died on the 16th of December.  On the date he died I wasn't there.  We were at a meeting of the regional conference in the ANC Midlands.  On that same day we have to stay at ... (inaudible) ... to a rally of the MK.

MR LYSTER: Before you continue, the other children, your brothers and sisters, were you in the same organisation?

WITNESS:   Yes, they were together in the organisation, but I was the one who was very involved.  There was a young little girl who was about five.  My mum was at work.

MR LYSTER: Was she not a member of the ANC?

WITNESS:   She didn't have a card, but she did follow the principles of the organisation.

MR LYSTER: You can continue.