Human Rights Violation Hearings — Grahamstown — 1997-04-08

CHAIRPERSON: We would now like to call Dideka Grace Mishombo.

REV XUNDU: You may remain seated, Mam, but I would like to swear you in, please.

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: (Duly sworn in, states).

REV XUNDU: Chairperson, the witness has been duly sworn.

CHAIRPERSON: We would like to ask her to put on the headphones.  June Crichton.

JUNE CRICHTON: Can you hear me Mrs Mishombo?  Can you hear me?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: Yes, I can hear you.

JUNE CRICHTON: Mrs Mishombo, you are here today to tell us about the death of your husband, Ben Mishombo, on the 29th of August 1976.  Before I start asking you any questions I need you to clarify something for me.  This, the death of your husband took place in Johannesburg.  Would you tell me,  were you resident, were you actually living there?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: We were residing in Meletsani township in Johannesburg in Johannesburg and on this day, the 29th, he left to go and look for his mother and her grandchildren, because soldiers, Government soldiers, would detain children.  Gadja's soldiers were detaining people and late that night an unknown man came, knocked at the door and said that he was sent by him that I should get three men to go and pick him up.  When he got there he found my husband, the name next door and his son and they went and picked him up where he had fallen and they said that he had been shot dead by Gadja Buthulezi's gang.  When he got home he was reeking of teargas, it was unbearable and he was saying that he, something was burning him in his stomach.  He would want water and, but he would not drink it.
 The following morning I took him to the surgery, to Dr Mbega, who was a doctor at Baragwaneth Hospital.  Dr Mbega said that he was reeking of teargas and it seems as if he had even taken, eaten something and the doctor examined him and we took him the following, the Saturday morning, the following day, called an ambulance to fetch him and took him to Baragwaneth.  He was admitted to Baragwaneth for three days and he was brought back and I kept taking him and Dr Mbega would even do house calls.  At some stage it became apparent that he was too ill, he was not even able to eat and we took him back to Baragwaneth.  On the fourth of September he died at Baragwaneth Hospital.

JUNE CRICHTON: Mrs Mishombo, you say that he died then on the fourth.  Now Samuel Modikie, who was he, was?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: Samuel Modikie was his youngest brother.  They were together on the day of this incident.  Samuel was paralysed although he is still alive today.  He is still in Johannesburg where he is living with his sister.  So, Ben died, but before he died he said that I should come back here and that I should leave the house in the care of his son.  I left the house in the care of his son and when the son could not take care of things, he lost the house, he lost the car and he came to stay with me here in Port Alfred.  He is unemployed and he depends on me for everything.  He has been with me for five years yet he is unemployed.  The motor car and the house have been lost.

JUNE CRICHTON: He also had a business in Johannesburg, is that correct?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: Yes, I use to sew and sell clothing.

JUNE CRICHTON: Now, what do you make of this story that you were told about the Gadja Buthulezi gang.  What do you believe and understand from that?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: I understood that it was definitely that group, because there were so many of them there in 1976.  It was them, the soldiers and the police.

JUNE CRICHTON: Where was the funeral, Mrs Mishombo, where was the funeral?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: The funeral was held at, oh dear, I have forgotten the name.

JUNE CRICHTON: Is it Avalon?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: Yes, at Avalon.

JUNE CRICHTON: Were there other dependents that your husband left as well, who else was there in the family at that time?  How many other children?  Just the one son?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: It was only my son, Clive, only.  There was not any other child.

JUNE CRICHTON: Mrs Mishombo, you came here with certain expectations.  What were they, that you wanted the Commission, particularly, to do for you?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: I know that the Commission cannot bring my husband back to do anything for me, but I would like the Commission to help me to get a place of my own to stay in, because I am living with family and I am back at my parental home and it is not, I would like to live on my own, because I was living quite harmoniously with my husband, but I have since lost my house and lost my car.  I use to eat what I wanted and wear what I wanted.

JUNE CRICHTON: Is there anything more that you want to tell  the Commission about this event, anything that you feel you have left out that was important?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: I do not know what else I can say.

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you Mrs Mishombo.  We have heard what you have said and noted what you have said and the fact that you have lost so much, especially your husband and all the business and all of your possessions, but we are grateful that you are safely back in the Port Alfred community.  Thank you.  I am going to hand you back to the Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Mama Mishombo, in your testimony you mentioned something about Gadja Buthulezi's group or gang.  You mentioned something about Gadja Buthulezi's gang.

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: I spoke about Gadja Buthulezi's soldiers who were driving Hippos in Johannesburg at that time in 1976.  They were patrolling the area at that time.  It was said that they were the police and soldiers of Gadja Buthulezi.

CHAIRPERSON: I am a bit confused, because Inkatha, ANC violence, violence between Inkatha, ANC and UDF started long after the period of 1976.  Are you sure you are not confusing your facts?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: People spoke about Gadja's soldiers, because they were the ones who carried knop kirries and drove Hippos and they were said to have been bought by the Government of the time to assist them in Soweto.

CHAIRPERSON: Was it said that Gadja Buthulezi's soldiers were driving Hippos?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: Yes, they were driving around in the Caspars and they would detain the children and we were forced that, at that stage to eat supper at five o' clock in the afternoon.

CHAIRPERSON: Who took away your house and your car?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: I would say that we lost it to The Perm, because we had extended it, we had built an additional two rooms and a garage and this, our son remained behind in that house, but, apparently, he could not maintain the payments and The Perm repossessed the house.

CHAIRPERSON: Is Samuel Modikie still alive?

DIDEKA GRACE MISHOMBO: Yes, he is still alive, he is living with his sister in Diepkloof.  My mother-in-law was staying at number 297 Moletsane.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much for your story.  It is going to be slightly difficult story for us to investigate, because it happened in Gauteng and it is going to have to be investigated in Gauteng, but fortunately we do have a Commission office in Gauteng which could assist us by investigating, because everything that gets put before us has to be investigated, but it should not be a major problem.  We will be very keen to find out where Samuel Modikie stays, because it seems as though he is a crucial witness to your testimony.  For now we would like to thank you and assure you that we will investigate this matter.  Thank you very much.