Human Rights Violation Hearings — East London — 1997-06-13

GALELEKILE NGAKI: They said that I was working together with the Transkei people and I was an informer working for the press.  I could not breathe at that time and they said that I was going to tell them the truth.

ADV SANDI: For how long this, for how long did this torture last?

GALELEKILE NGAKI: At about two a.m. I heard a knock at the door and this person kicked the door.  The door opened.  This person said it was enough, instead of torturing him, let us detain him.  It was Mr Ghela.  He is now a Commissioner.  I was together with a Priest.  They said that it was enough.  I trained him.  That is when they stopped.  They put on my clothes.  They took me Zwelitsha Police Station and they detained me at Middledrift Central Prison.

ADV SANDI: Were you detained without trial?

GALELEKILE NGAKI: Yes, I was put into solitary confinement.

ADV SANDI: Did you appear in court?  Were you charged of anything?

GALELEKILE NGAKI: No, I did not.  I never appeared in court, but on the following day at 12 midday I heard people come, running, coming running.  They opened the door, took me to the office.  I found two security guys.  They took me to Zwelitsha with their car and Zibi said that they were releasing me.  If I was going to say any, something they will detain me again.

ADV SANDI: For how long did you stay at Middledrift?

GALELEKILE NGAKI: It was overnight.

ADV SANDI: Did you take any step or did you go to an attorney?

GALELEKILE NGAKI: I, well I was not aware that I was injured.  I was not aware that there were blood stains in my eyes.  I did not take any steps to go to any attorney, because at that time it was very difficult.  My family advised me not to do that, because these people are going to harass me.

ADV SANDI: Did you go to a psychologist by the name of Solomon?

GALELEKILE NGAKI: In 1990 when Mr Gqozo took over I went to Mrs Solomon, because I could see that this has affected me.  In 1989, because in 1989 I collapsed.  As this happened on the seventh of October 1986 and seventh of October 1989, I collapsed.  I was taken to the hospital.  I had high blood pressure and other illnesses.  I went to a clinical psychologist, Mrs Solomon.  She advised me to take a two year break, maybe I will be healed through therapy.  I then retired at, when I was 48 years old.

ADV SANDI: In conclusion, Mr Ngaki, do you have any requests to the Commission?

GALELEKILE NGAKI: As I have already said, I loved my job as a police and I was involved in community relations.  I was the editor of Aba Kuseli police magazine.  My aim was to eradicate brutality.  I was trying to pass a message to the police to secure and protect people instead of harassing and torturing them, but unfortunately today I am not a police and the experience and the skills, especially of Black people, were not used.  My request is that my state of health is not the same as before, but through prayers I am coping.  I have a group of young men.  I trained them and I encouraged them.  I encouraged them to study further and I would like this to be looked at.  I would like to be compensated.

ADV SANDI: Thank you Mr Ngaki.  I will hand over to the Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Ngaki for your testimony.  We thank you for appearing before the Commission.  There are a lot of things interesting in your statement and I think you will be able to help the Commission, but we thank you for giving us light in that people were tortured when they were detained.  I thank you for including this in your statement, because there are people who do not believe that such things happened to people.  Thank you Mr Ngaki.  If there are, if there is more information we will come back to you.  For now, thank you.

GALELEKILE NGAKI: I would like to add something.  I would like to apologise to those who were hurt by things I said.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Ngaki.