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

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: There are many ways, there are many things they did to us.  The police would take a cigarette to our noses and they would take needles and put them under our nails.

ADV SANDI: For how long did this last?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: We arrived in this building at quarter past nine and we were released at quarter to three in the morning when we were taken to the charge office.

ADV SANDI: Were you forced to make statements?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: On that night we were not asked anything.  They were just telling us about what we were planning to do.

ADV SANDI: Were you injured in any way?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: Yes.

ADV SANDI: Please tell us how were you injured?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: I was injured in my private parts, because after all this my private parts were swollen up, because of the Boers.

ADV SANDI: Did you receive any medical treatment or are you receiving treatment now?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: I am not receiving any treatment.

ADV SANDI: By coming here, Mr Bambiso, do you have requests to the Commission.

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: Please repeat your question.

ADV SANDI: What is your request to the Commission?  What would you like the Commission to do for you?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: My request to the Commission is that I would like the Commission to bring the perpetrators to the community in Bedford to apologise to them.  The reason for this is that I want to respect the President of this
country, because he said that we have to be united in this country.  I do not want to revenge on what happened to me.  What the President has already said, I agree with reconciliation.

ADV SANDI: If the perpetrators can come forward and apologise to the people in Bedford, according to your view, do you think that the people will accept their apology?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: I cannot answer that question, because it will depend on the people, but I will accept their apology.

ADV SANDI: Is that all, Mr Bambiso, before I hand over to the Chairperson and my colleagues to ask you questions?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: There is nothing more I can remember, because these things happened a long time ago and it was very painful at that time.

ADV SANDI: Thank you, thank you Mr Bambiso.  Thank you Mr Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: June Crichton.

JUNE CRICHTON: Mr Mentoor, please, could I just ask you.  Mr Mentoor, have you got the, maybe you do not need, can you hear me?

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: Yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: Good.  Mr Mentoor, this is just something that I need to correct for the sake of the transcript for the recordings that are being taken.  You said that when you were put under the showers, you actually said St Albans, but for correction it was at Louis le Grange, was it not?

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: It was in Louis le Grange, not in a shower, but there was a drum with water and they were poured in my body in Louis le Grange.

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you.  It is just important that we have that correct and then one other thing that I need to ask
you.  Your family have already paid a very heavy price in the resistance, but my question to you is, what is the situation now.  They managed to divide you from the community, they divided the community because of what they did with you in trying to get you to look like an informer.  What is the situation now?  Is the community united?

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: The community is united although there are certain people who are against the needs of the community at large.  What I mean is there are people who, although they see that something is not true, but because they have their own intentions they tend to agree with what was happening, but what I can say is that the community is united.

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you.  Mr Chairman, I wanted to ask Mr.

CHAIRPERSON: Let us finish Mr Mentoor.

JUNE CRICHTON: Alright, okay.

CHAIRPERSON: Are there any questions for Mr Mentoor?  Mr Mentoor, just one question.  The police who took you to the Skyline to the township, do you know their names?

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: No, I do not know their names, because they are not from Bedford.  They were not wearing uniforms, they were just wearing their private clothes.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you know of any police in Bedford who can identify these police?

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: Constable Maswili and Aubrey van Jaarsveld can be able to identify them.

CHAIRPERSON: Why do you think that these two policemen, Constable Maswili and van Jaarsveld can be able to identify them?

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: Because they are police and these police were in Bedford police station together with them.

CHAIRPERSON: In other words, they were working with them?

NTSIKELELO EDWARD MENTOOR: I can say so.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Bambiso.

JUNE CRICHTON: Alright, you hear me.

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: No, I am okay.

JUNE CRICHTON: Mr Bambiso, it seems that the security was so eager, it seems that security was very eager to torture and to assault, but when you received a suspended sentence, together with that suspended sentence you were also sentenced to five lashes.  Now, I am just interested to know, did you receive those five lashes?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: Yes, I received these five lashes.

JUNE CRICHTON: You did receive them and then something quite different.  Did you institute any kind of civil claim against the police?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: Yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: Who did you do that through, which Attorney?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: It was Mr Dulap.

JUNE CRICHTON: And was a settlement made?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: Up to now there is nothing.

JUNE CRICHTON: Are you requesting that the Commission look into that?

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: Yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you, we have noted that.  Thank you, Mr Bambiso.

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Sandi.

ADV SANDI: Thank you, Mr Chairman.  Mr Bambiso, in your statement there are three incidents you mentioned.  The first one you have already mentioned briefly and I would like you to explain and to clarify these three incidents.  Firstly, in your statement you say that it is your wish that there should be reconciliation in this country.  Secondly, you also mentioned that this country has to be developed.  Thirdly, you say that crime, you say that there must not be crime in this country.  Would you please explain these three facts to us, because I would like people from this hall to hear what you have to say.

KAYENI DERRICK METRO BAMBISO: Firstly, the reason why I referred to reconciliation is that I know that if victims or people who were oppressed by the white people, if we want to revenge our country will not develop.  It will not be the country that we would like South Africa to be, because if I can take a gun and go to town to revenge what happened to me, there will not be reconciliation, because our President is preaching peace in our country.  I am supporting peace in this country.  That is the reason why I stated these.  I do not whether the Commission understands me clearly.

ADV SANDI: Thank you, Mr Bambiso.  Thank you, Mr Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Bambiso, you explained to us about your involvement in necklacing the three ladies in Bedford.  You have told us what happened.  You told us that you were involved in this incident.  I have also noted that according, to your statement, you were charged and you were sentenced because of this incident.  I want you to look back, maybe if you can, I want you to tell the Commission how you feel today when you look back at your plans for burning these three ladies.  How do you feel today?