Human Rights Violation Hearings — Johannesburg — 1996-04-29

BEN KGOATHE: He found that my father had lots of marks, that he had been whipped with a sjambok.  He had also been beaten with the buckle of a belt on his body.  Even the Dr Joubert, he'd also been told by my father before he died that he slipped on soap, but when the doctor said no, no, no this couldn't have been my father changed the statement.  My father said I had been called by the police to Compol.  Again he was seen by Dr W J Pieterse who also examined him, who found that on his left eye, he had some things on his left eye and even on the left shoulder blade he also had some marks.  Again they called the magistrate, they called Mr C J Jordaan and they requested that a doctor be called so that the doctor could examine him.  And then he was sent to H F Verwoerd and that's where he died.
 That is evidence no.3.  There is the security police who came.  The security police, a number of them who came 
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and gave evidence in my presence, it was P M Venter, A D Meyer, F S Smith, Solomon Chauke, J R Bodenstein, F D Kobe, M J van Zyl, F Hugo.  There was also Reverend John H Bartlett who was also a police chaplain, who was also doing the rounds during working hours.  And to our surprise were all the statements of the security police.  They revolve around he had slipped, we helped him up and he continued to the shower.  At the end of the story Mr G J Strijdom he was not in a position to conclude that any person was to blame for my father's death, and that surprised us.
 When we were investigating this case at home, discussing this case, we decided that we should look for legal advice and my mother went to Mr Joel Carlson.  She gave him some statements, because I also had been to the police station, I saw my father, he also requested me to come to Joburg to bring statements.  I did come on a weekend and I gave him the whole story of what had happened about my father and also what I'd seen on the 16th, sorry on the 18th and on the 19th of January 1969.  
 Instead of waiting for what would happen Mr Joel Carlson was terrorised.  I remember even in his office, even in his house they threw a bomb in his house.  At the end that's why Mr Joel Carlson from an instruction from my mother sued the then Prime Minister, Mr B J Vorster and his Minister of Police, Mr L Muller.  He sued them for damage costs by the government.  Somewhere in 1969 or the beginning of 1970 Mr Carlson disappeared in the country before this case could be completed.
 The police started harassing me, following me around.  When I saw the police harassing me I decided that there was no alternative but to go back to find out what could be 
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wrong.  When I arrived at them I first went to Mr Sono.  Mr Sono is one of the police of security police in Compol building who was staying in Garankua.  I knew where he was staying because during my aunt's death he was the one who was transporting my aunt who had detained then to make arrangements for the funeral of his wife.  That's how I came in contact with him.  He told me the only thing that you should do you must come to Compol building at the office and we will sort out your matter there.  I made an arrangement with him.  I went to Compol building and then we met, we met Mr Venter.  Mr Venter was very harsh to me.  I remember his words when he said to me, you and your mother you've said you killed your father.  We will wring your neck.  I explained that what I have come about, I have come about one or two things.  That first I have got my younger brothers and sisters who are still at school.  That I have got a problem of financing them, and that I was requesting help from them so that they could help me.  
 Number two, I also complained to them that the security police were after me throughout my life.  They told me that they only thing they could do, yes they could help me, provided that I become their informer. Then I told them that what do you mean, what do you mean by saying that I should be your informer?  They said all the people who are against the government I should report to them.  If I do that I will be able to look after my mother and my younger brothers and sisters.  Alright.  I wanted information.
 After that I went to him, Mr Sono, I said I want my information.  What is this job you are requesting me to do, how must I do it?  And then he quoted that people like Abraham Ntwane, how did people like Abraham Ntwane manage to JOHANNESBURG HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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build big houses, where did they get money from, such people.  Those were the people who were supposed to be terrorists and communists but I should follow in their footsteps.  Whatever information I have about them I must bring the information to them.  Alright.  
 After that I went back to Mr Sono as mediator who was the security police.  I told him no, I am unable to do it.  So he said to me government will be prepared to give you money so that you will be able to help yourself, but if you cannot do that that's bad news, and I parted ways with them.
And people like a certain Mr Ditjabe he was also living around Mabopane, Garankua, those were other security police who were after me.  I parted from them around 1971, '72 until this Homeland government and Mr Sono I learned that he was seconded to the Gazankulu government.  He worked there until last year, and he went on pension last year.  Others went to the former Bophuthatswana government.  I really don't know what happened to the others.
 This case, Mr Chairperson, has never made me happy.  After that I wrote a letter to the Attorney General, this case is there in the records of the Attorney General.  When the Honourable...(tape ends)   ...perhaps he can help us.  
 Then my mother was hesitant, that was 1991, '92 and at that time my mother began to be frail and she was sickly and she was a patient of Baragwanath Hospital.  She was in and out of Baragwanath Hospital.  She was in and out of St Joan's Hospital.  She was in and out of Garankua Hospital.  When we wrote a letter to the Ombudsman this Ombudsman said just wait a bit we will attend to this.  And when I realised that my mother was on her dying bed I wrote to the Ombudsman.  He answered me that I will get a letter, he 
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wants more information.  I wrote and I gave him more information about this case.  We've been communicating with this office of the Ombudsman by writing and by telephone until they sent police to go into the case again.  They came to me to take statements.  I have also been giving the same statements all the time.  That's the very same police that are investigating themselves.
 Because of the same reason when I was ...(indistinct) to the police they would come to my home, they wanted information and I told them about Geldenhuys.  I referred him to Mr Masinga, the people who had information and saw my father before my father died.  They didn't go to them.  So I left things like that.  
 Now this case - the government has cost us a broken family.  It cost us health.  My mother had lots of sickness, blood pressure, stress and diabetes until she died in 1992.  We lost property.  I remember in the process, when my father was arrested in Silverton his watch just disappeared there. Up to this day we haven't received that watch.  ....and apologies and perhaps compensation of all this that happened to us.  
 Some of the children couldn't make it through their studies.  The brother who comes just after me left school, the sister as well.  Four of them left schooling because there was no support of some sort.  They are here, they are all listening.  Now what surprised us again is that in 1969 seven people, including my father who died in custody, number one my father who passed away on the 4th of February 1969, Nicodimus Kgoathe, Solomon Modipane who also passed away on the 28th of February 1969, James Lenkoe who passed away on the 10th of March 1969, Kaleb Mayekiso who passed in JOHANNESBURG HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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June 1969, Jacob Monokhotla who also died in 1969, Amem Heron, all these cases September 27th, 1969.  Is that possible?  Should people, a team of people, is it possible that they die in custody?  A number to die in one year.  I am reporting here cases that were reported.   There could be more, I don't know.  Thank you Mr Chairperson.