Human Rights Violation Hearings — Ladybrand — 1997-06-24

MR LAX: So they must have made a mistake accusing you.  Did they know you?

WITNESS:   Sir, I think these people were bribed to do this action.  I would say they were bought by someone to do this, because we were related in some way with them.  There was another girl in the family who was accusing me of the ... (inaudible)

MR LAX: Sorry, what were you being accused of?  We didn't catch the translation very well.  If you'd just repeat that please.

WITNESS:   This girl was fighting me for the family heir, because we are related, though we were not born by the same woman.

MR LAX: So are you saying that this was a dispute around family succession?

WITNESS:   Yes, because after I was injured she came in, she looked at me, she didn't say a word, and she left immediately.

MR LAX: Did you ever discuss this with her or with these people who attacked you?

WITNESS:   Yes.  I talked to her directly and I talked to my father, and I told her that, "You bought these people to assault me."  She did not give me an answer, nothing, she just looked at me.

MR LAX: So you haven't resolved this issue yet with her?

WITNESS:   She is very shy these days because she comes to my place, and today I am the one who is helping her in turn.  I support her children and I am trying to show her that I am not in the past, I am living now for the future.

MR LAX: Now, how were you injured during this attack?  You haven't told us yet what your injuries were.  Can you just briefly describe them for us please.

WITNESS:   I had an operation and I was injured on the eye, and there are still scars on my body.  The operation is from the chest up to the abdomen.

MR LAX: Did your breathing problems start after that?

WITNESS:  Yes, the breathing problems started after the assault and after the operation.

MR LAX: Now, just one last aspect.  Did you lay a charge against these people?  Did you go to the police and open a case?

WITNESS:   Yes, I opened a case against them.

MR LAX: And what happened with it?

WITNESS:   I do not know what happened.  I think they were equipped with a lawyer.  I did not even go to the Court of Law.  I only heard that they were charged, and one of them served a prison sentence and the others were released.

MR LAX: Okay.  Mr Matela, thank you.  I'll hand back to the Chairperson to see if any of the others have any questions for you.  Thank you very much.

PROF MAGWAZA: Good morning, Sir.  There are a few more questions to ask.  At the time when you joined the group of youths who were toyi-toying, what was happening at that time?  Why were they toyi-toying?

WITNESS:   They were chanting slogans about Mandela, and we were singing about the freedom.

PROF MAGWAZA: Any particular reason you were doing that?

WITNESS:   There was no reason, because I was just passing and they stopped me, they said, "Hey, join us.  Support us.  Sing along with us."

PROF MAGWAZA: The next question I would ask is you joined this group because they asked you to join them, it was not your will, you didn't want to?

WITNESS:   This group stopped me to join them, and they were saying - they were going around the township to take out everybody so that everybody can join them and sing.

PROF MAGWAZA: The other question I would like to ask, you have mentioned hospitals where you received treatment the first time when you were shot at by the police, and the second time when you were assaulted.  To which hospitals did you go?

WITNESS:   I went to Roma Hospital and they told me that they were not going to help me, I should go and be helped at a government hospital.  They just gave me some tablets until the next day, when I went to the hospital.  A shopkeeper took us to the hospital.

PROF MAGWAZA: The shopkeeper took you to a hospital, which one?

WITNESS:   It is a hospital at Aliwal North.  It is the only hospital right in town.

PROF MAGWAZA: The last question I would like to ask from you is that you told us that you suffered injuries in your body, including a major operation running from your chest to the abdomen ... (inaudible - end of Side A, Tape 1) ... back?

WITNESS:   I was working at the municipality, but I was never accepted back at my post when I went back.  I think it is because we were working as temporary workers, we were not registered, they didn't take me back.

PROF MAGWAZA: In other words your life remained the same after the assault.  Although you were severely assaulted and you had operations you still managed to work as before?

WITNESS:   I do try to work, but because of this short breath problem I cannot.  And I feel very nauseous at times, and dizzy, and then I cannot work under these circumstances.  But because of an empty stomach I try to stand up on my feet and get temporary employment.

PROF MAGWAZA: Are you getting any medical treatment now?

WITNESS:   Yes, I attend doctors around here.  I went to Aliwal North ANC branch to ask them what was happening about me.  Now the attorney that was acting on our behalf in that year told me that that time has since passed and I should go and consult with the ANC branch at Bethulie, but they could not help me.  I am saying they could not help me because up to now they have never said anything to me.

PROF MAGWAZA: The last question, have you tried to apply for a grant, because it looks like you can no longer work as before?

WITNESS:   I tried, but the doctor doesn't care at all.  I told him about this problem at the back of my head and he saw that my nerves were troubling me, but he doesn't care at all, he doesn't help me fill the forms.

PROF MAGWAZA: Okay, thank you very much, Mr Matela, but one thing that could help is to see the local social workers.  Probably they could be in a position to help you.  Thank you very much.

PROF MAGWAZA: Mr Matela, just one question.  You say that you were suspected of being an IFP member.  Did you have two organisation around this area?

WITNESS:   I do not want to feed you with the information I do not know.  I only heard that members of Inkatha were around.  You know, I was new in this township, I was arriving from Bloemfontein.  I never even saw these people with my eyes, but I heard as they were talking that around the township there are members of Inkatha, but I have never seen them really.

PROF MAGWAZA: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: We have heard your story, Mr Matela.  Of the heart of darkness there seems to be a common phenomenon around all where we go, these shootings of people, innocent people, when they are walking, and it is very unfortunate that even the people who should have protected people, like the police, all over where we go we find that they are the people who have been shooting people.  And it shows really that we are coming from the heart of darkness.  And you have asked here in your statement that you feel that there must be a community built for the community for rehabilitation, a monument built, and we are going to pass these things to the President.  We don't give these things you are asking here, we just make a recommendation to the President and the Government.  And we are very impressed that you are thinking of the community which has been broken by violence, that it should be built again to be the community which it used to be.  I thank you very much for coming forward, for telling your story, and we hope that your telling of the story is going to have a process of healing in you.  Thanks a lot.

WITNESS:   I also thank you, Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: /CHAIRPERSON

CHAIRPERSON: There are some people who are not here.  We are trying to re-arrange the order.  We are trying to sort ourselves.  This person should have come on the day two, and because of certain circumstances he comes day one.  Again I am going to ask Ilan Lax to make you take an oath.

MPAFANE KHANG: (Sworn, States)   (Speaking English)

PROF MAGWAZA: Good morning, Jacob.

WITNESS:   Good morning.