Human Rights Violation Hearings — Duncan Village — 1996-09-24

BONGANI FINCA: These three victims are going to give us additional information that is also connected to the Duncan Village massacre.  I'm going to ask Revd Xundu to swear them in and also to lead them on behalf of the Commission.

REV XUNDU: Thank you Chairperson.    Rogers Gqeme, I would like to swear you in, could you rise?

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: Thank you.  The next to be sworn in is going to be Nomonde Mahlanza.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: Thank you.  Mzwakhe Mvubu.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

REV XUNDU: Thank you.  Rogers Gqeme, you are going to be the first person who we are going to listen to.

BONGANI FINCA: There is some noise outside which is a disturbance to us, so I suggest we adjourn and to come back at eleven o'clock, thank you.

REV XUNDU: Thank you.  Thank you Chairperson.  Rogers, could you come closer to the microphone.  What is your claim name Rogers?

UNKNOWN: My claim name is Mtandi.

REV XUNDU: Thank you.  Let us take it easy.  Now you say you were shot by the police, could you tell us in full what was happening on that day?

UNKNOWN: We were in the Roman Catholic Church where there
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was a meeting of the youth.

REV XUNDU: What kind of a meeting was this?

UNKNOWN: It was a meeting for the youth.

REV XUNDU: And what happened?

UNKNOWN: These White people came in a casper and parked outside and sent someone, a tall man who looked like a Coloured person, and was dressed like a Minister of religion.

REV XUNDU: And what did he say to you?

UNKNOWN: He asked, he said that we were asked to go out of this hall and to disperse by order.

REV XUNDU: Did you go away?

UNKNOWN: No, we didn't.  The house, the room was full and people were chanting freedom songs and some people did not hear what this man was saying.

REV XUNDU: Then, did you ultimately leave the hall?

UNKNOWN: This White person insisted that we should go out of the hall and disperse and this took about 15 minutes and we went away as people who were standing outside, since the hall was packed and we were in fear that these Whites were going to shoot us.

REV XUNDU: As you were there, did you go as a crowd?

UNKNOWN: Yes, we walked passed these Whites.  Some of us walked down Dendes Street and down Dunga Street and we joined the rest and the bridge.  Those - that was the crowd that was toyi-toying and we moved towards Sipunzana.

REV XUNDU: Is this the time when this White person came?

UNKNOWN: They followed us in their casper, leaving the people behind in the hall, following the march.

REV XUNDU: So when you saw the caspers, did you run away and scatter?
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UNKNOWN: No, we didn't, instead we proceeded and then these policemen started shooting at us, but some of us who were not aware until we got next to the cemetery and I could see people running away, people falling and then as I was going up I could see a certain White man in a casper and he called me, but I ran away and he shot me in the arm.

REV XUNDU: And after you were shot, you actually took you to hospital?

UNKNOWN: I ran away and he again shot me on the waist and I fell facing upwards and I asked him to pick me up.  I struggled trying to stand, though I was aware that I had been shot.
 Then I could see that I was injured and my legs were feeling very weak.  Then this White person came to me, handled me by the collar, pulled me towards the casper and there were two of these caspers parked there and he placed me just behind one of them.

REV XUNDU: Now, what ultimately happened.  Did you end up landing in hospital?  At the end of all this struggle, did they take you to the hospital?

UNKNOWN: Yes.  The police took me to hospital and they were assisted by some people to take me onto the police truck which drove to the hospital.

REV XUNDU: Did you see any Doctor in the hospital?  Did you get any attention from any Doctor there in hospital?

UNKNOWN: When I got to hospital I was driven into the OPD in a stretcher and there was a White Doctor who looked at me and there was a big hole here on my hip and he asked these White men why they had injured me so severely.
 And these White persons laughed because they were young, very young.
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REV XUNDU: I would like to ask a question.  Do you perhaps know the name of this Doctor who attended to you?

UNKNOWN: No, I don't know his name.

REV XUNDU: But could you identify him if you were to see him?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I think I could.

REV XUNDU: In your story I want to know was there any investigation after this shooting or perhaps did you institute a claim or did you perhaps get any compensation?

UNKNOWN: No, I didn't do any of those.  We didn't even make an attempt.

REV XUNDU: Were you working at the time?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I was working at Westbank.

REV XUNDU: Were you able to work after this incident?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I was working, but it was very difficult, because I still have a bullet that is still embedded in my spine because they could not take it out.

REV XUNDU: Did you perhaps go back to your old employers or did you have to look for a new job?

UNKNOWN: When I was discharged at the place where I used to work.

REV XUNDU: Did those people accept you back when you were discharged from hospital?

UNKNOWN: No, my employers discharged me as soon as I was released from hospital.

REV XUNDU: Do you know the name of them?  Do you know the name of the factory?

UNKNOWN: It is called the NCI Industry.

REV XUNDU: When you were discharged, did you perhaps get any grant?

UNKNOWN: No.
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REV XUNDU: Do you still get medical treatment?

UNKNOWN: No, I seldom go to hospital to get some medical treatment.

REV XUNDU: Do you perhaps have any wish or any requests that you have to say to this Commission?

UNKNOWN: I wish this Commission could organise that I get medical treatment.

REV XUNDU: And is there any other requests you have in addition to that?

UNKNOWN: I also wish that this Commission could investigate about this person who shot me.

REV XUNDU: Is there any other thing?

UNKNOWN: I want to see this perpetrator face to face because I will never forgive him, I just don't have peace.

REV XUNDU: Is that all you have to say or is there anything you would like to say in addition to what you have said already?

UNKNOWN: I also wish that this Commission could be of assistance to me because I - my health is not good, I don't feel all right.

REV XUNDU: Thank you, I hand you over to the Chairperson.

BONGANI FINCA: We thank you.  We are now going to ask Nomonde Cynthia Mahlanza to come forward.

REV XUNDU: I greet you Nomonde.  What is your claim name by the way?

UNKNOWN: My claim name is Nozulu.

REV XUNDU: Could you tell us your story and tell us what happened to you on the 14th of August.

UNKNOWN: I saw some White people coming into my house and they took my brother away and they put him on the
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casper and they left with him that afternoon.
 Then I asked my children that we should pray when he did not come back.  Early the following day a certain person came to tell us that my brother had come and my brother was taken to hospital and as the Doctor was examining my brother, my brother died.

REV XUNDU: Who is Mzwandile?

UNKNOWN: Mzwandile is a boy who lives in our neighbourhood.

REV XUNDU: Do you perhaps know his name?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I know his surname.

REV XUNDU: When you got to hospital, that is where he was certified dead?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

REV XUNDU: Was there any investigation about this death?  His body - was there any post-mortem that was done or any inquest that was done?

UNKNOWN: No.

REV XUNDU: How old was your brother when he died?

UNKNOWN: I don't know, but he was born in 1959.  In fact the one that died was born in 1964.