Human Rights Violation Hearings — Duncan Village — 1996-09-24

REV XUNDU: I would like them to take an oath.  Christopher, please stand up.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

MR SANDI: Thank you.  Mbuyiselo Nqokotho.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

MR SANDI: Nontuthuzelo Mvandaba.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states).

MR SANDI: Over to you, Mr Chairman.

BONGANI FINCA: Would you please like to behave yourselves please.  We know this hall is full, but we cannot tolerate the noise, because it disturbs us, thank you.

MR SANDI: Thank you Mr Chairman.  I would like to start with my Mbuyiselo Monster Nqokotho.  I would like to greet you Mr Nqokotho, this afternoon.  When reading your statement, you are going to talk about yourself.
 You said on the 13th of August in 1985 you were toyi-toying in the street and while you were still toyi-toying you were shot by the South African Defence Force.  Can you 
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please tell us what happened on that day Mr Nqokotho?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I will you.  On the 13th of August while toyi-toying in the street, we were shot by the SADF soldiers.  We tried to throw stones to the soldiers, but we didn't had them.
 While I was still trying to run, they shot me in my arm and in my back.

MR SANDI: Was it at night or during the day?

UNKNOWN: It was during the day?

MR SANDI: Do you still remember the others who were with you toyi-toying?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

MR SANDI: Are they people you know in the township?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I do know them.

MR SANDI: What injuries did you get?

UNKNOWN: I was injured very much.

MR SANDI: Where did you get injured?

UNKNOWN: In my right hand and in my back.

MR SANDI: You said that there was a car who took you to hospital, to Frere Hospital.

UNKNOWN: Yes, there was a car taking us to Frere Hospital.

MR SANDI: Did you ask this car to take you there or the owner of the car was just helping?

UNKNOWN: Yes, the owner of the car was just helping people who were shot on that day.

MR SANDI: What happened when you got to Frere Hospital?

UNKNOWN: I was unconscious when I went to Frere Hospital.  I fell down and then I woke up the next day.

MR SANDI: How long did you stay in Frere?

UNKNOWN: I stayed for seven days.
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MR SANDI: The Doctor who was treating you, what did he say.  What did he say, where were you injured?

UNKNOWN: He said that I was injured by a bullet and he took the bullet out from my back.

MR SANDI: Do you still remember the name of the Doctor?

UNKNOWN: No.

MR SANDI: Do you remember the ward you were sleeping in?

UNKNOWN: No.

MR SANDI: In your statement you said that you didn't, you never laid a charge.  Do you have a reason for that?

UNKNOWN: No, I didn't lay any charges.

MR SANDI: Did you go to any attorneys?

UNKNOWN: No, I didn't.

MR SANDI: Do you get any medical treatment today?

UNKNOWN: No.

MR SANDI: Is there a need for that, for medical treatment?  Is there a need for you to get any medical treatment?

UNKNOWN: No there is no need.

MR SANDI: Mr Nqokotho, for being here today, what is your request to the Commission?

UNKNOWN: My request is that since I was shot in my arm my muscles were cut off and I can't use my arm and I can't be employed.
 I just want the Commission to consider that, because only one arm is working.

MR SANDI: When you were discharged from the hospital, did you go back to the hospital for treatment?

UNKNOWN: Yes, but I stopped because I saw that there was no need for me to go there.

MR SANDI: Why did you go back to the hospital in the first place?
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UNKNOWN: I went there for, to get some bandages for my arm.

MR SANDI: Did they say, did they tell you to go back?

UNKNOWN: Yes, they did.

MR SANDI: How long did the bandages stay on your arm?

UNKNOWN: I stopped using the bandages after 20 days.  After 20 days I stopped using the bandages.

MR SANDI: Is that all you want to say Mr Nqokotho?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

MR SANDI: I would give this opportunity to the Chairperson now.  Thank you Mr Nqokotho.

BONGANI FINCA: Revd Xundu.

REV XUNDU: Mr Nqokotho, do you have a family?

UNKNOWN: No, I don't have a family.

REV XUNDU: You are not employed right now?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I am not employed.

REV XUNDU: Do you want a pension?

UNKNOWN: Yes, something like that.

REV XUNDU: Thank you.

MR SANDI: At this time I would like to call Nontuthuzelo Totyiswa Mvandaba.  Ms Mvandaba, I want to verify your names.  Are you Nontuthuzelo Totyiswa Mvandaba, is that so?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

MR SANDI: You are residing in the C-Section here in Duncan Village?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

MR SANDI: As I am looking at your statement, you are going to talk about yourself.

UNKNOWN: Yes, I am going to talk about myself.

MR SANDI: About the incident which happened in August 1985 at the time when the soldiers were here in the township?

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UNKNOWN: Yes.

MR SANDI: In your statement, you said that - what did you
say happened on this day?

UNKNOWN: On this day I was going out of the back to the line to take my clothes from the line.
 When I went back home at my house, I heard something on my arm.  I touched my arm and then I saw blood.
 I just saw people helping me because - they were touching my arm, helping me to go inside the house.  They took me to the hospital, to Frere Hospital.
 In Frere Hospital I was treated there, they gave me injections.  And then I woke up the next day, sleeping in the bed.
 I just woke up there the next day in the ward.

MR SANDI: What really happened on that day?

UNKNOWN: I was shot from my arm and it penetrated through my arm and it came out in my fingers, in my hand.

MR SANDI: In your statement you said that you were shot by the soldiers.  Did you see any soldiers before you were shot?

UNKNOWN: What I saw on that day, was a mello yello car.  I didn't see any other thing, except that mello yello car.

MR SANDI: You said it was in the afternoon at about four o'clock.

UNKNOWN: Yes, it was in the afternoon at about four o'clock.

MR SANDI: Is the car which took you to the hospital the same one which took Mr Nqokotho?

UNKNOWN: I don't know, but what I saw is that there were (indistinct) who were at the back of their car, but I
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just travelled with their car in the front seat.

MR SANDI: Do you get any treatment today because of what
happened that day?

UNKNOWN: No, but I used to be treated, but I stopped now.

MR SANDI: Where did you go for check-ups?

UNKNOWN: At Frere Hospital?

MR SANDI: When you were stopping it, did you see that there was no need for you getting at treatment?

UNKNOWN: There is a need for me to get treatment, because I cannot use this arm.  I can't even wash my clothes.

MR SANDI: Is there any other way ... (tape ends)

UNKNOWN: Yes, that is all I want to say.

MR SANDI: Do you have a request to the Commission?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I do have a request.  I can't work with this arm, I can't support my family.

MR SANDI: So in other words, your request is what?  What is your request Ms Mvandaba?

UNKNOWN: My request is that I want the Commission to help me support my children, because I cannot support my children.  I was not born like this, I was just shot for no reason.

MR SANDI: Did you make any claim for the disability grant?

UNKNOWN: No.

MR SANDI: Is that all Ms Mvandaba before I give this opportunity to the Chairman?

UNKNOWN: Yes, that is all.

MR SANDI: Thank you Ms Mvandaba.

BONGANI FINCA: Revd Xundu.

REV XUNDU: Thank you Mr Chairman.  Do you have a family
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Ms Mvandaba?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I have six children.

REV XUNDU: Do you have a husband?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I do have a husband, but he is unemployed.

REV XUNDU: Which standards are your children at school?