Amnesty Hearings — Boksburg — 1998-09-15

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Yes that is true.

ADV PRIOR: At the time you were living in the vicinity of Bree Street.  Could you give the Committee the address where you were staying at that time?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: I resided at Maxwell Hall, Flat No. 35, right next to the car where the bomb exploded.  There was store but today it's Joshua Doore furniture shop.

ADV PRIOR: What floor were you on, your flat?  Was it the third floor?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Third floor yes, you're correct.

ADV PRIOR: And was your flat facing the street, that is Bree Street?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: It was facing the street.

ADV PRIOR: Will you tell the Committee briefly about what happened during the morning of that day when the bomb exploded?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: At the time we were preparing for the elections and that was exciting to us because it was the first time the blacks will be voting.  Myself and my son - when the bomb exploded I did not know as to what was happening.  My son by the name of Umfundo was in the living room and I was in the bathroom.  I got severely injured, my son as well.  He came to rescue me from the bathroom as I could not walk properly and he was injured as well.  Both doors - one could not open but they were blast open as a result of the bomb that exploded.  I had no clothes at all that I could wear and we had to leave the apartment.  It was dark, we left and we went outside.  I had a towel around me, in other words I wrapped a towel around me and I met others outside who were injured as well approaching from Small Street.  I was helped by people I did not know at all who enlisted some help to me and crossed the street and I met other women who gave me clothes to put on because I only had a towel around me.  I could not even think properly, my vision was failing me especially my right eye.
	I was taken to the hospital and I did not get enough help.  When they dressed us, they dressed us on top of the wounds that already broken pieces of glasses.

ADV PRIOR: Mrs Gumbi can you possibly tell the Committee the extent of your injuries and the injuries to your son?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: I cannot use my right arm, this is far it can go up.  My eye as well, the vision is not clear.

ADV PRIOR: Your right - your arm, is it your left arm?  And was that cut, the glass or whatever penetrate your body?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: It's my right arm - it's my left arm yes, it doesn't work properly and my left eye has well has been affected.  This is how I used to look.

ADV PRIOR: You're referring to a photograph of you in the Star newspaper 25th April 1994 is that correct?  Mr Chairman, bundle A, page 16.  Under the title "Teacher grabs son and ran naked from her shattered flat" is that correct?
	What injuries did your son have?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Umfundo was injured at the back and severely sore and they are still trying to extract the pieces of glass from his back and in 1994 it was not easy for him at school and 1995 had to repeat the same standard because the results were disastrous.

ADV PRIOR: Mrs Gumbi you have indicated that you have still problems with your eye and your arm, is that correct?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Yes.

ADV PRIOR: Are you under any medical treatment or do you receive any medical treatment for that?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Yes I do but for the past three years I was not able - in other words I could not work.  I only started in 1997.  I was employed, I went to Saint Theresa at a Roman Catholic School, that's where I was working.

ADV PRIOR: Is it correct also that you have submitted a statement which has been referred to the Reparations Committee of the TRC, in other words your particulars have been obtained?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: That is true.

ADV PRIOR: Mrs Gumbi just a final aspect.  You've been present at the last set of hearings in June and you were here yesterday listening to the evidence.  What is your attitude regarding the amnesty applications of the various applicants?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: I know my Government is sensitive, the Government is going to sympathise with them.  It is not within me to decide whether or not they will be granted amnesty but I know very well, they know themselves that today I'm a victim.

ADV PRIOR: Is that all you wish to say, Mrs Gumbi, about the applications?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Whatever they are saying they're telling a blatant lie, they are lying through their teeth.  There is nothing absolutely that they have said which is true.  I know they'll be granted amnesty but one thing I know for sure is that they are lying through their teeth.  That's a blatant lie, they refer this and that and that and you cannot find any correlation in their evidence and the prison is where they belong, must be their home.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY ADV PRIOR

CHAIRPERSON: Are there any questions anybody?

ADV GCABASHE: Mrs Gumbi I have a question for you.  Please explain to us that area, the vicinity of where you used to reside, was it an apartment flat type of residence or who were residing there?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Blacks were dominant in that area and it's quite a number of apartments in that area.  There is Bree Street - Bree Street alone there are apartments on the left side and on the right hand side starting from Eloff down and we were residing just a block away from Shell House.  I think they intended - the whole thing was designated for Shell House but we happened to be victims.  The impact of all this could have even touched the Shell House as well.  That's where the other car which was parked got effected.

ADV GCABASHE: On Sundays this place is quite busy?  Or how is this place especially on Sundays - is there any tranquillity at all or not?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: No on Sunday it's quite calm, there is no traffic whatsoever, it's just quiet.  Everybody is at home, my son was at home as well.  Around ten on a Sunday, just imagine where could you wake up to be going to?  Fortunately I had not left for my shift at seven because if I had done that I would have died on the street.

ADV GCABASHE: Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Gumbi, how do you feel about life in South Africa today?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Maybe I will put this badly, my lord, but I must say it - I must divulge and tell you whatever I feel.  Our Government of National Unity, the current Government, we are being taken as barbarians or people who are not at all literate.  As a teacher I will be teaching a white child and that white child would not be looking at you as a teacher, he will be looking at you as a maid and will even pose a question to you and say "are you really a teacher?" because all what we are known to be are thieves and domestic maids as well, our place is in the kitchen and they don't see us as blacks with proper state of mind.  It's not like we're in some kind of rivalry with them or competition with them, but that's how it's appearing that we're in competition, some kind of competition with them.

CHAIRPERSON: I've also been asked in the past whether I'm really a Judge.  Now how has this effected your life?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: This coming Thursday, my advocate knows very well, I'll be teaching in another school.  I won't even hide that school - can I tell you, disclose the name of the school?  I was at Waverley Girls.  When they heard that I came and appeared, to this school, in June, they fired me and I know that is not proper in as far as labour law is concerned.  They spoke ill of me to other schools plus the former Roman School that I used to teach at.  Right now, I don't have any job, I'm not working but fortunately my God provided with me with some job but I'm afraid of telling them my former or my records because I'm afraid they will gather such information negative about me and fire me as well.  The state in which I am today is not appealing at all.

CHAIRPERSON: You seem to understand better than some others the processes with which we are busy with in this country, am I correct?

NOKWAZI GUMBI: Yes that's very true.