Human Rights Violation Hearings — Lusikisiki — 1997-03-26

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: It was at about four o'clock in the afternoon, I was at my place with my neighbour.  Somebody came, introduced himself as a Security Policeman.  He said that he had been sent by Sifuma to ask for Siyabulela.
 I said Siyabulela was at the Tech in Umtata.  They said he was not there, I then said I don't know where he is.  They said that I should look for him.  He then left.
 Time and time again the police would come.  Sometimes I would be at work, I am a teacher.  I requested politely that they should not come to my workplace because the people from the village are against the police.
 They were going to be under the impression that I was liaising with the police.  After a while I was called, there was a meeting, a teachers' meeting and I was called outside.
 Mr Sifuma was outside.  He ...

MS MAYA: Excuse me Ma'am, which year was this?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: 1985.  I got into the car, he drove a bit, gave me a newspaper.  There was an article about Siyabulela's death - apparently he had been shot in (indistinct).  I then asked what I should do.  He said I should go to Mdnineni.
 I should go to the family, I went to the family, gathered them.  My daughter was at (indistinct), we took friends, this is March 1985, we went to the funeral.

MS MAYA: Did you get to the funeral?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: We got there, he was already buried.  Because we were travelling on the gravel road, we were trying to escape from the police.  When we got to Maseru it was too late, the police took us to where he was staying.

MS MAYA: When you get the story, why was Siyabulela killed?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: Apparently there were six of them coming to
Transkei with weapons.  When they were on the way they came across police who tortured them, put them in the bushes, shot them.  It took a number of days before they were found.
 They were rotting.  This is why we were not given the bodies to be buried at home.

MS MAYA: Which police were these?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: Apparently they were the police from Transkei and Lesotho.  The borders of Transkei and Lesotho.

MS MAYA: Did you get assurance, a death certificate that your son had passed away?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: There was no way because it was difficult to go there, it was not safe.  There was no death certificate.

MS MAYA: Do you know if the other five parents got a death certificate?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: ; I don't know, even Mr Nqwana who was in East London who would write to me, we did not talk about a death certificate.

MS MAYA: Do you have the names of the other families?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: Moqana Kheti, Zani.

MS MAYA: We are going to ask our investigator to take down the names so that if this matter needs to be investigated further, we can do that with ease, thank you.  Is that all?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: I came back from the funeral and I continued with my life.

MS MAYA: Do you have requests to the Commission?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: I request that my child's body be exhumed from Lesotho because he is buried next to a river.  The river banks are quite big and it is not safe.  Could the Commission help me with medical aid, I am mentally ill, I am also - my heart also is ailing.

MS MAYA: When did you start being ill?

NODINGA DORIS MAMANCI TWABU: His father died in 1983, then my son in 1985.  After that, I - my health started deteriorating.

MS MAYA: Thank you Ma'am.  Are you Mr and Mrs Makhokhoba?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: Yes.

MRS MAKHOKHOBA: Yes.

MS MAYA: Are you going to talk about the same person?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: Yes, because when I gave him the statement, his wife was not well.  I also have knowledge about my brother.

MS MAYA: You are going to talk about the late Mfolwane Mbele, is that so?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: Yes, he was arrested in 1970 and was detained for political reasons.  He was detained in Bizana.

MS MAYA: Could you briefly tell us what happened?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: As he was arrested in 1970, we did not see him for two years.  Then the police took him to his wife to be seen.  When the wife saw him, he was extremely thin, he had been beaten up and tortured.
 Eventually it was clear that he had been accused and charged.

MS MAYA: Why was he charged?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: He was charged for opposing the Government of the day.

MS MAYA: Was he a member of a political organisation?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: Him and I joined in 1960 an organisation, we were detained.

MS MAYA: When he was detained in 1970, was he detained for the same reasons?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: I don't know, I never found out.

MS MAYA: According to your statement sir, he was charged and sentenced to eight years imprisonment.  How was he after
 those eight years?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: Well I heard that he was released, or he was going to be released.  I went and I was told in Robben Island that he had been released.

MS MAYA: Was he detained on Robben Island?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: Yes.  When I went to look for him, I was told that he was released.  I phoned home and I was told that he had not arrived.
 He got home on the third week, he just lived for a few days, he got ill.  When I got home, he was very, very ill.

MS MAYA: Did he say what happened?

MR MAKHOKHOBA: Yes, he did.  I took him to the Doctor.  The Doctor said he had lived in surroundings that were not conducive of good health.  He was taken back to the hospital.
 The Doctors at the hospital said this man had eaten poison, he could not swallow properly, he could only drink tea.  He then passed away.

MS MAYA: Thank you.  Ma'am, would you like to add anything to this testimony?

MS MAKHOKHOBA: Pardon?

MS MAYA: Is there something that you would like to add?

MS MAKHOKHOBA: Yes.

MS MAYA: Could you briefly tell us?

MS MAKHOKHOBA: He came back, he was not well.  I'd go to Robben Island to visit him before he was released, we would just be given a moment to talk through a glass window.
 He would just ask how the children are and how I was.  Before he came back in 1980 the last time I had gone to see him was in 1979, then they then said that he was going to be released in April.  He got home on the 5th of April.
 I could see that he was not well.  He would not eat.  He said, yes, he is still alive, but he is not well.  He lived the month of April and May his health had just deteriorated and he passed away in May. ... (tape ends)  He said that he had been terribly ill-treated.
 He said that when he was in detention, they would beat him up.  He said that they would be hung on trees, they would sleep there on the tree.  They were then taken to Maritzburg where they were detained before they went to Robben Island and there was a court case.
 He was sentenced in April 1971, I would go home.  He said that what really hurt  him was that before they actually went to Robben Island, the torture was worse.

MS MAYA: Thank you Ma'am.  You have five children, are they still alive?

MS MAKHOKHOBA: Yes, and one is at school, but he could not go back to school this year.

MS MAYA: And the others?

MS MAKHOKHOBA: They have already finished.

MS MAYA: Do you have requests to the Commission?

MS MAKHOKHOBA: Firstly, as my husband left me without a home, if the Commission could help me build a house.  I also request that my child that is in standard nine, be helped with his education because I could not support her financially.
 I borrowed money for the funeral, I have not yet paid back those people.

MS MAYA: Thank you Ma'am, is that it?

MS MAKHOKHOBA: Yes, Ma'am.

MS MAYA: Thank you.

MR MAKHOKHOBA: Yes, it is true, she is trembling because she
is hurting.  I would like to finish off for her.  This lady borrowed money.  She has five children.  This one child who is supposed to be at school who is staying with her, this girl had to stop school because there is no money.
 This woman is owing R3 000-00.

MS MAYA: Thank you.  Maybe the Chairperson would like to say something to you.