Human Rights Violation Hearings — Sebokeng — 1996-08-08

PROF MEIRING: I see that you've written that in your written statement, that there was a Court inquest but it didn't proceed because the perpetrators didn't have any advocate and the case was remanded. The case is still pending at the moment. Did you receive any financial help from anybody afterwards to help you with the funeral, to help you with the children?

DOROTHY HLATSHWAYO: The case is still continuing.  As I have
HRV/804 already/...
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already indicated, the deceased together with Mrs Modang's child, she's the person who keeps on informing me.  I saw a letter and a suspect called Victor Hatang Ndlovu is also wanted and their case will be heard on the 16th to the 23rd of December, and with regard to financial issues, Mr Hlatshwayo was working and nobody is helping me on this present moment.

PROF MEIRING: Thank you very much.

DR RANDERA: Ms Seroke?  Mr Montata?

MR MONTATA: Who is this Ndlovu that you are referring to?

DOROTHY HLATSHWAYO: Can you please repeat your question Sir?

MR MONTATA: You have just said that Ndlovu is wanted as suspect. He might be the person who killed Gideon.  Who is this Ndlovu?

DOROTHY HLATSHWAYO: Ndlovu didn't kill Gideon.  Gideon is the boy who gave me the message but Ndlovu is a suspect.

MR MONTATA: I'm really sorry, tell me what was this Ndlovu, in this Sebokeng area during the times of the Kitisi's Gang, during the killings of the members of ANC and PAC as we have listened to the witnesses?

DOROTHY HLATSHWAYO: Sir are you referring to Ndlovu?  I do not know Ndlovu. Hunter Ndlovu, I do not know him, he is, I've never come to understand what his position was.

MR MONTATA: I'm asking this because as I've listened to you, you said that after the death of Kitisi, as you were listening to the radio, and it is quite clear that together with his group, his gangs, they were terrorising the people. That is why I wanted to know about this Ndlovu. Was he possibly a member of a gang that was terrorising the people?

DOROTHY HLATSHWAYO: I think so Sir.

MR MONTATA: Because we would like to know, was your
HRV/804 husband/...
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husband killed by the police or by the group that was working together with the police?

DOROTHY HLATSHWAYO: Are you referring to my husband?

MR MONTATA: Yes your husband.

DOROTHY HLATSHWAYO: My husband was killed by IFP members because I say after his funeral, they wanted the results of the inquest and I went to the offices and I got the message that the people had already been arrested and they were the members of IFP.

MR MONTATA: I will stop there thank you.

DR RANDERA: Dorothy thank you very much. You are quite right that you had heard that Victor Kheswa, and his name has come up so many times in the last few days, died on the 10th of July or the 11th of July.  But on that day that your husband was killed, thirteen other people were killed and sixteen were injured, two seriously.  Again in random attacks, involved Sebokeng and Everton. Kitiwe Kheswa of course is dead and therefore cannot tell us anything about the circumstances in which so many people seem to have died in this area, but as you say Hunter Ndlovu is still in prison and he has that opportunity still to come forward
and I appeal to other people who are in that gang, because they weren't the only people in the gang, there were other people in that gang as well, to come forward and make their statements.  
 Dorothy we have heard your story, we thank you for coming here today and we have noted your requests. Thank you very much for coming.