Amnesty Hearings — Benoni — 1998-09-08

ADV STEENKAMP: Have you ever belonged or supported any political organisation or movement while you were still in South Africa?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: No Sir I was only 14, I was not aware of any political organisations, or even understand the politics.

ADV STEENKAMP: So at the time of the injury you were 14 years old?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: Yes Sir.

ADV STEENKAMP: Ms Clemenson can you maybe just indicate, how did it happen that you visited the Wimpy Bar at that specific time during these - why, what happened?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: I was out shopping with my father and his fiancee.  We were going clothes shopping, we were due to go for lunch at the Squirrels Nest.  Time was pressing on and we had made arrangements to meet friends, but obviously we had missed them.  We happened to be in the plaza because my father was looking for a new jacket, and we were in the clothes shop next door, and I was hungry basically and I insisted on going for a Wimpy because I like their Wimpy burgers and we used to go there frequently from school.

ADV STEENKAMP: Am I right in saying that you were actually sitting next to the person that was actually killed in the Wimpy Bar?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: Yes Sir I asked Mary-Anne to move places so we could sit down.

ADV STEENKAMP: You previously indicated that you think there was no political, or there is no political motive for the applicants.  Can you just elaborate on that, why you're saying that?  I mean the incident occurred - these applicants are saying they did it because it was part and parcel of the struggle as it then existed.  How do you feel about that?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: I don't believe it, I think that they were just looking for extreme soft targets and that they were animals wanting to make themselves known and going about it the completely wrong way.  They had absolutely no political motive whatsoever because they attacked children, they attacked whites and they attacked blacks.

ADV STEENKAMP: And then lastly, can you remember how busy was the Wimpy at that stage just before the incident?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: Yes Sir, it was absolutely chock-a-block.

ADV STEENKAMP: Okay.  Thank you Mr Chairman, no further questions.  Thank you.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY ADV STEENKAMP

CHAIRPERSON: Have you got any questions Mr Koopedi?

MR KOOPEDI: No questions for this witness.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR KOOPEDI

CHAIRPERSON: Ms Clemenson you were a resident of South Africa at the time?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: Yes Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: You are now a resident of England?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: Yes Sir.

CHAIRPERSON: Did you emigrate because of this blast?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: I went back to England with my mother because the Red Cross were unable to fund my medical fees anymore, and my mother and myself were very, very scared, so we went back to the United Kingdom to my other family that was still there and I had all my further surgery back in England.

CHAIRPERSON: How would you feel if any one or all of these applicants who now admit to having caused the blast were to approach you and make their peace with you?  How would you - what would be your attitude towards that?

AMANDA JANE ELIZABETH CLEMENSON: I would not accept it because I do not believe that they are genuine.  I think they are just saying what they are saying to get amnesty, or attempting to get amnesty to walk away.  Their lives are intact, they may have committed a number of offences, but they do not go home with the nightmares that I have at night time;  they do not close their eyes and see the Wimpy Bar;  they do not smell the burning flesh; they do not ...(indistinct) when they go out in the ...(indistinct);  they do not see the horror on my family's faces when I undress and they see my scars.  I am unable to have a relationship with somebody because I am so repulsed myself by my body, let alone let somebody else see it.  There is nothing that could ever put that right.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes thank you.

ADV STEENKAMP: May the witness be excused Mr Chairman thanks.
WITNESS IS EXCUSED

ADV STEENKAMP: The last witness I will be calling will be Mr Victor Serrano Mr Chairman, Honourable Members.  Mr Chairman there is also a request that the son of Mr Serrano will be assisting him during his testimony if there is no objections to it.

CHAIRPERSON: ...(inaudible)

ADV STEENKAMP: Sorry Mr Chairman, it's Victor and then Serrano - S-E-R-R-A-N-O.  He will speak in English Mr Chairman.
	Mr Chairman just before we start, maybe for the record and for the relevance of this witness, this witness is the father of the late Mary Serrano who died in the incident and it was the only deceased in the bomb blast.  Thank you Mr Chairman.

VICTOR SERRANO: (duly sworn in, states)

ADV STEENKAMP: Thank you Mr Chairman.  Mr Serrano just before we start, you are currently a retired person.  Can you indicate to the Committee what was your occupation during 1988?

VICTOR SERRANO: Mr Chairperson in 1988 I was a factory manager in telecommunications organisation company in Boksburg.

ADV STEENKAMP: Am I also right in saying that the person - you are the father of the person that was killed, can you give - and that was your daughter.  Can you give her full details to the Committee please.

VICTOR SERRANO: My daughter Mary-Anne D'Oliveira Netto Serrano.

ADV STEENKAMP: It's D'Oliveira Mr Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Oliveira.

ADV STEENKAMP: And can you indicate to the Committee how old was she when she was killed?

VICTOR SERRANO: My daughter was 21 years old.

ADV STEENKAMP: Can you remember how it happened that she visited the Wimpy Bar at that specific day of the incident?

VICTOR SERRANO: Mr Chairperson it was usual, not just Mary-Anne, but sometimes myself, my wife and the children to, we used to go to Benoni at the time, do shopping, whatever, and we always stopped at the Wimpy Bar around this time to have some food and refreshments.  	On this particular day my daughter Mary-Anne she decided to go by herself.  She went to pay some accounts and obviously again the usual, she went to the Wimpy Bar.  I believe she was expecting some friends, some ex-colleagues from the South African ...(indistinct) where Mary-Anne was working, did work before, and that's it.

ADV STEENKAMP: Just before we go to the applicants itself, you've indicated to me that Mary-Anne was busy or was in a planning session of being married?

VICTOR SERRANO: Yes Mary-Anne she was engaged a week before and she planned to be married in December.

ADV STEENKAMP: Mr Serrano you've listened and you've heard the evidence of four applicants, all four of the applicants, can you tell the Chairperson and honoured members why you are opposing the application?