Human Rights Violation Hearings — Port Elizabeth — 1996-06-26

MR NTSEBEZA: The story that you are giving now is it related to the account which was given by Mrs Mtimkhulu about the incidents that took place in 1981?

MR BANGANI: Yes.

MR NTSEBEZA: Is it the same one in which he was released and then he became ill?

MR BANGANI: Yes.

MR NTSEBEZA: Do you have anything to say further than this?

MR BANGANI: No, I don't have anything to say further than this, except that he became ill thereafter.

MR NTSEBEZA: Thank you.  We are going to call Tango.  Tango Lamani who will be the next witness.
 Tango, you didn't give me a statement, now you've created a problem for me but as I can see you are going to enlighten us on the issue of the disappearance just very briefly so that we should move forward.

MR LAMANI: I greet he Commission and the community at all.  The day that we are talking about is the day the 14th
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of April.  It was in the morning, I was from home in New Brighton.
 I left my place and went to Masangwana.  Masangwana,  there is a house there where we used to meet as COSAS comrades.  It was not the only one, it was one of the houses in the township that we used for our meetings and then where we used to hang around.
 Mrs Claasens, Mrs Tsinq New Brighton would be at sister Pinky's house so I left home and went there.  When I got there I found two or three comrades.  Then Topsy came in his car with Siphiwo.
 And they asked me to accompany them to the hospital.  I said to Siphiwo why don't you go with Topsy because Topsy is your friend?  He has always been taking you there, so what's the problem today?  Siphiwo in his answer said because Topsy is an insurance employee, he is not going to be able to bring him back, but he could just take time off from work just to take him to the hospital.  
 He just said that I should get someone to come with me so that some person could help in looking for transport back.  That's how I came to go with them to the hospital.  So the three of us went to the Livingstone Hospital and comrade Topsy dropped us there.
 Siphiwo on this day was going for his treatment at the hospital.  When comrade Topsy dropped us, we went into the hospital.  Then he met the Doctor, got the treatment, everything that he had to get.  When they completed he asked for a phone from one of the nurses he knew, because he knew some nurses there, because he wanted to phone to arrange for transport to bring us back.
 And the nurses did let him phone, and he phoned.  The 
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first person that Siphiwo phoned was Mrs Molly Blackburn.  At Molly Blackburn we didn't get Mrs Blackburn.  The phone was answered by the helper there and Siphiwo talked himself.
 When he couldn't get Mrs Blackburn, he left a message and said they should tell Mrs Blackburn that he phoned.  The second place that we phoned was Chiky Watson's place.  The Watson brothers had a clothing shop in town, they were also friends of Siphiwo.  He phoned them for transport, for help with transport.
 One of the Watson brothers answered the phone, but there was no transport.  He talked to this person and explained, but they explained that they couldn't help because there was no car available.  
 So in other places we couldn't get through by phone.  On a set time we got through to the Union's office in (indistinct), which were next door to the COSAS offices and we had a working relationship with this Union at the court chambers.
 The answer that we got was that there was transport from town to the township, but comrades we won't be able to come to (indistinct) and Livingstone, if possible you could try and get something to take you to town and then you'll get transport to the township.
 So Siphiwo and I tried, he was not in a wheelchair, he was using a walking stick, so we went to the gate and the Livingstone Hospital and then got a lift to town and they dropped us as the Markosa offices.  Indeed we got the transport from Markosa to the township.
 It was now afternoon.  Siphiwo didn't go home.

MR NTSEBEZA: Do you not remember whose car this was?

MR LAMANI: I can't remember, I can't remember properly
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now, but it was someone who was working, it was one of the comrades who worked at the Markosa offices.
 Siphiwo didn't go home to Zwede.  We had an arrangement that we would be dropped at New Brighton and go to Masangwe, because even that same evening there was going to be a meeting in that same house, in this hall which was organised by community organisation here.
 There was going to be a singer from overseas, Milly Jackson who was defying the boycott of South Africa, so there was a meeting that was organised for people which were going to discuss the boycott of Milly Jackson's show.
 We had that arrangement that we would come to this place.  Siphiwo didn't go home, so we alighted at the corner of Masangwana and Fagasi and the car went away.

MR NTSEBEZA: Who is Pinky Mangazeli?

MR BANGANI: Sister Pinky Mangazeli is the owner of the house as I said there were a couple of houses that we were using as comrades.  Pinky Mangazeli had given us this house for us to use for our meetings.   She didn't stay there all the time, but she let us use the house.  So when they found the comrades from COSAS and we sat there and talked and chatted in preparation for the gathering here at St Naro.
 In the evening we left  Masangwana as a group of comrades, it was six of us, six or five.  Lulu was there, Lulu Johnson was there.  Themba Mangqase was there ... (tape starts) we were walking back to Masangwana because that's where we used to stay.
 We went down  Chekiza.  At the Mbizwena square at Mantunto's shop we went into the shop and bought some food at Mantunto's shop.  We bought bread, brown bread, a brown loaf, some meat and cool drink, a bottle of cool drink.
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 As we were buying, Siphiwo said comrades, I am tired of this meat and bread, I would like to get some hot food and food that I can use with a spoon.  We have been taking meat and bread for too long and we said we will take the bread and then comrade Lulu Johnson, because his home was nearer, said Siphiwo I think it is too late, I think they have already had their supper at home.
 I think we can go to my place and then we can share my plate and so they agreed on that.  Lulu - we all agreed on that.  Lulu Johnson would take Siphiwo with him for them to go and share his supper.  Towards Gumlana where Lulu and Siphiwo were going to branch of he said comrade Topsy is coming at Nasangwa.  Just tell him I am here at Lulu's place, he must come and fetch me here.  He was not going home all the time.
 Themba branched off, went his way, Lulu went home with comrade Siphiwo and I and the other group went to Mazangwana, we prepared this meeting and ate, it was our supper.
 After a while, I can't remember if it was after the meal or if we had already finished, comrade Topsy came looking for Siphiwo and we explained to him that Siphiwo said you'd get him at Lulu's place and Topsy said he didn't know where Lulu's home was and requested that one of us go and show him.
 The comrades refused to go and show him, so whilst we were discussing who was going to go with Topsy, comrade Mangqase came and said that Themba should go with Topsy to Lulu's place, because Topsy want to meet Siphiwo.
 And so they went.  Themba and Topsy on their way to Lulu's home.  That's the end of my statement.  
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MR NTSEBEZA: In other words you last saw ...

MR BANGANI: That is so.  I am sorry, I was a bit late, I am about to retire, you know.

DESMOND MPILO TUTU: Dr Ramashala.