Human Rights Violation Hearings — Ladybrand — 1997-06-25

CHAIRPERSON: whole body because there is no woman among us.  Then they told us that it is not then procedure that we should see the whole body.  Then I told them that I want to verify because I have some questions.  Then I told them that I am outside and he is inside, how can I see him clearly.  Then they said that is not the procedure.  They said I should go and look for a doctor and then I should come back with a doctor.  We went back to look for a doctor.  We came the following day.  When we arrived with a doctor the doctor didn't go with us, he just alighted the car and get a different direction.  And when he came back when we were in Sergeant Makiba's office then the doctor just informed us that he has seen him, he has hanged himself.  Then we questioned the doctor how, because he accompanied us, and he is the one who should accompany us to the corpse so as we should tell him, "This is the person we want you to see."  He just said,"He hanged himself," and then said, "There is nothing I can do," then he left.  And then we see this thing is disturbing us.  Then they said, "If you are still doubtful we will take you to the hall and then we will show you the legs, that you should just come a little bit closer and look closely and see as to whether that's your real son."  He was still covered with that white cloth.  Then I said to them why don't they uncover the body and be left only with the trouser or the underwear.  Then they told me that that is not the procedure.  Then Comrade Motsabi and Comrade Sakalo said that because I only see the face and the legs we should just leave everything, we will fight for it later, that I should only sign that he is the one and then I should leave many issues, because we were able to see that they  are afraid of something.  Then I signed.  Then on the 5th of January then we buried him.  Before we buried him we took him to the mortuary.  When I went back to see him I was able to see him.  He was chopped in front and at the back.  I showed the comrades who went with him that this person, how is he cut, these people were removing something?  He was cut open, and then he is bleeding.  Maybe this person has been shot or something.  That was the time when we were preparing for his funeral.  Then they said we have no time to go back as we have already signed.  That's the thing they were running away from.  We buried him.  We buried him on the 5th of January 1991.  After that they sent me a letter for an inquest in Bloemfontein.  I didn't go to Bloemfontein ... (inaudible) ... the notice of the inquest to the offices of the ANC that they have sent me a notice of the inquest.  They took that inquest and sent it to the lawyer, Venter, who was working at Cooper & Sons.  They sent me a letter that they are going to make investigations first, then they will tell me after the investigations.  Since that time they said they are going to make investigations up to now I don't know the reasons behind my son's death.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.  Yours is a very long, painful story.  Mama Mahlovo, is there anything you want to add which has not been said?

WITNESS:   In all these things which my father has said he has said them well, but the death - even the incidents which happened before, the harassment by the police, made us suffer at all times, because in many instances we find the police already crowding the house with guns that he was sought by the police.  One day he was asleep, and all of us were asleep, at night.  When  they came they just uncovered everybody, they uncovered the blankets, and they were looking for him.  When we asked them why they are looking for him, we were not supposed to ask.  They would shout at us and then they would uncover us from the blankets.   And they find him where he was asleep.  They pushed us and then they took him outside and they will start asking him.  Even the elder one, they used to assault him the time when they called ... (inaudible - end of Side A, Tape 2) ... together with his wife.  At times we will see the people called ... (inaudible) ... which is the special constables.  They will just enter the house and they will not even ask any questions.  Even at school he was not free at all because all the time he was sought by the police.  He had scars and wounds and bruises all over the body, because at times, you know, he would get swollen on the face.  At times he would be able to identify the people who assaulted him, and there was nowhere he would take this case further legally or to court.  We had to leave our jobs because of the incidences which happened to our children.  He liked education, and the teachers liked him.  He was on standard 10 then, but his life was a problem to us, caused problems, because at times they would tell us that if they don't find him we should go and fetch him, because he's a comrade, he's working with Mandela.  That's how this has affected us.  What happened to him is that when he was detained, when we go to look for him tomorrow he's there at home, and then the police would come and look for him again.  This child was with us then.  We tried to make the girlfriend continue with her studies, but after the death they took the girlfriend and  together with the child, with not good communications by

CHAIRPERSON: the girlfriend's parents.  We don't know how our son was killed.  Up to this day my husband is badly affected, and thereafter I am not able to do anything.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.  I would like to ask a few questions just to clarify some of the things you have just mentioned here.  At the time when your son was harassed a number of police visited your house.  You also say there were even special constables.  Do you know the names of any of these police?  Would you identify them?

WITNESS:   I will not be able to identify them because at night when they arrived they will find us asleep.  They would kick the doors, they would switch off the lights, they would use the torches.  At times they would hide their faces or they would cover their faces.  And these special constables, they will just arrive.  They would arrived during the day at times.  They found me alone at times, and then they would surround the house and others would come inside.  I wouldn't be able to identify them, that those you know them they will stand outside or at the back.  We had a lot of special constables in Botshabelo, and those I knew would never come nearer to us.  Even the police would not come to a point where those we know, they would try to cover their faces, they would come at night in many instances.  The last time when they came to look for him they came with a van full of the special constables and the police who didn't have their uniforms on.  He was still washing.  I only saw the time when he was taken to the van, and they took him with.  That was the last time we saw him for the last time.  He was washing his clothes then, and then I only saw him when eh  was taken to the van, and that was the last time we saw

CHAIRPERSON: him.

CHAIRPERSON: (Inaudible) ... would also not have an idea who these police were, or your late son he never mentioned any of these police, in the sense that these people are known?