Human Rights Violation Hearings — Kimberley — 1996-06-11

YASMINE SOOKA: Are you able to hear me, okay [intervention]

WITNESSES: Yes, we can hear you.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you, we'd like to welcome all three of you here.  We're very happy that you've agreed to come and give evidence.  But before you begin your story, we would like you to take the oath.  Could Mary please stand and advocate Potgieter will administer the oath to you.  Mary?
MARY MABILO Duly sworn states

ADV POTGIETER: Thank you.

YASMINE SOOKA: Could Florence please stand?

ADV POTGIETER: Are your full names Florence Matlakala?

MS MATLAKALA: That's true.
FLORENCE  MATLAKALA Duly sworn states

ADV POTGIETER: Thank you.

YASMINE SOOKA: You may be seated.  Could Sheila Mabozo please stand?
SHEILA MABOZO Duly sworn states

ADV POTGIETER: Thank you.

YASMINE SOOKA: You may be seated.  As is customary when we have witnesses testifying we allocate a Commissioner to assist you with the leading of your evidence.  In this case it will be advocate Potgieter who will assist you to tell your story.  Please feel free and comfortable - this is your moment.

ADV POTGIETER: We will start with Ms Mabilo - Ms Mary Mabilo.  The incident you are about to give evidence on concerns your - the shooting of your son way back in 1987.  But before we get there perhaps you can tell us who you are, where you live.

MS MABILO: I am Mary Mabilo, I'm Lathli's mother - Peter Mabilo.  I stay at 88 Lotatsi in Galeshewe Village.

ADV POTGIETER: The incident concerning Lathli your son happened in 1987, is that correct?

MS MABILO: Yes, that's correct.

ADV POTGIETER: In fact happened at the home of Ms Sheila Mabozo - who's also with you today.

MS MABILO: Yes, it took place at Ms Sheila Mabozo's house.

ADV POTGIETER: Can you tell us about that incident, Ms Mabilo?

MS MABILO: I want to tell you the story according how I heard it.  This child was not at home because they - they had been arrested before.  I still remember it was in 1985,  and five of them were arrested and they were - they stayed in jail for 25 days.  And I went to ask them why did they arrest the children.  They said to me we will let them free on a certain date and I went back to work.  When I came back from work that day, my child was at home and I didn't say anything.  
 On the 6th of May - on the 5th of May in that year they were at  [indistinct]  and they were arrested.  The next morning I went to see them, he was badly assaulted.   And I couldn't realise he was my child and I went back home.   They stayed in the cells for eight months and their - on the other side their court hearing was continuing.  They were five - it continued until December and on the 19th it went to the Supreme Court and it - they were discharged.  And they managed to come back home and they carried on with their schooling.  
 While schooling I didn't have sleep at all because the police would come home - I didn't know where he was sleeping because he didn't sleep at home.  But when I prepared myself for work he would come and prepare himself for school.  I didn't know what was happening because he wasn't fond of lingering around the streets.  He was a church-goer  - he used to be at the church and he belonged to the Christian Youth Organisations.  Some - some - some of the people didn't like what our children were doing.  
 And as time went on he said to me I want to leave this place - I'm going to - to seek another place where I can go to school.  I said to him go Lathli, and then he left.  Months went by not knowing where my child was, I was very unrestless.  Terror  [indistinct]  I couldn't rest and every time they come to me I would give them answers and I would say to them you started with my child, what did you want from him.  
 Things were like that - years went by and they came to me at work and they questioned me about things that I do not understand.  While interrogating me I kept on saying I don't know what you are asking.  And - and he said I should sign a form, I said to him I don't to sign this because I don't know what am I signing.  And my employer said give me those papers so that I can read them and after that I signed.  I knocked of and I went home - a year went by I didn't see my child.  He left in 1985.

<UNKNOWN>: The interpreters can not hear the speaker.  The mike is not on.