Human Rights Violation Hearings — Lusikisiki — 1997-03-24

UNKNOWN: We will give reverence to those who passed away. Before they can appear they can appear in front of this Commission, we will give respect to those who died in the Nxusa incident and those who disappeared, their bodies were not found and buried and we'll also give respect to those who were hanged after the Nxusa incident and those who were detained and harassed and then passed away.  We will call all the names of the people who passed away in their different circumstances.  We will call their names.  After that we will pray.  Let us all rise.
 We remember Mr Wanna Johnson, Khoyo Chagi, Ntamehlo Sipika, Rapotshe Ndindwa, Sijumba Mlandelwa, Madodana Ndzoyiyana.  We remember Funqu Bambaliphi, Buyile Mguleni, Headman Phakimile Bele, Howard Siya, Claimant Nondabula, Phungulwa Mchizwa, Sukani Mbuthuma, Nanabezi Gazula.  We remember Mankungweni Nomntwana, Mhlazwa Mfuntane Sithembile Mphoswa Ngakavu, Mr Mbodli, Silo Sipika, Oliver Melane, Jonas Masoyini Gwayi, Stanford Mditshwa and simon Giqi. We remember Mdodi Tshandu, Thaktshana Mayidume, Bubesi, ...(tape ends) ......Nomnyaka Qalanyobe.
 Let them rest in peace Lord, and give them Your everlasting light, thank you.
     We will now call Mr Clement Khlehlana Gxabu and Mr Simon Silangwe to come forward please.  Simon Silangwe and Adolphus Cele and Mr Leonard M Mdingi, if he's not here we will call him when he arrives.  
 We are going to swear in Number 30 and Mr Simon Silangwe, he's not on the list. And then we are going to swear in Adolphus Cele, he's on the list.
 We welcome you all, and we thank you for availing yourselves and for coming here today.  We will give you time because you are here to give us a picture or a background about the struggle which took place in Pondoland.  Others have agreed that you can give the background and they will just come forward to confirm what you have just said.  This is a great responsibility because you are going to speak on behalf of these people.  Others have passed away and you are going to give us the picture, you are going to give this country the picture of what happened on this particular day, this incident of the Ngquza here.  We would like you to take an oath.  Reverend Xundu is going to help you to take an oath.

REV XUNDU: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  Will you please
stand up?

CLEMENT KHEHLANA GXABU: (sworn states)

SIMON SILANGWE: (sworn states)

ADOLPHUS CELE: (sworn states)

UNKNOWN: We will start with you Mr Gxabu, your evidence will be led by Mr Ntsiki Sandi and I will hand over to him to ask you questions on behalf of the Commission.

MR SANDI: Thank you Mr Chairperson.  I would like to greet you all gentlemen, we will begin with Mr Gxabu.  Mr Gxabu you have been given a responsibility to tell this Commission the background or the history of this incident when people were killed on this particular day in the Ngquza Hill.  I will lead you with questions Mr Gxabu, I will ask you short questions and I will hand over to you to tell us the whole story and if you have missed out something, Mr Silangwe will help you.
 Let me begin Mr Gxabu.  Here in Pondoland, where do you stay in this area?

CLEMENT KHEHLANA GXABU: I stay in the Taweni village in Holy Cross.

MR SANDI: On this particular day, the day of the incident, were you a resident in this village?

CLEMENT KHEHLANA GXABU: Yes.

MR SANDI: That area was also affected by this incident?

CLEMENT KHEHLANA GXABU: Yes it was affected.

MR SANDI: At this time Mr Gxabu, I will hand over to you and please tell us shortly about what happened.  Please tell us exactly what happened in this area and I will hand over to you to explain the whole story.  Thank you Mr Chairperson.

CLEMENT KHEHLANA GXABU: Firstly, in 1959, as the residents of this area we were complaining because the government took decisions
for ourselves, and this government was using the chiefs 
which were ruling us, which were our leaders.  They we
coming from the meeting which was known as Ibonga from Umtata.  The chief would come to the people and tell them what will happen.  These chiefs used to come to us, we had dompas(?) and we had to wear them in our necks and there was also this thing of the Bantu Education, which we were against it and we wanted to be represented in Cape Town Parliament.
 We had to pay taxes for our cattle and we thought it an enigma that we had to pay taxes for our own cattle.  These are the reasons why even the magistrates would not listen to us. Our leader Wanna Johnson, who was also of the royal family, we were then trying to figure out what we would do.  It then came from Bizana that we should not take cognisance of the courts of the chief.  We elected Thembizi Mphoso and Wanna Johnson  to represent us, also Machibini Nokwengwe who is present today in this hall.  We elected six men to go to Bizana for a report-back.  Gizana then said to our leaders that we had elected, at that time Jikindaba Mhlanga who was a chief had passed away, his death was a suspicious one.  They were given another date to come back.
 We then said it would be too late, we should continue, then everyone was called to Hode on a mountain. People came from seven villages, even from Flagstaff.  We all met on the 13th of March 1960.  We were then supposed to go to Ngquza, we never got there because we stayed in Mcokotheni, the boers came, they started shooting, they shot sporadically, we left and went down to Nhodi where we were supposed to meet.  We then asked a man, Linda Mabija that asked a person that's with the chiefs now and again, and would go to 
Umtata, what was going on.  Then Mabija told us what was 
happening.  We then asked him to plead guilty for taking 
part in what was oppressive to us.  After that we went to Ngquza, we were talking and there were people from Bizana, 
Lusikisiki.  As we were talking the helicopter came, it was full with people, you would never say that it was Ngquza,we were disturbed by this helicopter.  
 As we were going down the mountain, about 48 police vans emanated.  They came and they stood before us, they were silent, they stood in a line.  We did not say anything either. I think Mahambehlala's son who had a gun, shot in the air and this is when the police said we must disperse, they gave an order.  As we were starting to leave, the helicopter came, there was tear gas everywhere.

MR SANDI: Excuse me for a moment Mr Gxabu. What did you say a bhanoyi is?