Human Rights Violation Hearings — Cradock — 1996-02-10

BONGANI FINCA: We are going to call upon Monwabisi Makhawula.  We are trying to finish the issue, the incidents of Cradock before we go to lunch.  Reverend Xundu?

REV XUNDU: Thank you Mr Chairman.

MONWABISI MAKHAWULA: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: Thank you.

BONGANI FINCA: We welcome you Mr Monwabisi Makhawula and we will hand over to Ntisiki Sandi who is going to help us to ask you questions on behalf of the Commission.  Can we please get someone to go outside to talk to the people outside, to please keep quiet?

MR SANDI: Thank you Mr Chairman.  Mr Makhawula, in your statement you said that if I can just summarise your statement shortly, you are a resident here in Cradock.  Is that so Mr Makhawula?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes, that is so.

MR SANDI: Please come nearer to the mike so that we can hear you.  When did you arrive here in Cradock?

MR MAKHAWULA: I arrived here in 1960.

MR SANDI: And you are still a resident here?

MR MAKHAWULA: I came here with my uncle, he was a minister at the time.

MR SANDI: Shortly as a resident of Cradock you took part and you were a member of political organisations.  What organisations are these?
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MR MAKHAWULA: I started in the 1960's together with other men who were around here.  We were together, we were members of the ANC.

MR SANDI: Your membership or your involvement in such organisations, it caused problems for you with the police.  Can you please tell us what the police did to you?

MR MAKHAWULA: In 1983 we came together and we formed a Residents' Association called CRADORA, it was known as Cradock Residents' Civic Association.

MR SANDI: Who are these people which formed this organisation with you?

MR MAKHAWULA: I am talking about Matthew Goniwe,  Fort Xalaha, Sparo and Mrs Sibanda, Mrs General and Mrs Kaye.

MR SANDI: You formed this organisation and you worked with the aim of the residents.  You said that in 1983 the problems started.  Can you please explain that?

MR MAKHAWULA: There were always problems here in Cradock, but we formed this organisation to try and solve problems in 1983 here in Cradock.  I think it was between June and July in 1983 when we formed this organisation, the Residents' Association.

MR SANDI: At this time Mr Makhawula, I will let you explain your story to us from the beginning to the end and I will not interrupt you except if there is a need for me to do that, and I will do that.  After that we will ask questions.  You can continue with your story Mr Makhawula.

MR MAKHAWULA: Thank you.  In 1983 when we formed this Residents' Association, one of the main aims of this was the rent issue and in 1983 when here in Cradock, a new location was being built, it was known as Thlatha and the municipality here or the council here in Cradock, made a
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sliding scale and that was unusual here in Cradock.
 People had to pay rent according to their salaries and that was unusual to the community in Cradock and they didn't consult with the people of Cradock.
 They were just told about it.  What was very painful to the people and what was not acceptable to the people was that if your house is the same as your neighbour's house, it was with the same bricks and everything was the same, and you have to pay R100-00 and your neighbour maybe had to pay R500-00.
 And that was unacceptable to the people.  And the people did not like this.  Even the Government and the municipality did not like our organisation.  And it was found out that the issues here were different.  There was a political intention behind, there were community councillors and they were not acceptable in the townships because people would ask questions that if there is such a problem, why can't community councillors do something.
 They were fighting against the Residents' Association and Matthew Goniwe was pointed out to be the one who was responsible for this Association.  As a result of this, he was dismissed from school.
 And that was also unacceptable to people because they liked Matthew Goniwe very much.  And above all he was good at school and they wanted him to be a principal in the school because when he came to the school, things were better, there was respect at school and at the end of the year, the results were better than the previous years.
 So the people of the township were satisfied with the work of Matthew Goniwe.  Again, I made a mistake that he was dismissed, he was transferred to Graaff-Reinet and that was
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not acceptable to people here in Cradock.
 When the people analyzed this they found out that there is a danger in this.  That since they knew that the police were after him and suddenly they stopped and they said that they are waiting for the schools to be closed and the children to stop school in November and after that they send this telegram that he has been transferred to Graaff-Reinet.
 And the people saw that there is some danger in this that the police might do something to him on the way there.

MR SANDI: Did he actually, has he been transferred, Mr Goniwe?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes.  They transferred him.

MR SANDI: Did he to this place, to Graaff-Reinet?

MR MAKHAWULA: No, he did not go.

MR SANDI: According to history if I still remember well, I think Mr Goniwe was finally dismissed because he did not agree to go to Graaff-Reinet?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes, he was dismissed from work.

MR SANDI: Let us now come to where you have complaints.

MR MAKHAWULA: Can you please repeat your question.

MR SANDI: All these things that was happening here in Cradock, you had complaints about them.  Can you please tell us whether you were harassed by the police as a member of this Residents' Association?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes, that happened a lot sir because in this issue of Matthew Goniwe and the school, when he was dismissed from school, when he was transferred from school, we went there a lot because this issue was under my control.
 So I was the one who was responsible for ensuring that he was not transferred.  We went to Regional Director who was Mabel at that time, but we didn't get anything from him. CRADOCK HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
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MR SANDI: Did you take any steps as the residents complaining about his dismissal?

MR MAKHAWULA: Yes, we did.  Firstly when he was dismissed students at school boycotted their classes, that was the beginning of the school boycott when they dismissed him.
 When the officials said they can't do anything because he doesn't want to listen to the authorities.  And that was the beginning of the school boycott in Cradock.
 It started in the high school here in Cradock, Lingelihle High School and today it is known as Matthew Goniwe.  They boycotted classes in that school and other schools also joined.
 There was a students' organisation at that time.  When they were trying to get together to solve this problem, the police banned all the students and for the residents.
 If you wanted to have a meeting, you would have to go to them so that you can get permission and they would ask you why do you want to have a meeting.  The students went to the police to ask for permission, actually they did not go there to ask for permission but they were asking a place where they can hold their meeting.

MR SANDI: Mr Makhawula this step, the one of the boycott and other steps taken at that time concerning this issue of Mr Goniwe, were all the members of the Association supporting this?

MR MAKHAWULA: This decision was taken by the people of the community.  In the meeting people said that Matthew Goniwe is not going to Graaff-Reinet, that was the decision taken by the people.

MR SANDI: Did you see this step as the wise step that students have to boycott schools for such a long time?  What
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was your own opinion?