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

WITNESS:   When I went into my children's bedroom there was a big carton, where there was a stove and I saw my children getting into that carton and I told them to get out of that carton because the house was on fire and I told them to try to get out of the house and run away and I could not walk because I was injured at that time.  Later on I heard a gunshot and I felt a bullet going through my back and I fell down and at the time the house was on fire.  My other son also got injured and I could hear my daughter screaming in the other bedroom, but I could not go and see.  Only to find that they had pulled my child outside.  That's where they hurt her.  And at the time I was inside the house and I couldn't see anything and the house was dark at the time.  I couldn't see anybody.  It was very quiet inside the house and the house was burning.  I heard my children screaming and when I also tried to ask them as to what I had done one of the attackers said we were going to die that particular day, all of us.  They were going to kill the whole family.  I had seen some of them.  I had opened up the curtain and I saw them facially and I can identify them, but I didn't know some of them.  At that time I felt somebody pulling me outside and I couldn't see who was pulling me outside and I realised later that my children were pulling me and they put me somewhere outside and my son came when we were there.  We couldn't see the attackers and we hid there in that little bush.  After quite some time I could hear a car pulling off and another one came.  They searched for us, together with my kids, and the police took - said I should stand up and I could not stand up.  My children picked me up and they put me inside the van and asked to whether these were the lot of us.  They took us to the hospital and we left the house and it was burnt down to ashes.

CHAIRPERSON:  Mrs Mabaso, can you tell us how you were injured and how your children were injured.  You said that you were shot twice, as I recall, once in the arm and once in the back.  Is that correct?

WITNESS:   Yes.

CHAIRPERSON:  And who else - how was your son, Njabula injured?

WITNESS:   Hlengiwe was injured, as well as Njabula, and my sister's daughter who was staying with me was also injured just below the arm, but at that time I couldn't see because I was also unconscious.  I heard her saying at some stage that she had also been injured but I could not see what had injured her.

CHAIRPERSON:  How was Hlengiwe hurt?  Was she stabbed or was she shot?

WITNESS:   Hlengiwe's head was chopped, apparently with a panga.  That was the nature of the injuries, but I didn't see what they used to hurt her.

CHAIRPERSON:  How old was Hlengiwe at the time?  This was in 1992.  How old was she?

WITNESS:   She was four years old.

CHAIRPERSON:  And Njabula, how was he injured?

WITNESS:   Njabula was shot in the eyes.

CHAIRPERSON:  And what is the nature of his injury today?  How is he today?

WITNESS:   He can't see, because he got partially blind.  He had to leave school.

CHAIRPERSON:  And yourself - you said you were injured in the arm and the back.  Was that both bullet wounds or were you stabbed?

WITNESS:   That is correct, I was shot.

CHAIRPERSON:  Both wounds were from bullets?

WITNESS:   That is correct.  They shot underneath the armpit, as well as on my arm.

CHAIRPERSON:  So you were taken by the police.  Was that the SAP or the KwaZulu Police?

WITNESS:   It was SAP.

CHAIRPERSON:  And you were taken to the hospital.  Which hospital was that?

WITNESS:   We were taken to Ngwelezana.

CHAIRPERSON:  And did you all stay in hospital?  How long did you remain in hospital?

WITNESS:   We stayed a whole month at the hospital.

CHAIRPERSON:  Now, you said in your statement that you recognised some of the people who were attacking you, but you said earlier on that you did not want to mention their names, because you were afraid.

WITNESS:   Yes.

CHAIRPERSON:  Now, you don't have to mention their names, but were they local people from Machane Reserve?

WITNESS:   Yes, they were residents of Machane.

CHAIRPERSON:  And from what political party did they come?

WITNESS:  They were Inkatha members.

CHAIRPERSON:  And do you have any idea why they attacked you and your family and burnt your house down?

WITNESS:   They were saying my children were comrades and the whole family was ANC.

CHAIRPERSON:  Was a formal report made to the police?  I know that the police came to pick you up, but did you make statements to the police and did they open a docket in this case?

WITNESS:   Yes, my husband went to report the matter to the police, but they never came to me to take a statement.  They left the matter as it was.

CHAIRPERSON:  So even though you had the names of the people who attacked your house, the police didn't take a statement from you?

WITNESS:   They never did anything.

CHAIRPERSON:  Was there any sort of investigation or case that resulted from this attack, that you know of?

WITNESS:   Nothing, absolutely nothing happened.  Nothing came out of the case.

CHAIRPERSON:  Now, what did you do after you came out of hospital, Mrs Mabaso?  Could you go back to that area?  Did you go back and see your house?

WITNESS:   The house was burnt down to ashes, so it was only the plot that was left.  So when I came out of hospital I went to Esikhaweni.

CHAIRPERSON:  And did you get a house in Esikhaweni?

WITNESS:   No, we stayed with my father-in-law.

CHAIRPERSON:  Is that where you are still staying?

WITNESS:   I am no longer staying there.  I'm staying at another place now.

CHAIRPERSON:  And your children - you said Njabula is not able to see as a result of the attack.  What does he do?   Does he have a disability grant?  Is he able to do anything?  Is he working?

WITNESS:   He's not working.

CHAIRPERSON:  And your daughter, Hlengiwe, how old is she now?

WITNESS:   She is nine years old. And how did she recover from the panga wound to her head?   ---   Yes, she survived, but I think she's mentally disturbed.

CHAIRPERSON:  What are the symptoms?  How does she behave?  How does she react?

WITNESS:   She is having panic attacks.  At times she just cries for no apparent reason.  At times, even when you talk to her she keeps quiet and stares at you.

CHAIRPERSON:  Is she going to school?  Is she able to cope at school?

WITNESS:   Yes, she does attend school, although she is not doing well at school.  They always call me and tell me that she's not coping.

CHAIRPERSON:  And yourself, Mrs Mabaso, how have you managed?  Have you recovered from this incident?  Does it still affect you?

WITNESS:   Ever since that happened my life has changed drastically.  My right hand isn't functioning properly and I always sit and think about this and I always get scared that I will be attacked at any time.

CHAIRPERSON: We understand how difficult it must be for you to cope with that terrible trauma of having your house burnt down and attacked whilst you are inside a burning house.  We extend our deep sympathy to you.  We understand how you are suffering.  I will just ask my colleagues if they have any questions they would like to ask you.

KHOZA MGOJO: Yes.  Mrs Mabaso, let's come to your children now.  You said Bongamusa is at school?

WITNESS:   He has matriculated.

KHOZA MGOJO:  Is he working?

WITNESS:   No, he's not working as yet.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What about Thulani?

WITNESS:   Thulani is still at school.

KHOZA MGOJO:  What standard is he in?

WITNESS:   He's in standard 7. Is he at Esikhaweni?   ---   Yes.

KHOZA MGOJO:  And what about Sibongiseni?

WITNESS:   Sibongiseni is in standard 1 at Esikhaweni.

KHOZA MGOJO:  The other two are not at school?

WITNESS:   That is correct.

KHOZA MGOJO:  So who is paying their school fees, Thulani and Sibongiseni?

WITNESS:   I'm paying for them.

KHOZA MGOJO:  You pay their school fees and maintain the family?