Human Rights Violation Hearings — Sebokeng — 1996-08-08

PROF MEIRING: Thank you.  I think those are the questions I wanted to ask to clarify but I am positive that my other colleagues have questions to add to that.  Thank you Professor Meiring.

UNKNOWN: Thank you Professor Meiring.
HRV/1051

MS SEROKE: /...
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MS SEROKE: Mrs Radebe you said earlier on Tabiso at the time when there was got inside he went outside?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: Yes Tabiso went outside.

MS SEROKE: Don't you know the reason why he left the house?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: No we were left behind, we don't know the reason.

MS SEROKE: Kenny was shot dead in Gauteng, didn't you get any post mortem result or a death certificate?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: Maybe Kenny's parents got the post mortem result and the death certificate.

MS SEROKE: You said your house was destroyed even at the time when you were not present and your furniture, you even requested your neighbours to keep your furniture for you?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: My aunt and them requested our neighbours to keep my furniture.

MS SEROKE: Now are you prepared to go back to your house?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: No not at all.  I have given it to someone else.

MS SEROKE: What were you scared of?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: I don't want to stay in that house anymore.  I won't rest at all.

MS SEROKE: I thank you.

UNKNOWN: Mr Mantata?

MR MANTATA: Thank you. Would you say you knew anything about the activities of Tabo?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: I only knew Tabo as a comrade.  I didn't know any of his activities.

MR MANTATA: Would you know what position of leadership he could have held?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: No Sir.
HRV/1051

MR MANTATA: /...
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MR MANTATA: I don't know if I understand you well.  It seems Kenny's fright when the police came was slightly too high, a little above normal.

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: I think he was highly scared because he wanted to hide himself in the wardrobe.  He didn't want to get out.

MR MANTATA: Do you think he could have known anything about Tabo's activities?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: I think he got scared because of the bang that he heard in the kitchen.

MR MANTATA: And when you were called, or when you were charged what were you charged with?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: They never said anything to us, they just took us to the cells.

MR MANTATA: And then when you appeared in court?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: They said the case, my case and Martha's case were now dissolved.  They said we should get out of the witness box.  That is all they told us.

MR MANTATA: And now having left that house are you happy and feeling comfortable with the new communities that you are living with?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: I am staying with my sister now, and I am comfortable, but I want my own house.  I would like to have my own house, not the one at no. 4000.

UNKNOWN: Mrs Radebe if I may just ask a few questions please.  I just want to clarify these issues.  These young people who were in your house, I mean you yourself say you were a comrade, you knew Tabo as a comrade and you knew them as MK cadres, did you know that they had arms in your house that night?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: No I have never seen them with any weapons.  I never saw them handling weapons that night.
HRV/1051 DR RANDERA
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UNKNOWN: Now the police report of the incident says that there was a fight, that there was a shoot-out between Rangwane and Tabiso who were killed and them, is that what you recollect?  I understand that it was 2 o'clock in the morning, there was a great deal of confusion but your own recollection was there a shoot-out?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: I don't know which groups were shooting outside because I went back into the house.  At the time when we heard gunshots we were in the house.  We only went outside after being teargassed.  I don't know, I don't have any information with regard to the shoot-out between them and the police.

UNKNOWN: Sorry, can I just, I am not trying to make life difficult for you, please excuse me.  You say in your statement that when the police first came in they grabbed you by the shoulder.

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: That's correct.

UNKNOWN: And then you saw a policeman leading Rangwane and Tabiso out of the house.  Did they have guns on them at that time?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: No, I don't remember having seen them with guns.  It was Rangwane and Tabo, Tabiso was already outside the house.

UNKNOWN: So you feel they were killed by the police that night?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: I believe so.

UNKNOWN: Thank you Mrs Radebe.  Mrs Radebe we have listened to your story.  I think I would just also like to add that what happened that night also had repercussions of course, that on that night Rangwane Lefedi and Tabo Mosebe were killed in Sharpeville.  Three months later eight
HRV/1051 members/...
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members of the same Lefedi family were shot dead by unknown people in Sharpeville.  It is alleged that the women were raped before being shot.  The Lefedi family had complained on a number of occasions about the police intimidation and harassment following the death of their eldest son Rangwane Lefedi in January '92 during a shoot-out with the South African Police.  Rumours of Ketisi/Kwamadala Resident involvement the sole survivor of the attack claimed that killers had said they were from Kwamadala.  Do your remember any of this?

MOSELE ANDRONICA RADEBE: I know about the Lefedi family that was wiped off.

UNKNOWN: Mrs Radebe thank you very, very much. I am sure what happened that night will always remain imprinted within your memory.  I hope that the opportunity that you've had today has given you some peace.  That you have been able to come and speak about this and clarify the issues once more.  We have heard your requests about your house and the Reparations Committee will take note of that.  Thank you very much for coming.