Human Rights Violation Hearings — Duncan Village — 1996-09-23

T TIFI: I wouldn't say that, but there was no one to pay for my education, but I had intentions to look for work and pay for my education.
 I tried to do that, but I couldn't get employed because they would send me to get a medical examination after the shooting and then I would get a bad report and they would state that I was not having good health.

REV XUNDU: Did you ever get any assistance in the form of a grant, disability grant?

T TIFI: No, but my parents went to some place ... (tape ends) tell us about, only about meetings.

MS MAY: I would like Phumla to come closer to the mike.  I greet you Phumla.  You say in August 1985, you were here in Duncan Village where you were staying and you were shot at that time.  What happened to you?

UNKNOWN: It was late, around seven and I heard people singing outside.  I also went there, I joined them.
 While we were still singing near the road, there were no soldiers, we couldn't see any soldiers.  They were just passing through.
 When we saw them, we heard shots, firing to us and we 
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all ran to houses.  Unfortunately I was shot at that time.  I was shot in my thigh and the bullet exited through the buttocks.
 I cried and I saw one comrade next to me and he tried to take me home, but I couldn't lift my leg at that time.  He took me home and at home people came to see me because they heard that someone was shot.
 There was no transport for me to go to the hospital at that time.  Someone went to look for a car for me and I was taken to the hospital.
 They saw that the bullet stayed in my buttocks, it didn't stay in my thigh.  I was treated in the hospital, but they discharged me because the hospital was full.
 I came back home and they told me that I should go every day in the morning for dressings, because my thigh was swollen at that time.
 I couldn't even go to the toilet at that time, because my buttocks was so swollen.  I continued with the treatment, I used to go to the hospital for dressings.  That took me almost a month.
 Because I was suffering and there was no transport for me to go to the hospital, they asked me whether is there any clinic nearby and I told them that there is no clinic nearby, because they were all burnt down.
 They gave me dressings so that I could dress myself at home.  I also went for check-ups at the hospital.
 And three months passed and I continued with my treatment.  I saw, when I saw that I was able to walk I stopped the treatment.  While I was going to the treatment at the hospital, when we met these SADF, when they see the bandage in you, they wanted to shoot you again or to beat 
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you or to kick you.
 They just wanted to do that.  It is worse if you had the bandage on.

MS MAYA: Do you remember the date in August when you were shot?

UNKNOWN: No, I don't remember the date, but it was the first week.

MS MAYA: Do you remember the day?

UNKNOWN: No, I don't remember the day, I forgot everything.

MS MAYA: How old were you at this time?

UNKNOWN: I was 18 years old.

MS MAYA: Were you a student?

UNKNOWN: We were on strike at school, we were not going to school at that time.

MS MAYA: Did you go back to school after you were shot?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I did.  I did go to school and I passed my matric.

MS MAYA: How did this affect your health?

UNKNOWN: My leg is so painful and I can't stand up for a long time.

MS MAYA: Are you working?

UNKNOWN: No, I'm unemployed.

MS MAYA: Does your unemployed situation have something to do with your shooting?

UNKNOWN: No, but I don't think that I'll be able to work in a factory, because I don't, I can't stand for a long time.  My leg gets tired very easily.  I can't work in a factory.

MS MAYA: Do you have any other, do you have a request in front of this Commission?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I do.  My request is that I want to continue with my education.  Since I can't stand up for a long time
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I want to continue with my education and I am unable to know the damage which happened to me.  I just want to be treated more medically.

MS MAYA: How far did you go with your education?

UNKNOWN: I passed matric.

MS MAYA: Do you have any other thing to say, to add to what you have already said?

UNKNOWN: No, I think that is all.

MS MAYA: Thank you, Phumla, I will give this opportunity to the Chairman so that if there are any questions to be asked, they can ask you - thank you.

BONGANI FINCA: Mcebisi?

REV XUNDU: I would like to ask whether you get a pension due to this - did you apply for any pension?

UNKNOWN: No, I didn't.

BONGANI FINCA: Ntsikelelo Sandi?

MR SANDI: Phumla, did you ever go to any lawyers for advice?

UNKNOWN: No, I didn't because at home, we were suffering, there was only one person who was working.

MR SANDI: Thank you Phumla.  Thank you Chairperson.

BONGANI FINCA: Thembisa and Phumla and Thembisa's mother, we would like to thank you for the evidence you gave in front of the Commission.
 We know that the youth took part and that helped South Africa.  The youth took part in the struggle and you came in front of this Commission while you are still young and your life has been destroyed.
 The Commission can see more specially in Thembisa that he was only 11 years old when the incident happened.
 The police and the soldiers then they said that they were giving security, they said that they were protecting 
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people, so that they cannot be injured and in the process of doing that they destroyed a life of an 11 year old boy.
 We noted what you've put in front of this Commission and we salute you for you courage.  We salute you for your determination.
 What you've said, your requests, the Commission will try to put them in front of the President so that he can answer.  We thank you for all your evidence and we would like you to go to your seats.  Thank you.