Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1996-04-18

DR BORAINE: We invite Jackson Mbovane to the stand please.  Good afternoon Sir.

JACKSON MBOVANE: (sworn states)

DR BORAINE: Mr Mbovane we welcome you today.  You have come to tell the Commission about the killing of your daughter and so far, even though you have tried very hard, there has been no satisfactory explanation, no court case that has been completed regarding her killing, is that right?

JACKSON MBOVANE: Yes.

DR BORAINE: Thank you very much.  It's that story that we want to listen to now and Ms Tiny Maya is going to help you.  I am very tired.

MS MAYA: How are you Mr Mbovane?

JACKSON MBOVANE: I am very well thank you.

MS MAYA: The details that we have in front here there is an information and it is reflected that you are Jackson Mbovane in King Williamstown is that so?

JACKSON MBOVANE: Yes it is so.

MS MAYA: We realise that there is something horrible that will never end which is indelible in your minds and that your daughter is when she was brutally killed in September 1992, is that so?

JACKSON MBOVANE: Yes it is so.
EAST LONDON HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
2 J MBOVANE

MS MAYA: Could you please give an explanation about yourself, give us background, who are you and what can you tell us about that?

JACKSON MBOVANE: There in the community I am known as Mr Mbovane.  I had never had problems there with my community and there was never anything which isolated me from other people.  I was always amongst the organisers because I am a card carrying member of the ANC, and I am a staunch follower.
 But there is this that I can say, I was surprised because at some stage the first thing that I can say is that I was aware - I would apologise to the Commission because I will be talking of different times.  I travelled with my wife in my van.  We came back.  It was on a Monday, we left on a Saturday then we came back on Monday, when we came back the children told us that there were people who arrived here and they were called Peace Forces. I didn't know what they meant by these forces because I was employed for a long time, those children that I have now I was a worker in Cape Town, so I didn't know what they meant about the Peace Force, because it was only two weeks when I came back from the.....
 So when we returned from where we went our children told us they were surrounded by the Peace Force in our absence.  Those people were in Sandile there at the kraal of our King Sandile.  I usually see these people even today, but my children are the only ones who can identify them.

MS MAYA: What were they doing here at your place?

JACKSON MBOVANE: At my place these officers said, there were four of them, during the night it was about eight o'clock in the evening they asked where I have gone to.  When they were EAST LONDON HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
3 J MBOVANE
informed that I was absent they wanted to know where my whereabouts.  They didn't give them the proper place where I went to.  And they asked who was the person who was driving the other car?  Because I had a shop here at home on the premises they asked about the other driver who was driving another car.  They also answered and they were cross-examined and questioned several times by these people.  So I left one of my vans with one of the gentleman, it is Mr Maguka in the community.
 They asked about the beer which was there and asked what I was going to do with the beer because the children said I was the one who was owning this.  It was a case of beer and two bottles of brandy.  This Peace Force took the case and then they clapped my child and said he must take the case to the van and then he was taken and arrested together with this case of beer.

MS MAYA: Is there any other damage which they made here?

JACKSON MBOVANE: No they just assaulted my children and then they left.  They took all the contents of the refrigerator and then they left.
 When I returned I came early in the morning on Monday.  On my way back I saw this car and just made a flickered.  The people they were laughing inside the car and understood that they were laughing of what they had done in my house.

MS MAYA: What was the damage that they did so much at your place?

JACKSON MBOVANE: I am coming to that.  When I arrived there I went to Sandile, this is our chief.  When I got at Sandile's place I found this Peace Force at the gate.  At the time I knew the security officers but I had never known anything about the Peace Officers.  When they asked me what I wanted, EAST LONDON HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
4 J MBOVANE
I said I wanted a person who stays here.  Mrs Nolizwe Sandile is the one who came and asked me what did I want at that place.  I explained what happened to my place as informed by my children and then she said I must bring those children. She said I must take the children to her place.   I brought them along.  There were two children, the deceased and the other girl.  I wanted the person to accompany me.  I was ordered to bring the car in the yard.  I was suspicious and asked them why do they want me to bring the car in the premises, and then they said no nothing is going to happen to you, you may come in.  Nolizwe came out and I showed her these two children and this person who accompanied me.  She asked me again and I told the details of what has happened.
 There were questions which were exchanged here and then Nolizwe wanted to know what was happening.  The children gave the details again. They also wanted to ask who was there who was driving the other van.  They asked where is the car which you usually drive.  Mrs Nolizwe asked if we know the Peace Force and my children said yes you can bring them here we can identify them.  So the lady said no, some of them are not here.

MS MAYA: Were you able to get the assistance and was there any clue of what happened?

JACKSON MBOVANE: No.  This Nolizwe said I must bring the children, and we discovered that this Peace Force was here on the premises of the chief.  Mrs Nolizwe was very abusive and she denied any allegations which were reported to her.  This insult I cannot recall it because it is a terrible language.
 So it was the night that I was selling any liquor 
EAST LONDON HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
5 J MBOVANE
because probably they thought that I was selling liquor.  The explanation which was given is that I was going to use this liquor for an occasion.  We were allowed to go.  What I have forgotten is that the people who were here were all drunk.  They were all drunk and the house was full of the people.

MS MAYA: So did you go without getting any assistance?

JACKSON MBOVANE: No we didn't because this lady insulted us, she just insulted us.  I just want to explain that we were bringing cases and I was not the only one.
 There was another lady who came out who said to this lady, you are keeping yourself busy and this is not your business. This lady was Nomonde.

MS MAYA: What did she mean about that?