Human Rights Violation Hearings — Duncan Village — 1996-09-23

BONGANI FINCA: We would like to call Mqondeni Wilmont Bottoman.

INTERPRETER: The Speaker's microphone is not on.

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: (sworn states)

INTERPRETER: The Speaker's microphone is not on.

REV XUNDU: ... in your car?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes, I was coming from work.

REV XUNDU: Where were you working at this time?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: I was a rep in the Company.  I was  working in T.W. Becketts at that time.

REV XUNDU: On that day, you were travelling with your car.  You were not at work at that time?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: I was from work, it was a Monday.  I was on my way from work from Ntanzani.

REV XUNDU: What was the time at that time?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: It was around four o'clock in the afternoon.

REV XUNDU: You met this crowd and what did they say to you?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: I met young children and it was at the time of the unrests.  They asked me for petrol and I refused to give them.

REV XUNDU: Did they say what they wanted to do with this petrol?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: No, they didn't say but I could see what they wanted it for because they were burning all over at that
DUNCAN VILLAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
2 MW BOTTOMAN
time.

REV XUNDU: In your life was there anyone who didn't like you concerning the political unrests?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: I knew that people were busy with political activities at that time.

REV XUNDU: What did they say to you when you refused to give them the petrol?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: They didn't give me any story, they were in a hurry, they just needed the petrol and I told them I didn't have petrol.

REV XUNDU: What did they say to you?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: They didn't say anything at that time, but they just - they told me things when they were burning my house.

REV XUNDU: When did this happen?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: They asked me for petrol on the 12th and in the early morning at three o'clock they burnt my house.

REV XUNDU: Did you recognise any of them?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: No, it was at night, it was dark so I didn't recognise any of them.

REV XUNDU: When they were asking you for petrol, did you recognise any of them?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: No, I didn't.

REV XUNDU: Did you see anyone you recognised?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: No, because I don't know many of the young people so I didn't even recognise their voices.

REV XUNDU: On this day, what did they do at your home?  What damage did they do?  On this day, what damage did they do at your home?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: They burnt my house, they burnt my cars, everything, they burnt everything.
DUNCAN VILLAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
3 MW BOTTOMAN

REV XUNDU: Did you get any compensation from the Insurance Companies?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: No.  Can you please repeat the question.

REV XUNDU: On all of these damages, did you get any compensation?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: There was only one car which was insured.  I did get some compensation, although it took a long time.

REV XUNDU: You say as a result of that, your wife was so shocked that she had to be treated at a hospital?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes.

REV XUNDU: What really happened to your wife?  Was it really a shock?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes, it was a shock and she didn't even want to come here but I forced her to come here.  She is still suffering from the shock due to that incident.

REV XUNDU: How many children do you have?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: We have three children.

REV XUNDU: Were they injured due to this incident?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: It was a pain to them, but we tried to comfort them, because what happened happened.

REV XUNDU: Were  they  treated any badly in the township?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: No, because we went on that day, we left at the township on that day.

REV XUNDU: You decided to leave?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes.

REV XUNDU: Do you have any problems with your health due to this?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: I couldn't say this affected me, but it is just on my mind.  Up until now I just want to know what happened.  I didn't accept this.
DUNCAN VILLAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
4 MW BOTTOMAN

REV XUNDU: Did you continue working for this firm?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes.

REV XUNDU: This Committee does not guarantee anything, but it asks the requests from people and it gives back the report to the President and the President meet with other Committees in order to have answers, but we would like to ask you if you have a request to this Commission you can say your request.

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: I don't like to plea, but if the Commission has something to give me I will accept that.

REV XUNDU: Can you please explain that.

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: I say that if the Commission can help me to regain what I've lost because of the struggle, I would appreciate that.

REV XUNDU: Was your house insured?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: The Council said that the houses were insured, but I tried to extend my house and I lost that because I didn't receive money to, because my house was extended, I didn't receive enough money.  The Council just gave me what it thought to be enough.

REV XUNDU: The approximate value is R150 000-00.?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes, because I counted my furniture, my house and my cars and that's why I said it is plus or minus R150 000-00.

REV XUNDU: I would like to give this opportunity to the Chairman, thank you.

BONGANI FINCA: Thank you.  Are there any questions?  I would like to give this opportunity to Ntsikelelo Sandi.

MR SANDI: Mr Bottoman, on that day when these boys asked petrol from you in the street from your car, did you go back home?  Did you tell your family what happened to you?
DUNCAN VILLAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
5 MW BOTTOMAN

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes, I did.

MR SANDI: Who did you tell at home?  Did you tell your wife?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes, I told my wife.

MR SANDI: What did she say?  What happened when you were away?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: She said that they started during the day when she was at home, because she off duty at that time.  Two boys came, two or three boys came to my house to ask for petrol.  One of them said that he can open the car and take the petrol out and then  my wife told them that they can't because the cars had a safe and one of them stopped and one wanted to open the car.

MR SANDI: Did they get petrol from this cars?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: No.

MR SANDI: You said that on the pre-hearing briefing yesterday, there was a neighbour who came to you.  What did he say to you?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: My neighbour since he was shot, he came to me and said that we are in the least of these people wanted to burn our houses.

MR SANDI: Did he tell you the reasons for this?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: No, he didn't.  I just told him that in this township my house isn't going to be burnt.

MR SANDI: You said, Mr Bottoman, on that night how did you sleep after hearing that you were going to be burnt?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Since they said that we didn't sleep well.  We went to bed with our clothes, because we were waiting for anything that could happen.

MR SANDI: You say you slept with your clothes?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes, I slept with my suit and a jacket on top of the suit and I slept with those clothes.
DUNCAN VILLAGE HEARING TRC/EASTERN CAPE
6 MW BOTTOMAN

MR SANDI: Mr Bottoman, you said you brought this matter to
the political organisations?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: Yes, I did.

MR SANDI: Did you get any answers from the political organisations at that time?

MQONDENI WILMONT BOTTOMAN: I didn't get any straight answers, but they said they will look at this matter.

MR SANDI: On that day your house was burnt, did you call the police or the fire brigade to help?