Human Rights Violation Hearings — Grahamstown — 1997-04-07

REV XUNDU: Chairman, Ntombizodwa Cynthia Mketshane.

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Thank you.

ZOLEKA WINNIE MBENENGE: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Thank you.

NOMHLE CYNTHIA SABANI: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: (Not translated) Tiny Maya (not translated).

MS MAYA: (Not translated) Cynthia Sabani (not translated) Mam Sabani, we can hear that this incident happened during the same period, but the difference is that you have given us a different date.  We want to make sure that the death, Dumezweni died on the 28th of June 1988.  So, which means that the two cases are different from the two.

NOMHLE CYNTHIA SABANI: Yes, my case is different from the two.

MS MAYA: Thank you, we wanted to clarify that matter before proceeding.  I will now start with Ntombizodwa Cynthia Mketshane.  Ntombizodwa, you are here to testify about Mtutuzeli Stewart Nziweni.  Is that so?  What is your relationship to him?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: He was my husband.

MS MAYA: You said that he joined the Municipality Police in Adelaide in November 1985.  In January 1986 he went for a police training in Port Elizabeth and came back to Adelaide.  Is that so?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes, that is correct.

MS MAYA: On this day you said that he was no longer staying in the township because a group of youth asked him to leave the township because he was a police.  Is that so?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes.

MS MAYA: In 1986 he went to train again, but he came back to Adelaide in July.

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes.

MS MAYA: On the day of his death, on the 27th of July 1986, you said that he left the house with two of his friends, Michael Sinqana and Dugard Mlsholana to go to the township.  Is that so?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: They were, he accompanied the two men to pick up their girlfriends in the township.

MS MAYA: Can you please tell us briefly what happened according to your knowledge.

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: On this particular day he left home and I told him not to go, to accompany the two men, because the two men were going to their girlfriends.  He said that, no, they will return quickly.  It was about ten or 11 in the morning.  In the afternoon at about two I heard that there was shooting in the township.  I had a small baby at the time.  My baby had nine months, was nine months old.  I took my baby and I wanted to see who was shooting.  I could see from the other side.  I saw Michael Sinqana coming from the township together with his girlfriend Nokazola.  I asked
them where my husband was.  They told me that, no, he was on his way to town.  
 When I was going to the township trying to find out what was happening, one woman took my baby.  I saw that the way many people, a group of people in the field.  Someone was being beaten up.  I could see a white thing, because my husband was wearing a white trouser my mind told me that he was the one who was being beaten up.  I then met Dugard Mlsholana, I asked him where my husband was.  He told me he was coming, they left him there.  The Casper then appeared and it went to the field.  Many people dispersed.  When I was trying to go there one soldier stopped me.  He asked me to tell him what clothes my husband was wearing.  I told him that he was wearing a white trouser, brown belt and he looked at me, he shook his head.  Sergeant Brown who was also a Municipal Police came driving a police van.  At that time I could not think properly.  My sister ran away, she ran to this thing.  
 When my sister arrived there, she came back to me and she told me that he is still alive and I told myself that I was going to ask him why you did not listen to me, because I told him not to go to the township.  This soldier shook his head.  Sergeant Brown took me to the hospital.  They said that my husband was in a Casper and I was in police van together with Sergeant Brown.  Dr Letaga came in hospital with an injection.  He asked me how was your husband. I told him that we were co-operating with my husband.  We were, we had a good relationship, he was listening to me.  Dr Letaga told me that my husband was dead.  He gave me this injection and he told them to take me to bed.  
 I could not sleep.  I heard my baby crying.  My child 
was brought to me by the woman who took him from me.  I asked the doctor to release me on the following day to be with my baby.  I do not know what else happened, but we buried him.  When the case was investigated I heard that the person who killed him was Fafa.  Nobody came to me to tell me directly who killed my husband.  I just heard that it was Fafa.  That was all I knew about the case.  I was again informed that an identity document was also found on the body by Mxolisi Gazi.  
 There was one day when we were called by the Magistrate by the name of Terblanche.  The case was examined.  Michael Sinqana, Dugard Mlsholana were there.  After that day we were told that the people who killed him were not found.

MS MAYA: When you say that you were called in a Magistrates Court, was there anyone charged for killing your husband?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes, it was Fafa.

MS MAYA: Who is Fafa?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Fafa was the one who killed him.

MS MAYA: Did you know him before?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes, he was a Comrade.

MS MAYA: Is he still around?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes, he is still around.

MS MAYA: Do you meet with each other?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: He is scarce.  I was told that he was not in Adelaide.

MS MAYA: After your husband's death, did you meet with him and talk to him?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: No, we did not meet, but shortly after this incident I met him in town.  I was still wearing black clothes.  What he did was, he came to me and I was scared of him, because I was thinking about what, what happened, but
fortunately there were people around, the Municipality Police were around.  They took me to the shop, Durant Shop.  After all this, when we went back to the township, we use to greet each other.  When I saw him in the township I would greet him and he will greet me back.  He left Adelaide after that.

MS MAYA: What happened to the case, was it dismissed?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: Yes.

MS MAYA: You said that your husband left you with small children.

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: He left me with a baby who was nine months old.

MS MAYA: How old is the child now?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: The child is 11 years old.

MS MAYA: Are you working now?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: No, I am not working.

MS MAYA: How are you supporting your child?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: There is a grant that my child gets from the Government.

MS MAYA: Do you have any request to the Commission?

NTOMBIZODWA CYNTHIA MKETSHANE: I have only one request to the Commission.  I do not want conflict between myself and the community.  I do receive a grant from the Government for my child, but I would like to be helped so that my child can be educated.

MS MAYA: Did anyone come to you and explain why your husband was killed in the township?