Amnesty Hearings — Messina — 2000-07-04

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: Mr Chairperson, it was a newish Nissan bakkie.  We filled it with petrol just before we left and myself and Mr de Nysschen and my son were in the front and the rest of the family was in the back because we went to go and look for game.

MR WAGENER: And we do know, or maybe you should tell the committee, were you injured in this explosion?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: Mr Chairperson, I was injured, I am injured.  My back was broken.

MR WAGENER: Very well, we can talk about the rest maybe a bit later.  We know what your position was or is.  You testified or heard evidence yesterday of an applicant that said that you were irresponsible in taking your family into that area, that you had to know what you were going into, what is your comment on this?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: Mr Chairperson, I treat it with contempt, it is not the truth.

MR WAGENER: After the incident, what happened to the work that you did at that stage, or your job?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: My situation changed from - in the sense that from the next day onwards, I was responsible for my remaining child that was eighteen months old, I had to look after him and it had the implication that my business came to a stop.  It also had the further implication that I was financially ruined by it.  It also had a further implication that I had to fall back on my career as a teacher.  It also had implications there in that sense that I was a PT teacher, I couldn't do it anymore because of my injuries.  It had further implications that because of this, the stress and the shock that I experienced, I got cancer and because of that was found medically unfit by the Department of Education with the further result that I had to leave the Education, or school, without a pension.

MR WAGENER: Mr van Eck, the loss that you had up to date, did you calculate this?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: Yes, Mr Chairperson, not up to date, but recently, I think up to 1991.

MR WAGENER: What does that entail, or what is the amount?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: Mr Chairperson, the losses in terms of contracts in the contracting business is up to 2.6 million.  The losses in my farming, or in the farm, to put it shortly, the total losses, the farm and the contracting business, the direct losses because of income that just came to a standstill is up to 8.7 million.

MR WAGENER: Does that include anything in terms of medical fees?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: No, Mr Chairperson, it is only the direct income that I lost, no other expenditures like medical costs or any other expenditures.

MR WAGENER: You were declared as a victim by the TRC.

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: That is correct, yes and I received a written document where they declared that I was a victim in this.

MR WAGENER: What did that mean to you?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: It created a light in a very dark tunnel that there will be some compensation for the damage that I went through.

MR WAGENER: And did you receive anything?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: Mr Chairperson yes, I did, they sent me an amount of R2 900 after, that is now from 1996 up until today, the amount of R2 900 has been paid out to me.

MR WAGENER: Was that what you received for the damages that you lost of 8.5 million?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: Yes, that is correct.

MR WAGENER: Mr van Eck, is there anything that you would like to add, is there anything that you would like to testify about in front of this Committee?

JOHANNES FREDERIK VAN ECK: Mr Chairperson, I can just say the following.  I never declared myself as a victim, the TRC declared that I was a victim.  I did not ask them to - I did not present my damages to them, they requested me and they broadly, had me fill in forms to explain or describe the damages that I incurred.
	Then just on another point, if I look at the name, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and I look at the purpose and the mission of the TRC, then it was very shocking yesterday that the applicants, especially the first applicant, after fourteen years, it has been fourteen years that we have been busy with these matters and after fourteen years are still proud of what they did and still willing to do it again and in the light of the fact that this is an amnesty hearing, it became very clear to me what we are dealing with here.
	And then Mr Chairperson, we are sitting here with applicants who were truly the footsoldiers, the people who worked on the grassroots level and Mr Chairperson we are not getting to the people who gave the orders.  This is as far as my knowledge goes.  Mr Chairperson, something that is so ironic in this is that we are manipulated, we the victims, fourteen years later still we are manipulated in terms of these events and I believe other people were supposed to sit here, also from the National Party side, to explain these matters.
	Thank you Mr Chairperson.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR WAGENER

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr van Eck.  Mr de Beer, do you have any questions?

MR DE BEER: No questions from me, Chairperson.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR DE BEER

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Koopedi, do you have any questions?

MR KOOPEDI: No questions.
NO QUESTIONS BY MR KOOPEDI

CHAIRPERSON: Ms Mtanga, questions?

MS MTANGA: No questions Chairperson.
NO QUESTIONS BY MS MTANGA

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.  Mr van Eck I'd just like to say we appreciate what you have said this morning.  We understand fully the tragedy that you have suffered and that you are still indeed suffering and we feel for you very strongly.  I can't comment on the question of the reparations, that is dealt with by another Committee, but we believe that that process has not been concluded, and we would also like to express our sincerest sympathies to your whole situation and also to the family of the de Nysschens.  We appreciate it.  Thank you very much.
	Mr Wagener?

MR WAGENER: That will be the evidence of Mr van Eck.  Thank you Chairman.  I do not intend calling any other witnesses.
WITNESS EXCUSED

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  Mr de Beer, any witnesses?

MR DE BEER: I'm not calling any witnesses thank you Chairman.

CHAIRPERSON: Ms Mtanga?

MS MTANGA: I'm not calling any witnesses Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you.  That then concludes the testimony in this hearing.  We'll now make - are you ready to make submissions Mr Koopedi?

MR KOOPEDI: Yes, Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Wagener?

MR WAGENER: Chairman, sorry, may I interrupt please?  At this stage, Chairman, I would like to request that the matter be adjourned and I would like to put argument before you why certain people should be subpoenaed to come before this Committee and to give evidence relevant to the issues and in order to enable you to reach a correct decision in terms of Section 20(1).

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, Mr Wagener, do you want to address us on that now?

MR WAGENER: If you would allow me, please.

CHAIRPERSON: Certainly.