Human Rights Violation Hearings — Grahamstown — 1997-04-09

CHAIRPERSON: On behalf of all of us I wish to convey our deep sense of gratitude for the minister for leading the devotions for us this morning.  It was very brief, but indeed very touching and very deep.  We are going to proceed in the same fashion as in the past two days in this our last day here in Grahamstown.  We will ask that anyone who cannot understand Xhosa move to our administrative desk and obtain a set of headphones.
 Those who do understand Xhosa, we will appeal to you to please make these sets available to those who need them because yesterday there was a shortage of these headsets.  We will use Xhosa for our proceedings mainly except for those witnesses who prefer to testify in English and we request those people who have limited or no understanding of Xhosa to please get the earphones.  We request again that those be left on your seats when you leave after the end of the proceedings or when you decide to leave the hall.
 Tiny Maya will report to us on the order for today.

MS MAYA: Thank you Chairperson.  Honourable Chairperson, on this our third and final morning here in Grahamstown, the 9th day of April 1997 I would like to place before you the list of people who have applied to appear before this Human Rights Violations Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission.  
 I am going to place it in the order in which they will appear before you today.  Today we have 28 witnesses who will appear before this Committee, who will be testifying about two regions, Grahamstown and Fort  Beaufort.  Firstly I will read the name of the witness, then the name of the victim who was violated, the violation, the year and the area in which the violation took place.
 Firstly Nosipho Angelina Mdyogolo will testify about Mtandazeli Patrick Mdyogolo who was murdered in Grahamstown in 1985.  Nonzame Elizabeth Koliti will testify about the murder of Nontle Koliti in Grahamstown in 1986.
 Ntombomzi Makafe will speak about an attempted murder on herself in Grahamstown in 1986.  Mava Zolele Rwexu will speak about severe ill-treatment on herself, the murder of Nonose Hoboshe, Yunguma Priscilla Hoboshe and Vuyiswwa Hoboshe in 1986 here in Grahamstown.
 Nomakhwezi Georgina Siko will testify about Nontozake Siko's murder in 1985 here in Grahamstown.  Bulelwa Florence Xhanga will speak about the murder of Siphiwo Xhanga in Grahamstown in 1985.
 Nonzima Edna Bikishi will speak about the murder of Phindile Lhelhe Mbenge in Grahamstown in 1986.  Patricia Fundiswa Sukula will speak about severe ill-treatment, her severe ill-treatment and the murder of Nontyatyambo Medeline Sandi in Grahamstown in 1986.
 Tenjiwe Quenette Madinda will speak about her severe ill-treatment and arson in 1986 here in Grahamstown.  Timoti Mbuyiselo Pota Mlonyeni will speak about his severe ill-treatment and arson in Grahamstown in 1986.
 Koloman James Mantile will speak about the murders of
Jane Msuthakazi Matyani and Johnson Pakamile Mantile in
Grahamstown in 1987.  Zinakile Eric Peter will speak about Topsy Peter's murder in Grahamstown in 1987.  Misile De Villiers Nondzube will speak about his severe ill-treatment and arson in Grahamstown in 1987. 
 All the following witnesses will be from Fort Beaufort and because they are all from the same place, I will not mention the name of the place.  Nelson Sakumzi Duma will speak about an attempted murder on himself in 1985.  Nowatase Regina Kobese will speak about the murder of Notiti Steven Kobese in 1984.  Nozipho Eunice Siyona will speak about the murder of Phindile Siyona in 1985.
 Nokhaya Lili Madakane will speak about the murder of Thozamile Swartbooi Madakana in 1985.  Nomatemba Agnes Ndingane will speak about the murder of Selby Zanemali Ndingane who was murdered in 1985.
 Nosisi Violet Payi will speak about the murder of Bukelwa Notargane Payi in 1985.  Zanyiwe Sylvia Kama will speak about the murder of Lulama Kama in 1985 and also Xolani Kama.  There was an attempted murder on the life of Zolani.
 Nomtandazo Lydia Kaleniwill speak about the murder of Velile Lennox Kaleni in 1986.  Tembile Alfred Swartboom will speak about his severe ill-treatment in 1985.  Mandla Kaso will speak about his severe ill-treatment in 1985.  Buyiswa Margaret Cekisani will speak about her torture in 1986.
 Tembeka Nocawe Maki will speak about her torture in 1989.  Nkosiyabo David Ngidla will speak an attempted murder.  Kivi William Tyiwa will speak about an attempted murder on himself. Nokwaka Sylvia Nkwalase will speak about the murder of Luvyo Loti Nkwalase who was murdered in 1993.
 Millicent Shumikazi Swartbooi will speak about the
murder of Zwelenkomo Alfred Swartbooi who was murdered in 1993.  Enoch Mali will speak about an attempted murder on his life in 1992.  Nomsaga Anet Danster will speak about the murder in 1986 of Neeba Danster.  Thank you very much Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: We thank you Ms Maya.  We have a long list of people who will be appearing before the Commission today and we will appeal to everyone for your cooperation so that we can reach the end of our list in time and we appeal to you that you maintain discipline and order so that we can complete our hearings in time.  We normally have a set time aside in our hearings where we observe a moment of silence to pay respect for the deceased by announcing their names.
 We will now ask that everyone in the house rise, so that we can remember all those who have passed on.  We remember Mtandazeli Patrick mdyogolo, Nontle Koliti, Nonose Hoboshe, Yunguma Priscilla Hoboshe, Vuyiswa Hoboshe, Siphiwo Xhanga, Phindile Lhelhe Mbenge, Nontyatyambo Medeline Sandi, Jane Msuthukazi Matyani, Johnson Pakamile Mantile, Topsy Peter, and also Notiti Steven Kobese, Phindile Siyona, Thozamile Swartbooi Madakana, Selby Zanemali Ndingane.  And also Bukelwa Notargane Payi, Lulama Kama, Velile Lennox Kaleni,  and also Luvuyo Loti Nkwalase, Zwelenkomo Alfred Swartbooi as well as Neeba Danster.  May their souls and the souls of all the faithfully departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace, amen.
 We don't normally introduce people who announce people when we have our sittings, but we would like to welcome Reverend Lupata who is training priests of the Anglican Church here in Grahamstown, we would also like to welcome
Cyril Hartland who is a priest in Fort Beaufort and he is
also the Mayor of Fort Beaufort.   We welcome you.  We are going to call up the first people, we will call up Nosipho Angelina Mdyogolo, Nonzame Elizabeth Koliti.  We ask that the two of them step forward.

REV XUNDU: Thank you Chairperson.  I would like to swear the witnesses in, starting with Nosipho Angelina Mdyogolo.

NOSIPHO ANGELINA MDYOGOLO: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: Thank you very much.

NONZAME ELIZABETH KOLITI: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: Thank you very much.  Chairman, the witnesses have been duly sworn in.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much you may be seated.  We would like to welcome you here and we are going to ask Mr Sandi to direct questions at you on behalf of the Commission.

ADV SANDI: Thank you very much Chairman.  I would like us to begin with Miss Mdyogolo.  Miss Mdyogolo you are going to testify about the murder of Mtandazeli Patrick Mdyogolo who is your brother, is that correct?

NOSIPHO ANGELINA MDYOGOLO: Yes, that is correct.

ADV SANDI: Because we have all the information in statement form before us, we would like you to just sketch very briefly for us what happened to this boy in 1985.

NOSIPHO ANGELINA MDYOGOLO: Firstly I would like to rectify the year, there is a mistake.  It did not happen in 1985, it happened in 1984.

ADV SANDI: Thank you very much, we have noted that.