Human Rights Violation Hearings — Vryheid — 1997-04-17

WITNESS:   Right then I tried to go to the house, and I managed to do that, and there was - now the place had turned into a battlefield.  People were running to and fro, and even in the house where I was people had left.  It was myself and my wife and the rest had gone.  We did not even know which direction to head to because the place had turned some kind of turmoil.  I saw the house was burning, my house was burning, and I wasn't too sure whether my parents were in the house as the house was burning.  It was set alight, we don't know by who.  And my father-in-law said to me, "Well, let's do trust and hope that everything is fine.  Though the house was burning perhaps your parents are safe."   The following day I met my cousin and my cousin tried to console me and told me that my aunt and my father were safe, they were not affected at all by what happened.  Then that consoled me a great deal.  And still the battle was going on even to date.  I never took part, especially that I did not know what was happening or what was the gist of the matter.  I will say this.  I went to the ANC.  Somebody said to me, "He is the one who started the fight," and that disturbed me a lot because I now was destitute, I had no place to stay, no clothes, and I had lost my beloved ones.  I am not the one who started the fight.  Somebody else did that, and was telling the community that, "He started the fight," and I know the person who started the fight, and he was counted as one behind this whole thing.  I can't mention his name.

CHAIRPERSON: Can you mention it?

WITNESS:   I can't disclose any names.  I don't think that will be ideal thing to do.  After that I don't know what happened for I didn't see what happened.  According to your statement you make mention of Nquthu Hospital, you went to the hospital.     ---   Yes, I did go to Nquthu Hospital, and still I did not see those who assaulted me.  I was hurt here.  I sustained injuries on my forehead.  I was bleeding profusely through my mouth, and even here on my forehead I sustained fatal injuries.  My jaws as well sustained injuries.

CHAIRPERSON: Who did you see in the hospital?  Do you have any records from the hospital?

WITNESS:   Yes. What about the Nquthu Hospital?  Tell us is it Charles Dot Memorial Hospital, or what?   ---   Oh, those are two different hospitals.

CHAIRPERSON: Explain which hospital you went to?

WITNESS:   It's Johanson(?).

CHAIRPERSON: Can you explain precisely about the issue between ANC and Inkatha?  What was happening at the time, because you say you did not know as to what was happening?  What was the essence of the whole thing?

WITNESS:   I wouldn't say there wasn't anything happening, because I know that ANC was doing its own things and playing around with its flag.  And I couldn't understand as to whether the fight was on or what was happening.  I was lost.

CHAIRPERSON: Did you lay any charges?

WITNESS:   No, I did not lay any charges.

CHAIRPERSON: Explain to the Commission about your injuries.  How do you feel now?  How do you fare?

WITNESS:   Since then I am not as healthy as I used to be.  I can't lift heavy things any more.

CHAIRPERSON: You mean you can't use both your hands to lift up heavy stuff, or one?

WITNESS:   I can't lift, especially using my right hand.  And when it's hot in the day my sight is not good.  And I do get dizzy spells at the same time.

CHAIRPERSON: You have made mention of Gloria Ndlovu.  You told us that Gloria Ndlovu is a wife.  Whose wife is Gloria Ndlovu?

WITNESS:   She is my wife.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you think there were people who witnessed this incident?

WITNESS:   I may ask Gloria Ndlovu because she witnessed all this, especially that she is here.

CHAIRPERSON: No, we cannot let that happen.  Only you have taken  the oath, and only you can render any testimony and say anything even though Gloria has seen that.  But we will also ask you if there were any other people who saw this?

WITNESS:   That much I wouldn't know because I had lost consciousness.  I did not see many things that happened, only afterwards, so I wouldn't know who else witnessed that.

CHAIRPERSON: Would you put your request forward to the Commission?  What would you like this Commission to do for you?

WITNESS:   I would appreciate anything that the Commission could do for you.

CHAIRPERSON: Give us the full names of the witness, the one who -Gloria, we referred to Gloria - her full names.

WITNESS:   She is Thembilihle.

CHAIRPERSON: You mean that's your wife, isn't it?

WITNESS:   Yes.   She is the one who witnessed this incident.   ---   Yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Was she with you during that time?

WITNESS:   Yes, she was with me.

CHAIRPERSON: Is there anything that you will want to say?

WITNESS:  No, I think that is it.

MR LAX: Thank you, Chairperson.  Just two short questions please.  I am not clear if I wasn't listening properly, but I heard you say that you had lost your loved ones, you had lost your house.  Which loved ones did you lose?

WITNESS:   What I said was that many lost their houses and their loved ones, and that hurt me afterwards when I discovered that there was someone who was behind that.

MR LAX: You haven't explained to us how this violence actually started, and in your statement you've said that somebody had spread a rumour that the IFP were going to  attack, and that therefore in response to that rumour the

MR LAX: ANC counter-attacked first.

WITNESS:   Yes, there was something like that.  These two people will get to the IFP and leave the IFP, go to the IFP and say, "The ANC had said this.  They will come today," and leave the IFP and go back to the ANC and say, "The IFP is going to attack, is coming to attack.  Run away."  So there was that kind of thing going on.

MR LAX: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Jabulani, we thank you for taking this opportunity of coming in front of this Commission.  As we have listened to your story it goes to show that that was the time when there was confusion in the area, especially in the community, as you have explicitly explained that there were people who were trying to get the two groups to fight.  And we will not even know whether those people were members of ANC or IFP, but they were strongly behind this confusion.  And you have sustained injuries, and for no apparent reason because you did not even know what was happening.  But it goes to show that we are coming from a terrible time, and you have mentioned that there are names that you won't disclose, and we don't want to put you in that difficult situation.  However, we have our own way of investigating, and we will find out those names, and if need be we will get in touch with them.  As for your injuries and as for your health, there is nothing much that we may promise you now, but there is little that we could offer you, maybe like seeing if you could be taken to hospital in one way or the other, especially that your hands have been strongly affected, you can't lose them and lift any heavy things.  You would need to see the  physiotherapist at the hospital.  And also you get dizzy
things that we will attend to, and the lady sitting right next to you will help you.  And there are people that we will leave behind that we hope will look into such issues and matters and see how they will enlist help to people like you.  And we do thank the fact that your parents survived this.  Thank you. 
/CHAIRPERSON

CHAIRPERSON: (Incomplete) ... Chief Elphas Molefe.  We greet you, Chief Molefe.  Would you prefer that you speak Sotho or Sesotho?

ELPHAS MOLEFE: (Sworn, States)

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Lax will be the one who is leading you into your evidence.

MR LAX: Thank you, Chairperson.  Good afternoon, Chief Molefe.

WITNESS:   Thank you.