Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pollsmoor — 1996-11-27

ADV POTGIETER: Chairperson, it gives me a measure of pleasure to call to the stand the last witness, who's testimony who we will actually hear - there is one statement that will be read, but this will be our final witness to testify in this section of the event hearing.  That is Mr Ronald Benting who has arrived - some trouble to get here from an otherwise demanding schedule.  Good afternoon Mr Benting.

MR BENTING: Good afternoon sir.

ADV POTGIETER: A warm word of welcome to you.  We are glad that you could make it after all.

MR BENTING: Just about.

ADV POTGIETER: But before we listen to your testimony - I am going to ask you just to take the oath.  So if you will stand please.
RONALD BENTING Duly sworn states

ADV POTGIETER: Thank you very much, you may be seated.

MR BENTING: My colleague Ms Burton will facilitate your testimony, thank you.

MARY BURTON: Good afternoon Mr Benting.

MR BENTING: Good afternoon to you.

MARY BURTON: [indistinct] thank you very much for being here.  You have an important story to tell us this afternoon and we are very grateful to you for coming.

MR BENTING: Yes.

MARY BURTON: We would like you to tell us about that day on the 3rd of March 1986, when you and your colleague were driving the children to the Astra School.   So please tell us what happened and what you saw.

MR BENTING: It was on the morning of 3rd of March 1986.  I was not returning from Astra School.  At that time Astra wasn't there,  it  wasn't built yet.  I was returning from St Joseph School where I dropped three pupils which attended St Joseph School at std 7.  And I was on my way, going over Guguletu bridge to Manenberg area where I have to pick up children to take them to Astra School which was at that time in Wittebome.  
On my way, over the bridge, I was stopped.  I came upon a lot of policemen standing in the  road and what is it now - Army - they were dressed like that and I stopped - pulled my -   I stopped the bus.  There was a man lying in the road.  According to me he was alive, but he never moved.
And then amongst - amongst the lot that was there - a European policeman came up - out of the crowd and he approached the man laying on the ground.  And  he took out - I don't know if it was a revolver or a pistol and he shot this man twice through the head.   In front of me, in front of the 13 children that was in the bus, plus their housemother. 
 After he had shot this man, he approached the bus - on the drivers side.  He came to me - he said to me in Afrikaans - wat de donder maak jy hier?  What the hell  are you doing here with these children - and   I never answered him.  So I just reversed back - there was cars behind me - I couldn't - but they gave way for me and I turned the bus around and I went the other way around.
On my way I started picking up children.  When I came down to Farouk's house, the housemother that was on the bus, she went inside the house - and then she broke down.  So the mother of this child came to me - so I said to her you know - I explained to her what had happened.  
And I  said to her, she must give her something you know - Lewensessens or in that case, something to drink and this she did.   And then we approached and we got to the school, where,  after I have unloaded the children, to the various classes - and then I went to the office - at that time Mr Ralph, he was our principle - and then I spoke to him.  Told him what happened, what we have seen and then in the office - at that time was our psychologist - Ms Saffier and she also heard what happened, and then she said to me that she is going to call in Mr Van der Merwe.  I must speak to him.  I must tell him what happened.
And so the story came - that he came to me, and then the court case of Mr Weaver, that just gave testimony - they called - his lawyer called me to appear as witness and then I went to testify in court - what happened.
 I think that is about all.

MARY BURTON: Thank you Mr Benting.  So you had what was it  13 children in the car?

MR BENTING: 13 children and the housemother and myself.

MS BENTON: And the housemother that you speak of is Ms Pat Smith, who's statement we will hear shortly?

MR BENTING: That is correct - that's correct yes.

MARY BURTON: And then after that you were on numerous occasions asked to make statements or to testify?

MR BENTING: Yes, I had to make statements for the court case and then I had to make a statement again for the - what do they call it - the inquest.

MARY BURTON: Inquest right.

MR BENTING: Which was held in Wynberg, the court.

MARY BURTON: Yes - Mr Benting - over your right shoulder, more or less, there is a map - if you wouldn't mind having a look at it, and you will see at the top - where the N1 comes straight down, more or less the center of that map, at the top is the bridge.

MR BENTING: Yes.

MARY BURTON: Is that the bridge that you came over and then where you reversed back?

MR BENTING: That is right, yes.

MARY BURTON: Right, so what you saw was the events that took place along the N1 there - in front of you as you came over the bridge?

MR BENTING: That is right yes.

MARY BURTON: Thank you - just to get the location right.

MR BENTING: That's right yes.

MARY BURTON: Is there anything else you had forgotten or you would like to tell us?

MR BENTING: No - no.

MARY BURTON: Thank you.

MR BENTING: That is actually what I have seen and what still remains in my mind.

MARY BURTON: Thank you very much indeed.  I have no more questions.

CHAIRPERSON: Any further questions,  Denzil?

ADV POTGIETER: Thank you Chairperson.  Are you still working with Ms Smith or are you still having contact with her?

MR BENTING: Yes, we are still together, we still work together.

ADV POTGIETER: It's been reported to us by our investigating unit that Ms Smith had quite a harrowing  time and that she is quite traumatized - even up to now and she finds it almost impossible to come to a location like this and to go through this again.

MR BENTING: Yes - ja - it's actually from the second  court case that we went.  Even I myself, I had to tell the judge listen here  I am not on here.  I am only as a witness, but according to that they wanted to tear me to pieces.  Like I am the guilty person and I think she can't take it anymore you see, so I don't blame her.

ADV POTGIETER: So you've  had a rather unpleasant experience going through giving evidence in court in connection with this incident.

MR BENTING: Yes quite.

ADV POTGIETER: And it appears that Ms Smith was not really able to take that?

MR BENTING: She wasn't - no sir.  You see she is a very soft person you know - have got a soft  character.  She breaks down easily - I am perhaps a bit stronger you see.  Because the principle asked me - how do you sleep?  So I said, I sleep normally.  After what we have seen - I sleep normally. 
I mean that is only what I experience - I can't  for her now, being a woman you know.

ADV POTGIETER: We very - we very happy that - at least you are still able to have come and to come and repeat the story that you have told many times, but it was very important to get you here today, because behind you - seated in the first two or three rows are the next of kin, the family of people that was killed there.

MR BENTING: Yes  I know that.

ADV POTGIETER: A lot of them have never heard the testimony that was given by witnesses like yourself and other people.  So, at least today they can hear what you have been telling the court  and then they can ask themselves the question - how did it happen that nothing came of this case  - in the light of the testimony that was presented by that - that is the important thing of at least having you here and we are very grateful for that.

MR BENTING: Thank you sir.

ADV POTGIETER: Have you - have you made a statement to the police as well or have you only made statements to the attorneys?