Human Rights Violation Hearings — Venda — 1996-10-03

RUSSELL ALLY: Thank you very much.  A warm welcome to every one to this Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing.  This is our second hearing in this part of the country.  If you remember, we were in Pietersburg not so long ago and we will be making more visits to this region.
 We will in all likelihood be in the former Viani, early next year.  I want to extend a special welcome to those who are going to be testifying, the witnesses and also to their families.
 Before we begin, I just want to make a few announcements.  We have headsets for simultaneous translation - these black boxes.  Now the way these work is that there are three channels and as people speak, the interpretation takes place at the same time.
 The second channel is English, so as people speak in whatever language, it will be interpreter into English.
 The third channel is Venda, so you will get a Venda translation on the third channel.
 The fourth channel is Tsonga, but our interpreters tell me that our Tsonga interpreters have unfortunately not yet arrived, but as soon as they do arrive you would be able to get the Tsonga interpretation or translation on channel four.
 Then we also have somebody as you can see in front of 
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us who is signing for those who want to follow sign language, so I would request that those who want to follow, sit in a position where they can see this person who is doing the signing.
 I also just want to reassure people that just because they may not be appearing in the public hearing today or tomorrow, we attach as much importance to their statements as we do to those statements of people who will be appearing today.
 These public hearings are really an opportunity for us to get some insight into what was happening in our country during 1960 and 1993.
 We don't select people because we think that their suffering is more important or that their gross human rights violations were worse.  We select people simply so that we can get a picture or a pattern of the gross human rights violations.
 So I want to appeal to people not to feel that they are second class victims, just because they are not appearing in a public hearing.
 In fact when the Commission eventually makes findings as to those who are victims of gross human rights violations, it will look at the statements of everybody who has submitted one and it will be on the basis of those statements, that it will make findings, not on the basis of whether or not people appear in public hearings.
 So we consider all victims as equally important.  If there are people who feel during the course of these two days of hearings, that they want to make statements that they have as yet not made statements, we do have statement takers with us and they, for the next two days, will be on 
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the ground floor in B11 and on the second level in B104 and B108, so that is ground floor B11 and then second level B104 and B108 for people who want to make statements.
 I just also briefly want to introduce the people sitting up front here today.  On my right is Mr Tom Manthata, whom I am sure may be familiar to quite a number of you because this used to be his stumping ground at one stage.
 Mr Tom Manthata is on the Reparations and Rehabilitations Committee and he is based in Gauteng.
 On my left a special welcome to Mr richard Lyster, who is from our KwaZulu-Natal, Orange Free State office.  He has kindly agreed to come today just to actually step in for another Commissioner, Mr Wynand Malan who some of you may have met when we came here earlier.
 Mr Malan unfortunately took ill quite severely and had to be confined to bed, so he has asked me to extend an apology to those of you who have met him before, he unfortunately cannot be with us, but Mr Lyster, Commissioner from Durban, Natal, has kindly agreed to come.
 I am Russel Ally and I sit on the Human Rights Violations Committee, based in Johannesburg.
 I am going to Bridgette Ramayetti to just please come forward quickly and announce the witnesses who we are going to be hearing today and the cases which we are going to be hearing.  Bridgette, thank you.

MS RAMAYETTI: Good morning every body.  We are starting by Mr Malaka Motimedi in connection with the type of violation of himself.
 We'll now mention the list of all the people of today from Malaka Motimedi, Mr Neswiswi Shonisani will be the next VENDA HEARING TRC/NORTH WEST
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in connection with Mr Ravelimbengeni's case and then Tshivhase Ntsuneni, in connection with Mr Mqwageni Tshivhase.
 After a break, tea break there shall follow Radamba Mabuathi in connection with his case.  Then Denga Tshinane Jane will follow in connection with the Denqama Wongwo.
 Then Malaudzi Mauhunga will follow in connection with Morao Mitsibiwa.
 Then Masiagwala Ndiitwane will follow in connection with the case of Mqwela Tsigoto.
 Then we will go for lunch break, then after that lunch Mr Munayi Thilwaiwi will follow in connection with his case, Munyai Thilwaiwi.
 Malaudzi Lufuno will follow on behalf of his case.  Musekwa Munzhedzi will follow in connection with the Msekwangarea.
 Then Mavhunga Ntendeleni, in connection with his case.  Davhula Namadzavho, in connection with his case.
 Kwinda Tshinane will follow in connection of his or her case.  That's all for today.

RUSSELL ALLY: Thank you very much.  Throughout today's proceedings and tomorrow's proceedings I am going to ask whenever a witness comes up for Richard Lyster to administer the oath.
 I just want to make one appeal and a very serious appeal to all our witnesses.  We have over the two days as you can see, quite an intensive programme.  Many witnesses are going to be appearing, and we all know that you are going to be reliving many painful experiences and you need and want to have your story heard, but I want to appeal to people to please try and restrict themselves to half an 
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hour, because if we don't do that, we are not going to have an opportunity to hear all the witnesses before the end of our programme.   So please, try and focus on the nature of the violation very specific  so that we can give other witnesses the same opportunity to give an account of what happened to them. 
 So in the case of our first witness today, Mr Tom Manthata is going to facilitate the leading of evidence.  I am going to ask Richard Lyster now to please administer the oath.

MALAKA MOTIMEDI: (sworn states)

MR LYSTER: Witness is sworn in.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Good morning Mr Malaka.  Who is on your side?  Who is sitting with you?

MALAKA MOTIMEDI: It is my wife.  It is my wife.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Please be a source of support to Mr Malaka.  Mr Malaka, we have hear a record or statement about your experiences on torture, detention and so on, starting from 1976.
 Can you kindly lead us through your statement?