Human Rights Violation Hearings — Klerksdorp — 1996-09-24

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you.  I am just going to ask you a few questions to make sure that we have got the story down correctly. You say that you were the chairperson of the local civic association at the time. Is that correct?

JOE NDLOVU: Yes, ma'am.

YASMINE SOOKA: And because the civic had planned a consumer boycott of the White businesses, you had given them three months, and when the three months expired, the civics then decided to embark on this boycott.  Is that correct?

JOE NDLOVU: That's true, ma'am.

YASMINE SOOKA: And this was because people in the townships were demanding water, electricity, a proper sewerage system and
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proper schooling facilities.

JOE NDLOVU: Yes, ma'am.

YASMINE SOOKA: That it was after that the first attack took place on your house. Is that right?

JOE NDLOVU: Yes, ma'm.

YASMINE SOOKA: Could you tell me, you talk about the fact that you also then decided to boycott local taxis.  Was the local taxi owned by a policeman, because in your statement you talked about it belonging to a policeman.

JOE NDLOVU: Yes, it is true. These taxis were not for policemen, these people were conniving with the police, with the local people to come and attack us.

YASMINE SOOKA: You also mention that you were in, you were detained for three days, after the attack.  Where were you kept?

JOE NDLOVU: Christiana.

YASMINE SOOKA: After that period, was there any other time that you were in detention?

JOE NDLOVU: Yes.

YASMINE SOOKA: Could you tell me for how long and where you were kept?

JOE NDLOVU: At Christiana for the first time, it was before the consumer boycott, it was just detention without trial. They were just questioning me about UDF, and what is happening.

YASMINE SOOKA: You talked about the fact that your case lasted for four months.  During that time were you out on bail or were you kept in prison?

JOE NDLOVU: I was outside with bail, bail of R400,00.

YASMINE SOOKA: And the case that you actually pressed against the police, have you ever heard anything about what happened KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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to that particular case?

JOE NDLOVU: Nothing, even now I didn't even hear a thing.

YASMINE SOOKA: Just for the record, did you instruct any attorney to act on your behalf?

JOE NDLOVU: Yes. I had instructed - that's Mohamed Randera whom I have instructed to help me with the case.

YASMINE SOOKA: One more question.  After you were - the Court found that you were not guilty, did you press charges against the police for wrongfully, for malicious arrest and for detaining you?  Did you ever bring any claim against the police?

JOE NDLOVU: Yes, I opened a case against the police.  Even up to now I don't know what, where the case is. They just gave me a card and even if you can go to the police station you won't get any kind of information in that regard.

YASMINE SOOKA: Is there anything that you would like to add before I conclude with you and hand you over to the other Commissioners?

JOE NDLOVU: Yes, I was asking that this Truth Commission should take steps against these four people, Bungewe, Snack and major steps against Lotter and again against Vorster, because those are the people who are responsible that I should be killed.  Then thereafter, after they saw that we are now strong, they would send police from Christiana, Lichtenburg, Klerksdorp, Potchefstroom and Orkney, Stilfontein, Johannesburg, to mix them, to come and disturb us. When they come in they would look for my head.  They were shouting my name, called Vespa.  I could hear them from the distance.  I would enter the house and run away because I was afraid to be killed.  They went to call April.  He tried, this April and then I went even and slept inside the
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jackal's hole.  I even, I haven't put something so that snakes should not even enter there, because I was the only one who knew where I am sleeping.

YASMINE SOOKA: Thank you. I think that we have noted, you have mentioned their names in your statement as well.  We will certainly follow that up.  I am now going to ask the other Commissioners if they want to ask you any questions.
 Thank you very much, Mr Ndlovu for coming.  Your statement has been very revealing about the kind of harassment that took place in your particular area.  You yourself have been subjected, particularly, to many different forms, and the worst of it is the attacks upon your house and your family.  That was a violation in itself.  We thank you for sharing the information with us and we are also conscious of the fact that you in fact are telling us that something needs to happen about these people who have done all these things.  
 The Commission certainly is in the process of identifying people with information and shortly we will be releasing names of those whom they intend to bring in under section 29 of the Act.  We again reiterate our invitations to those who have been guilty of gross human rights violations, to come in and apply for amnesty.  Again, I say, that the date, the 15th of December is approaching very rapidly and we note that if you do not apply, you will lose a wonderful opportunity to be free of this heavy burden.  We also think that it is very, very important for us to make sure that we know the truth of what has happened in our country.  The only way we can do that is both victims and perpetrators come forward.  So that justice can be seen to be done in the form of accountability for people's actions.  KLERKSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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We would like to thank you for reminding us of that duty.  Thank you for sharing your story with us. 
 Faizel, are there any announcements that you would like to make?

DR RANDERA: Chairperson, that brings us to the conclusion of today's statements.  I want to thank all those people who have travelled such long distances.
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