Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Elizabeth — UNKNOWN

APPLAUSE: (?) Chairperson, does anybody have some questions?  Mrs Stratford, if the Arch Bishop was here he would say that we are a wounded nation, that there were no winners on either side.  That the pain which we all have gone through has affected both Blacks and Whites.  I think your coming here today confirms that the Truth Commission is not about just hearing stories from the Black communities or stories of Human Rights Violations which were perpetrated by the State.  I think you being here today confirms very clearly that in its task, and in fulfilling its mandate, the Commission wants to hear stories from all sides, from all political parties, from all South Africans who have been affected.  We hope that by being open and that by facilitating the truth that we will have as true a picture as is possible throughout the country so that we can very quickly go about the business of healing and reconciling our nation.  
On behalf of the Commission I would like to thank you and say God's peace and promise that the Commission will do everything in its power to facilitate the court proceedings on your brothers.  I believe that Mr Sandi would like to say something.  Mr Sandi?
Mr

N SANDI: Thank you, Chairperson.  Mrs Stratford, coming from Grahamstown I just want to confirm that one of your brothers, Allister, was very well known to me.  At some stage he had to teach me part-time one of the legal courses I was doing at Rhodes University.  All that you have said about him is entirely the truth.  I think the death of people like Allister goes to show the type of insanity we used to have in this country.  Thank you, nice to know you.
(?) Before you leave the podium, may I say that the price we paid for our freedom is very deer indeed.  The price was paid on both sides.  For that reason we need to cherish that freedom.  We need to respect individual and personal dignities.  We need to respect life.  And that if this country can go forward that we need to re-discover one another, both Blacks and Whites, and that we need to reconcile and move our country forward.  Thank you, very much.

WITNESS: Thank you.

WITNESS: IS EXCUSED

CHAIRPERSON: We call to the podium Sicelo Apleni.  Let us settle down, please.  We understand that this hall is packed today, but please people give us a chance so that we can try and summarize things up now.  We do not have much time anymore.  Sicelo Apleni, welcome.  Mr SICELO APLENI D.S.S.

CHAIRPERSON: Reverend Xundu is going to try and guide you.
Rev

N XUNDU: You are here to tell the story about your torture and severe ill-treatment in detention.  Could you please tell us in short, where do you live?  In organisation are you involved in?  What are you doing?  Just in short.

WITNESS: My name is Sicelo Apleni.  I was born in Korsten here in Port Elizabeth.  I live at 82 Mdali Street at Zwede.  I specialize in karate.  I have been doing karate for 33 years now.  I am doing security work at SANCO.  I am the Head of the Anti Crime in the whole region.  Thank you, Reverend.
Rev

N XUNDU: Thank you.  In this torture and detention, in which organisation were you?

WITNESS: Reverend, can I just start before we get there.  In 1976 I was here in Port Elizabeth.  That was when the White people were shooting at SACS.  In 1977 I was there.  
I was one of the Comrades who were helping to hide all those African children who were shot by these White men.  In 1979 I was here and I was one of the people who formed PEPCO.  Now I would like to come up with this information bit by bit.  It started in Zwede Township.  It was led by Comrade Thozamile Botha and Mr May and other Comrades.  We formed a branch at Zwede.  From there we went to Dhako Hall.  We as the community of Zwede agreed that we must form a branch of PEPCO in Port Elizabeth.  Still during 1979 I was working at General Tyre.  I was asked by the Comrades, some of them are here, that people of General Tyre were tortured.  From October to November I organised a strike.  At that time the workers were quite few compared to what they are now.  Things started to be hot at that time.  We went to St Stephen.  We put across our demands.  Unfortunately the security people at that time discovered me.  They said that I am the one who is instigating this whole strike.  They divided us as the workers.  At that time we were only 19 who did not come back to General Tyre.  I was one of victims.  In 1978 I got a job.  In 1980 when I got this job Dennis Neer, Government Zeni and Dumile Makanda, they said to me, "We have a job for you at Ford."  When I got to Ford, at that time at the Engine Plant Department there was no trade union.  The one that was there was FOSATU.  It was only for White men.  
At that time I was a member of PEPCO.  I was in the Engine Plant.  I formed a trade union.  I was the first one to fill in that form and put it into the plant.  The White boere chased me.  They said I must leave.  I must go and work outside.  It was raining.  I was told not to mix with the other workers.  Fortunately, Chairperson, I met great Comrades like Thozamile Botha, Dumile Makanda and Comrade Tobo here next to me as well as Mr Zini.  They said, "Comrade, go ahead."  So I formed this trade union in the Engine Plant.  It was very difficult.
I do not want to take a lot of your time.  Let me continue.  During 1980 at Zwede where I stay, this young man whom you are talking about today now, it hurts me, Reverend when you are talking about Mtimkulu.  at the end of 1980 Mtimkulu was already sleeping at my house.  I was hiding him.  I was hiding him at Mdani at my own house.
Rev

N XUNDU: Was he trusting you with your karate?

WITNESS: No, Reverend, I am not going to tell you about those secrets, but I was keeping him at my house.  During 1981 when Mtimkulu was shot at Mjoli he fell right inside my own yard.  He said to me, "Apleni, Tongata shot me."  Let me repeat this, Reverend.  Maybe you did not hear this correctly.

CHAIRPERSON: Could you please control yourselves.

WITNESS: Reverend, it was Mtimkulu and Mjijwa, they are from Kwazakhele.  I passed Mjoli only to find out that inside this tinted combi was Tungata, Faku and also Roelofs.  They shot Mtimkulu.  He staggered.  Mtimkulu fell in my own yard at Mdani.  I took Mtimkulu and I hid him, Reverend then I went to report that to his family and that was the last time I saw Mtimkulu.  Now, Reverend, coming to 1985.

CHAIRPERSON: Please give him a chance.

WITNESS: During 1985 on 12 May it was on a Sunday evening we were from Konga, that is where my family lives.  At that time SABC would only go up until 21h00.  We were from another house where we watched TV.  At that time I had a car.  It was an Escort.  It was only a year old.  When I got into my yard my family was in the car.  My family got out of the car.  When I got into the kitchen I looked into the mirror.  I could see that there were two people approaching me.  There was already this conflict between UDF and AZAPO.  Reverend, I got out of the car just as a confident person who has been trained.

CHAIRPERSON: People, please calm down.  We are running out of time.  Give him a chance.