Human Rights Violation Hearings — Vryheid — 1997-04-17

MR DLAMINI: We'll get it from you afterwards.

WITNESS:   I want to request through you that I relate my husband's story.

MR DLAMINI: (Inaudible) ... as I said that the reason for mentioning that it's very important that I get it.  I'll definitely give you a chance, I promise.  You earlier on mentioned that your son was employed.

WITNESS:   That is correct.

MR DLAMINI: Did you get any benefits from his employers?

WITNESS:   I didn't receive anything from his employers.

MR DLAMINI: Do you have the name and the contact address of the employers?

WITNESS:   No, we didn't receive anything from them.

MR DLAMINI: Thank you.  We tried to investigate the death of your son.  The problem that we encountered is that we did not know exactly where the death took place.  Subsequently ... (intervention)

WITNESS:   At Ekosini(?) where they shot him.  Ekosini section, I believe it's Ekosini section, in Katlehong.  He was on board the train to Ekosini from Germiston.

MR DLAMINI: Were there any eye witnesses?

WITNESS:   They saw him only in the morning.

MR DLAMINI: You don't have any other information that could help our investigators to find out the people who killed your son?

WITNESS:   I don't have it, Sir.

MR DLAMINI: (Inaudible) ... ask that if you get any information at any stage please let us know, because we would like to investigate the death of your son.

WITNESS:   I will do so.

MR DLAMINI: Now I'll move over to your husband.  According to our records your husband was a member of the ANC.

WITNESS:   That is correct. At the time of his death he was 72 years of age.    ---   That is correct.

MR DLAMINI: (Inaudible) ... reported that one relative, close relative to yourself, attempted to recruit your husband to join IFP.

WITNESS:   That is correct.  However, he joined the ANC.

MR DLAMINI: Yes, we are aware of that, that he decided to join the ANC.  Can I now allow you to tell us how your husband was killed?

WITNESS:   He was going towards the mountain to a function there.  Then he also decided to go there to seek refuge, but however Inkatha was heading towards the mountain on the other side.  He didn't observe that.  They attacked him and stoned him, and then stabbed him with a spear.  He fell down.  That was it.  I could not see because I was at hospital by then.  I heard this from the children, who told me that my husband was stabbed by a spear that killed him.  At the hospital they came to my place.  They took our livestock, cows, and the furniture in the house.  They broke the windows.  They burned everything and took almost everything that we had in the house.  We didn't even have anything to bury him in.  Even the cows were taken.  I was left desolate.  I even asked a blanket to wrap him with from Agrippa Molefe's family.  Beforehand his brother, Jomo, arrived at home.  I thought he was going to assist, but I said to him let us go carrying our identity documents together down there.  However, I didn't know what his intentions were.  When he was killed by Inkatha it was because he refused to go there because Job wanted to seek assistance for him.  I am referring to my husband.  He didn't go there.  Maybe he could be alive by now.  Inkatha was from the direction of Nkande, then he was proved to go there to get assistance.  He refused and took his own way.

MR DLAMINI: (Inaudible) ... a little bit.  What assistance was that?

WITNESS:   I am referring to what led to my husband's death.  This man intended to assist him trying to shield him from this attack.  "Come and bring your identity document and join Inkatha so that you can survive."  However, my husband refused.  I was at hospital.  I had suffered from sugar diabetes at that time.  We slept in the veld, or rather at the mountain.  We stay at Haladu.

MR DLAMINI: (Inaudible)

WITNESS:   Yes, we did go back to our original home.

MR DLAMINI: (Inaudible) ... our investigators in contact with the local police station.

WITNESS:   They didn't contact us because there was not good relations between police and the community.  We could only see police Casspirs and soldiers.  This was not discussed with anyone.

MR DLAMINI: (Inaudible) ... and I am sure I did not come across clearly.  What I was trying to say is that the investigators from the TRC, after having received your statement, have been to the local police station to find out the progress on the investigation, or the inquiry about the death of your husband.  As a result of ... (intervention)

WITNESS:   There was no correspondence with regards to that.

MR DLAMINI: Yes, I know.  That's what I am trying to tell her, that this is what we have done from the TRC from the time she gave us her statement.  We have managed to get a copy of the inquest finding and other documents technically known as J56.  I promise that we will keep you informed of our investigations and findings.

WITNESS:   I thank you. We have also noted the loss in the form of 10 heads of cattle, household contents, and of course the irrecoverable loss or your husband and your son.   ---   Yes, that is correct.

MR DLAMINI: Mama, we have also noted your expectations, the things that you would like the TRC to do for you, and we have noted that your late son, Siphiwe, was the main breadwinner of the family.  We really appreciate the predicament that you are in as a result of the two deaths.  As I said to other witnesses before you that all these requests will be conveyed to the State President, and we hope that he will be able - together with his Cabinet he will be able to do something to show solidarity and support to you people.

WITNESS:   We are grateful for that.

MR DLAMINI: As I said that we'll keep you informed, is there anything, additional information regarding the death of your son or your husband, that we think we  must know which is going to help us with our investigations?

WITNESS:  I have no knowledge with regards to those two matters.

MR DLAMINI: Thank you very much for the information you have given us, and also thank you for the time.  As I promised that we will keep you informed of the developments.  Can I hand you over to the Chairperson now.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Makemiso, are you working?

WITNESS:   I am not working.  I am a labourer.  I work on my small gardens.  However, since I have lost my cattle I have got nothing that I live from.  At the moment there's nothing that I am doing.

CHAIRPERSON: Are you presently receiving pension from the State?

WITNESS:   Yes, I do.

CHAIRPERSON: We have listened to your story.  Chief Molefe was also present, he presented his story to us.  It is very problematic that during times that we live in we meet incidents like this.  However, we believe that as time goes on most of the things will be stable in this new South Africa.  As I have said previously, your story will also be included in the report that will be forwarded to the State President, and assistance that might be recommended by the President will come from him.  However, you can consult the counsellors that we have here.  They will try to assist you where they can.  We thank you.

WITNESS:   I am grateful.

CHAIRPERSON: /CHAIRPERSON

CHAIRPERSON: I greet you, Ma'am Mbuthu.  We have heard that you aren't Constance, you are Dinah, and you will be giving testimony.  Now we will ask you to stand up and take the oath.

DINAH MBUTHU: (Sworn, States)

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Lax will be the one who will be helping you in giving your evidence.

MR LAX: (Inaudible)

WITNESS:   Good afternoon to you, Sir.

MR LAX: Just for the record, you have come to tell us the story of your son.

WITNESS:   That's very true.

MR LAX: (Inaudible) ... in-law could not be here this afternoon.

WITNESS:   That's true.

MR LAX: And you have actually made a statement to the Commission already.

WITNESS:   That is correct.