Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Shepstone — 1996-08-13

MRS GCABASHE: In your statement you gave names, lists of people who harassed you.  I am not going to mention them, but do you know them?

WITNESS:   Yes, I do know them.

MRS GCABASHE: You said you would like to know the perpetrators, and also that they must be brought to justice, and also that you would also like to be given a sick pension.  Can't you work?

WITNESS:   Yes, I can't work.

MRS GCABASHE: Maybe your brother next to you would like to add something.

WITNESS:   I think he would like to say something because we are coming on the same issue.

MRS GCABASHE: /KAYIYA

MRS GCABASHE: KAYIYA BOY CELE   (Previously Sworn, States)  (Through interpreter)

MRS GCABASHE: Now, let's hear from you.  What would you want to say, or probably add on top of what is already said, especially that you are relating one story.  This is in line with what he was already saying, so please do not repeat what he has already said.  Is there anything that you want to add?

WITNESS:   What I could add are the - I just want to fill in the places.  It's that at Murchison we were still highly harassed, differently, because police were collaborating, especially with the IFP.  We've heard that even somewhere were the UDF.  I was also - at Murchison we were attacked.  There were police - there was a time when the police came in with the IFP, and that place was UDF area.  During the day we were assaulted.

MRS GCABASHE: Tell us about that place.  What about that place?  Tell us about that area.

WITNESS:   No, it's a place called Ndluthaweni in Murchison.  That's where the police came with the IFP and the soldiers and the Stability - in the morning, if I am recalling right.  We were assaulted and we were taken out, and we were also women and ladies there, and only IFP was left.  Some of our brothers did attempt to fight the situation.  When they went to the police it was of no use, because the police and the IFP were collaborating.  So there was no use to go to the police because the police knew very well what Inkatha was doing.

MRS GCABASHE: No, just go on if there's anything new.

WITNESS:   In 1990, on the 5th of May, at home at the place called Mbhayimbhayi we had already heard that the IFP was going to attack.  We were there with the neighbours.  At 2.00 am  /the IFP

MRS GCABASHE: the IFP came.  They came in a gravel road, they were

MRS GCABASHE: driving through the gravel road, and they came into our house.  They could not see that I was not at home, I was outside.  When they got inside they found out that there were three people inside the house.  It was my father and his brother - you know, please let me try to explain this way.  You see the other one, so we just decided that he shall just die alone instead of the whole family to be killed.  Now, they did not have a way of coming inside the house because this other one was coming out of the house.  Then they were more focused and concentrating on this guy.  It's Mazinio.  At home there was my father, Samuel, and one other called Mkhonde.  Well, we left the place and we could see that there's nothing else we could do because we were being so attacked so severely.  In the afternoon there will be taxis who will pick us up to take us to Ngwojini.  That's where we were putting up for the evening, and go back to Murchison at night.  We will leave Murchison ... (incomplete - end of side A) ... stay in Murchison we will be there during the day.  But one day in the morning - I think it was around four or six - we were coming back from where we were sleeping.  Now, these two taxis got stopped by the IFP members, and they were shooting, and one brother of mine by the name of Zakhele got hurt in the thigh.  He was shot in the thigh.

MRS GCABASHE: What is his name?

WITNESS:   It's Zakhele Xaba.  He was hurt, he was injured in the thigh.  You see the drivers did try so much to save us from the whole situation.  When we arrived in Murchison we just said there's nothing we could do.  Maybe we should just go our way.  One should go his way, I shall go my way, and the others go their own  way.  Now when they were - my other brothers left, these

MRS GCABASHE: other guys left, on the third day the IFP attacked their place where they were and two friends of ours died there.

MRS GCABASHE: Who were those who died?

WITNESS:   Like Mbambo.

MRS GCABASHE: And who else?

WITNESS:   And Majozi, Majozi Mthembu.  We separated, we went on our own way.  I said there was nothing that we could do.  We were attacked even there in Malodi, and we tried to go our own way, every man for himself, God for us all.  And some of our friends they went to Gamalakhe, others went to Durban.  We went to different places.  After some time we met again.  As we separated in Malodi we met again.  Still we were harassed in such a way, and the police of Stability and the soldiers made it a point that every day they were attacking.  And we know very well that after seven they were coming.  Once seven struck they will come.

MRS GCABASHE: Please, you've already said that.  Why don't you say something that you haven't said?

WITNESS:   Well, if that is it I would like to go on then and take over.

MRS GCABASHE: We've already heard.

WITNESS:   One other thing that he has forgotten that I would like to put forward, and probably also ask for help from you.  Those two taxis.  Well, we've heard about those two taxis.  They used to take you out of the town and back to town.   ---   You see now, I am talking about something different.  Those two taxis were driven by police.  Another one was red, another one was cream-white.  You see those police they used to attack.  They will not want any - they will attack the natives.  We will go to Gamalakhe to meet and gather and the police will come and attack, killing our brothers, friends, colleagues.  Many things were happening, taking  /place

MRS GCABASHE: place there.  And we were told in the morning that we

MRS GCABASHE: won't see the Christmas Day.  The Christmas Day - we will have our Christmas Day in the bush.  Those are the police telling us that.  And then these other taxis, the red and the cream-white, were used by the camouflage and the Stability.  And some other friend's brothers died, and some were coming from Murchison and they never got to go back to their places after that.

MRS GCABASHE: Well, we've heard already what you are saying, and well, we know that you have been harassed at this age especially.  You are so young.  Is there anything probably that you would like to put forward as a request to the Commission?  I am asking the three of you now.  Is there anything perhaps?  You did not take the oath.

COMMISSIONER: Would you like to add something to what has been said?  What are your full names please?
/SITHEMBISO
SITHEMBISO NZAMA   (Sworn, States)   (Through Interpreter)

MRS GCABASHE: I will also request you, Sithembiso, please, please, please don't talk about what already has been said.  We will just ask you concisely to tell us about what they have not told us yet.

WITNESS:   See what happened is that I have a brother called Jeffrey Nzama.

MRS GCABASHE: Who is that?

WITNESS:   Jeffrey Nzama.  He was a member of the SAP.  I used to live with them.  I was a refugee.  I will leave and come back, and go and come back.  It was 1983 at Zwikele.

MRS GCABASHE: Where is that?  What is that?

WITNESS:   1873.  That's the house - the residential number, 1873.

MRS GCABASHE: Where is that location, residential area?

WITNESS:   Gamalakhe.  I used to live there, and during the day I will go to the comrades and come back and go to his place, and I was staying with him.  Now, one day Captain Fourie came.  Now they call him differently.  And when he got home he will ask Sergeant Nzama.

MRS GCABASHE: Who is that?  What are you saying?  Is that Sergeant Nzama?