Special Hearings — Children's Hearings — 1997-05-14

WITNESS: I got injured and my uncle took me to hospital,   to Ixopo Hospital. I stayed in that hospital. They failed to help me. They transferred   me to Edendale Hospital. That's where my leg was amputated. At home they requested   me from the hospital. I didn't like going back to Ephatheni because I thought   ANC did what - shot me. My uncle took a car and they went to KwaGengeshe. The   situation got tense at KwaGengeshe so I had no choice but to return back to   Ephatheni. It wasn't easy for me to return to Ephatheni. I went to my mother's   house. I wasn't satisfied about the treatment we were receiving from my stepfather.   My stepfather used to swear at my mother. I asked the white man whom I was working   at to take me to Government offices so that I could obtain an ID. He helped   me and I have obtained an ID, and I started working at Mr Gomez. I got married   to my wife, or I paid lobola, and she was pregnant at that time. At that time   I was receiving pension, and my child died. I started taking care of my father's   child, or rather my stepfather's child. And then he grew up and then he got   married. My mother left her house and then she came and stayed with me, and   then my stepfather came and chased my mother out of my house.

CHAIRPERSON: So the situation is that you are living in your own house.

WITNESS: Yes, I am staying at my own house.

CHAIRPERSON: Is your mother back with you again?

WITNESS: She ran away, because   my father came and told her that I was his child and she must go away from my   house.

CHAIRPERSON: Now, I want to just go back a little bit to the time

CHAIRPERSON: /that you

CHAIRPERSON: that you were shot. Can you - what happened? Were you driving   a vehicle, were you walking on the road? You didn't say very much about that.

WITNESS: I got injured because on a Monday afternoon after work I had to bring my   mother some maize meal, and I have heard about the situation that it was tense,   so I took one of the lorries and I went home. I am staying nearby, and then   the lorry dropped me there, and I got attacked late at night at home.

CHAIRPERSON: So you were walking to your mother's home?

WITNESS: That's correct,   it was my mother's home. It was before I have my own house.

CHAIRPERSON: Now, in your statement you've said that you believe that the   people who shot you were actually IFP members.

WITNESS: Yes, they were IFP members.   I wasn't happy that I was attacked by ANC. I wasn't happy that the people who   attacked me were ANC.

CHAIRPERSON: Sorry, the translation is saying ANC and you're saying IFP.   Can we just clarify this please? The people that attacked you, what were their   - what was their political affiliation?

WITNESS: It was late at night at about half   past 11. I wasn't happy that it was ANC who shot at me. I think - I suspect   that it was IFP. I am not happy that it had been said that it was ANC.

CHAIRPERSON: Who said it was ANC?

WITNESS: As I have already explained it was   late at night. In my mind I wasn't happy that it was ANC. Besides, the way the   ANC used to attack people they will come and they will not run away. Those people   who attacked me ran away, and my uncle when he came he didn't find them there.

CHAIRPERSON: In fact you're not quite sure who they were, you

CHAIRPERSON: /didn't

CHAIRPERSON: didn't see them at all?

WITNESS: No, I am not sure. I never got   to know who they were.

CHAIRPERSON: In that place where your mother was living at that time what   was the predominant political affiliation?

WITNESS: At Ephatheni we were divided   into two. When this thing happened I wasn't there, but I know those boys - or   rather the youths in that area they were divided. They youths left their parents.   They used to come at night and attack.

CHAIRPERSON: What was your own political affiliation at that time?

WITNESS: Where   I grew up at KwaGengeshe there were no political organisations. I was staying   at the white man's house where I was working.

CHAIRPERSON: So are you saying that you were not aligned to any political   party?

WITNESS: Yes, I wasn't, because I was staying at the white man's house. I   became an IFP member because I am now at Ephatheni.

CHAIRPERSON: Just to deal with your injury. You lost your leg in this incident   and you now have a false leg, is that right?

WITNESS: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON: Are you able to work and ... (incomplete)

WITNESS: No, I am unable.   I tried to go back to the white man I used to work for, and he told me he can't   give me any job now. Now he can't give me any job. I didn't further my education,   I left school at standard five.

CHAIRPERSON: Do you get a disability pension?

WITNESS: Yes, I do, even though   I have faced a problem in 1994 July.

CHAIRPERSON: Was any report made to the police about your shooting?

WITNESS:   No. Police didn't receive any information because people were threatened to   - they were scared to talk to police.

CHAIRPERSON: /So are

CHAIRPERSON: So are you saying that some people did actually see what happened,   but they were too afraid to talk to the police?

WITNESS: At home they know about   this incident, but people were scared and they were being attacked by talking   to police.

CHAIRPERSON: So there's been no case about your injuries?

WITNESS: There was   never one.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you. I just want to see if any of my colleagues want   to ask you any questions. (Pause)

CHAIRPERSON: Bhekisizwe, I can see here that what's really sad is that you   lost your future. Is that true?

WITNESS: That is correct, I lost my future, and I   could tell earlier on that I will become a star in soccer.

CHAIRPERSON: You are still young. Can you please tell us your dreams?

WITNESS:   There are some dreams which are still left, which are still there.

CHAIRPERSON: Which one where we can help you so that you further your dreams,   or you make your dreams come true?

WITNESS: I tried initially to survive, and I was   selling liquor and cool drinks and food, but now I have lost that chance because   the owner of the shop came close by, and now he is selling from his house. What   I would really like to know from you is that of course you've got injured, you've   lost your leg, but now your mind is still there. Do you have a dream or something   that you want to do? We just want to know how we can help you. --- I've made   contact with my uncles. I have tried that they should take me to a driving school,   but now because I have lost my leg, and they have realised that I am now injured,   I should try something else, I should use my pension to buy material so

CHAIRPERSON: /that I

CHAIRPERSON: that I can make things.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you. That's exactly what we wanted to know. We wanted   you to tell us as to how we can help you. After you've made up your mind you   can come to our offices and let us know how to help you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Mbanjwa, I would like to go back a little bit, especially   as to why were you injured, or why were you attacked. You said you are now an   IFP member.

WITNESS: Yes, that is correct.

CHAIRPERSON: When you were attacked were you a member of IFP?

WITNESS: No, I   wasn't, because even today I am not a cardholder of IFP.

CHAIRPERSON: You also said that when you were attacked there were rumours   that ANC people attacked you.

WITNESS: Yes, that was well known, because if you were   attacked as an IFP member it was a usual thing that they will say IFP attacked   you, or if you were IFP they will say ANC attacked you. But with me I didn't   believe because I was staying in a white man's house and I wasn't affiliated   with any political organisation.

CHAIRPERSON: Why would IFP attack you?

WITNESS: I believe that they can attack   me because there was a rumour that I wasn't brave.

CHAIRPERSON: Who said you were not brave?

WITNESS: IFP members used to call me   a coward.