Human Rights Violation Hearings — Durban — 1996-08-29

WITNESS:   That's it.  That's about it.  I end there.  I don't know how the Government could be of help here because I left work due to my health failing me.  I am home now.  Even my child, since this incident I tried to open the case twice at the KwaZulu Police, but to no avail.

DR RANDERA: (Inaudible) ... please tell us something about your family.  You say you're at home now.  Is your wife alive, and how many other children do you have?

WITNESS:   I have eight children, and the older one died.  And the seventh one is the one who is paralysed, and the other six are fine, intact.  And my wife is alive, but critically ill.  She is also at home.  She is not working due to what happened to our son.

DR RANDERA: (Inaudible) ... what work you did before you stopped working?

WITNESS:   I was working for Romatex as a weaver.

DR RANDERA: In your statement you say - you mention one guy who was not in a police uniform shot him.  Can you just explain to me why you make that statement?  I mean was he shot by the police, or do you think he was shot by somebody else?

WITNESS:   According to my son he said he saw the police shooting him.  It was the police.  He knows him.

DR RANDERA: (Inaudible) ... your son involved in any political activity in the area?

WITNESS:   We are in the area of ANC, and the one who shot him is coming from the area of Inkatha.  And in KwaMakutha each time you come from the other area the other group would attack you.  So he was shot because he was in the stronghold of ANC, the area which was predominantly ANC.

DR RANDERA: (Inaudible) ... can you say - you say your son is paralysed.  Does that mean he is paralysed on one side, or his legs are not moving?  What do you mean by that?

WITNESS:  From the waist downward he is not functioning, that part is not functioning.  So the only part of the body that is functioning is from the waist up to the head.  We usually put him to his wheelchair - he cannot walk - and take him to the bed, or on and off like that.

DR RANDERA: Thank you very much ... (inaudible)

WITNESS:   That's what brought me here.

DR RANDERA: Mr Mnguni, what I would like to ask is about the grant.  Did he get some kind of grant, compensation maybe?

WITNESS:   Yes, I took him to Umbumbulu, where he was listed in the pension place.  Are you talking about pension?       Yes, I am talking about that.   ---   Yes, he did get that last year.

DR RANDERA: One other thing that you have made mention of in your statement is that there's so much expenses regarding his illness.  Won't you please clarify and expand in this regard?

WITNESS:   Yes, the costs are high, and the expenses as well.  I wanted to bring him along with here, but because of the cost that surrounds that I decided no, let me leave him at home.  He goes to the hospital to the doctors for check-up, and there are things that they put inside him through his stomach, and those are the things which are expensive.  Because he goes to the hospital every month to change those things that they have put inside the stomach, so I have to hire a car every month.

DR RANDERA: Whereabout is the doctor?

WITNESS:   He is at King  Edward, and we are coming from Makutha, but the doctor is at King Edward.

DR RANDERA: Thank you.

COMMISSIONER: Mr Mnguni, thank you very much for having waited so patiently the whole day to come and talk to us.  You came to speak to us on your own behalf and on behalf of your son, who lies paralysed at home.  It is very difficult to believe that your son must now lead the life that he leads because someone disagreed with what they thought his political views were.  A democracy means that we have the right to disagree with each other.  Your son was raised in an era when democracy was denied, and when  opposing political views were dealt with by the previous Government by detentions, torture and assassinations, so really we should not be surprised that your son became the victim that he is today.
It is very clear that he is a victim of the political intolerance and the violence that has affected our province, and we will be making recommendations to the Government, to the President and his Cabinet, as to how he can be assisted.  I don't know whether your son is able to comprehend and understand anything, but if he is please extend to him our deepest sympathies and our best wishes, and we thank you for coming and speaking on his behalf.  Thank you very much.

COMMISSIONER: Can I just remind people who do not have earphones to follow the translation, simultaneous translation in English and in Zulu, these earphones are at the back of the hall.
Good morning, Mrs Khumalo, and we welcome you here today.  Can you hear me through the earphones?

GLADYS KHUMALO: Yes, I hear.

COMMISSIONER: You are from Folweni, and you have come to tell us about the death of your son, Nxolisi Innocent Khumalo in 1985.

GLADYS KHUMALO: I'll ask to speak in Zulu.

COMMISSIONER: Can you take the oath before you tell us that story.  Can you stand and take the oath.

GLADYS KHUMALO: (Sworn, States)   (Through Interpreter)

COMMISSIONER: Mrs Gcabashe will assist you now.

MRS GCABASHE: Good morning, Mrs Khumalo.

WITNESS:   I hear you clearly.

MRS GCABASHE: Thank you very much that you came forward to the Truth Commission this day.  We know very well that to go through the past it's painful, it's not something that is exciting.  You've got to be brave to want to repeat the things that took place before, and tell the truth, and we do trust and hope that the truth will bring healing to our nation.  Before we start I will kindly ask you to concisely tell us about your family, if you do have a husband, or how many children you have, and so on.

WITNESS:  My parents have died, passed away.  When I got to Durban I had a job.

MRS GCABASHE: Do you still remember what year that was?

WITNESS:   That was 1958.  When I got here I got work, and I worked as a domestic.  Whilst I was working there I got a daughter, and I got a second daughter, as well as a son.  I had three children whilst I was staying with my boss in the suburbs.

MRS GCABASHE: What are their names?

WITNESS:   The first one was Nonzamo, the second one is Nonthando, the third one is Innocent Xolani.  Innocent was born in 1972.

MRS GCABASHE: What about the two others?  Are they working or are they at school?

WITNESS:   They are grown up now, but at that time they were still at school.

MRS GCABASHE: I mean now.  Are they at school now or ... (incomplete)

WITNESS:   No, they are grown up now.  They are staying at different places.  Nonthando went to Johannesburg and she never came back.

MRS GCABASHE: Are you still working as a domestic?

WITNESS:   No, I am not working any more.  I am on pension.

MRS GCABASHE: Are you getting your pension money?

WITNESS:   Yes, I am.

MRS GCABASHE: Now, let's - is it Xolani or Nxolisi?

WITNESS:   It's Xolani.

MRS GCABASHE: Now, you've come to tell us about Nxolisi's harassment.  You said he was born in 1972.

WITNESS:   That is correct.

MRS GCABASHE: Now you may relate your story to us, or is there anything that you would like to say that happened before 1985?