Human Rights Violation Hearings — Witbank — 1997-06-05

DR RANDERA: Mr Malan?  Mr Lewin?

MR LEWIN: Mrs Mkhatshwa, can I just ask a few questions.  you have mentioned the two teachers in the documentation which we have.  There's also a report that came later in the year, in November 1988 saying that, I'm quoting, that an ANC activist had been apprehended.  This was in a statement from the then Minister, Adriaan Vlok.  Do you know anything about that?

UNKNOWN: I don't know the name of those people who were arrested.  I don't know anything.

MR LEWIN: You don't know whether they were charged?

UNKNOWN: As far as I know they were sentenced but I don't know what happened after that.  The last thing we heard that they were somewhere in Middleburg.  We don't know anything regarding the verdict.  We just heard that the case was over and the people were sentenced.

MR LEWIN: You didn't hear of another case in November where someone who was said to be involved was actually chased and shot in Vosloorus?  You didn't hear of that at all, did you?

UNKNOWN: No, I didn't hear anything like that.  I have not knowledge regarding this.

MR LEWIN: Could I ask a general question about how you in the community, you  in particular were affected because of what happened to your family?  You were involved very personally.  How did you feel at the time, afterwards?  What was your reaction?

UNKNOWN: Things changed after that.  My health deteriorated and even to-day I still can't forget my father.  Each time I come across difficulties, I remember him and think, if only he was around I could call on him and he would respond.  He would be there for us.  The whole family miss him a great deal.

MR LEWIN: Yes, I'm sure.  Outside of that personal grief, have you come to terms with the, I suppose what we could call, the political reality of what happened?  That this was obviously a planned attack to try and bring change.  How did you react then and how do you feel now?

UNKNOWN: I don't accept anything that happened then and even now.  To-day we don't have a father and other people have fathers.  Other children have fathers.  We miss our father.  That's all I can say.

MR LEWIN: Thank you very much.

DR RANDERA: Christinah, can I just ask one other questions.  You spoke earlier on about your perceptions as to why the bomb was placed outside that building.  Can you tell us what else was happening in Witbank at that time?  I said there was some elections to take place, Local Council elections to take place the next day but in the township or in the town, was there a lot of political activity taking place in 1988?

UNKNOWN: I don't remember.  I don't have any recollection of that.  If my memory serves me right, I would say that the situation that prevailed at the time was stable.  I was a person who was not involved with political things and unrest.  I don't have any recollection of the situation that prevailed at the time.  I might have forgotten many other things especially when I was younger.

DR RANDERA: My other question is to do with these teachers you mentioned or these two people who were arrested.  As far as you know, were they from Witbank?

UNKNOWN: No, they didn't come from Witbank.  I've forgotten where they came from but they weren't from Witbank.

DR RANDERA: Thank you, Christinah.  I have no further questions.  Is there anything ....... sorry.  Miss Mkhize?

MS MKHIZE: Have you tried to get in touch with a Psychologist because what we've found out is that people suffer these atrocities and after that get affected mentally?

UNKNOWN: I don't understand what you are talking about.

MS MKHIZE: I'm talking about councelling of some kind.  Maybe Psychological councelling or pastoral councelling.  Have you tried to do something of this sort so that you may start your life afresh?

UNKNOWN: I used to attend Roman Catholic Women's gatherings and I am the type of person who prays a lot.  I pray because I do believe that God will enlighten our future and our way.

MS MKHIZE: What I'm thinking here, is that we as the Truth Commission do provide services to enlist help to people like yourself, who have undergone atrocities.  Besides prayer we do have other help, such as Psychological councelling.  I'm asking about that in particular.  Have you tried that?  Have you tried to get in touch with the social workers for instance?

UNKNOWN: No, I haven't.

DR RANDERA: Christinah, thank you very much for coming.  I don't think anybody in this hall or anybody else listening to what you said, cannot but be touched by what you said about how the loss of your father has affected you regardless of what the political conflict was at the time.  You and your family suffered an enormous loss and you continue to show the scars of that, even to-day.  We empathize with you on that.  We have some information already but we need to go back and look at what happened in this area because clearly, you would also like to know although you have some impression that some people were arrested and charged and sentenced.  From what you've said you would like to know who these people were and why the bomb was planted in that particular area.  We hope that we will be able to come back to you with some of that information in due course.  Thank you very much for coming to-day.   Before I call the next witness I just want to clarify something I said earlier on.  I said to-day was the last day of hearings in this area but that does not mean that we've stopped taking statements.  People who are working with the Truth Commission will continue taking statements in this area and already Christinah, for example mentioned the name Masina.  Elias Masina who was the other person who was killed in that bomb blast but we don't have a statement from him and so if people in the audience here know of other individuals who were victims of Gross Human Rights Violations, please encourage them to continue making statements.  The life of the Commission goes on until December of this year, so we will continue taking statements in the office but people in the area will be taking statements over the next month or two and to-day.  Sorry, there are people, if there are people who want to make statements to-day, we have statement takers in the foyer, so if you want to go out quietly and give your statement, that will be most welcome.  Thank you very much.