Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pietermaritzburg — UNKNOWN

WITNESS:  After we parted with the son we sort of like lost him, we didn't know where he were.  It seems as if he went to stay with his girlfriend, and then they thought maybe he belonged to the organisation which harassed them.  They took him early in the morning - he was from work - and took him to a place and sort of like tried to call all the people at the camp.  And then they asked each other who was he, and they were saying that he was an Inkatha.  And they said they would take him to the chief to explain exactly to which organisation does he belong.  And then they took him to the chief.  They didn't come back with him.  When they come back they were drunk.  They brought his card because he had two banking arrangements.  He had a bank book and a card from a bank.  His card was done and they have also withdrawn his money.  This is what I got when I went to the bank.  All that was left was only the bank book.  The clothes he was wearing they brought them back and were just holding them, and then they were boasting that they have killed a dog.  Up til now we haven't yet got Nxobile.  Even her father when he died he was a very troubled man.  The end is that even today we don't know where Nxobile is.  Those who were trying to help us, I remember that we even went to the DP.  I don't remember this white person's name who tried to help us.  He tried to alert the police.  We had even gone to witch doctors.  When we got to the witch doctor it couldn't show who did this evil.  We were told the manner in which he had been tortured, but nobody appeared.  And we were told that there is a certain forest at a place called KwaDick where he died, where there was some evidence of his death, but we don't know which forest they ultimately dumped him in.

DR MAGWAZA: I understand that you even got to a certain place where strange happenings were taking place.  What are those things?

WITNESS:   We were with police, two Indian police, as well as my other brother.  We went to fetch my sister, who was working at the offices at Time Housing.  We came back to this same forest where it had been pointed out by the witch doctor, together with the police.  As we were just there we talked to people who were working there, who had his workmen there.  We asked him to open the gate because the police wanted to get into the forest.  When the man tried to open the key got broken.  Then one of the workmen came.  He said, "Don't force your way in because you can see that there is danger."  As we were still standing there we saw a green private car approaching.  There was one person inside.  This person came straight to us and he looked at us.  He even took out his glasses.  He had big eyes like saucers.  He looked at us and he started laughing, and he went back into the van.  As it was still like that we saw a boy.  This boy went past us.  He got in through a little hole there, because you could walk.  This boy kept on looking at us until he disappeared.  And this workman told us that we should no longer go into the forest because there might be danger.  Then the policemen took a turn.  We went to Duseni and we went towards SAB where they sell liquor.  When we got there we saw a head boy.  He was asked as to whether he never saw a corpse.  He said he never saw a corpse there.  From there we went away with the police and they took us back to the seminary, and they said they were going to ask Thoko.  Before that at the mortuary we went there about five times, and they were showing us decomposed bodies which were put in plastics, but we couldn't get Nxobile.  Each time we go they would tell us Nxobile is there, but when we get there he wasn't there.

DR MAGWAZA: Was it the last time you tried to trace his steps?

WITNESS:   We kept on listening to people telling us that he's this side, that side.  Ultimately we just decided to leave it alone, when Reverend Mgojo was also helping us.  After some time one of the people with whom we were at the seminary, who had also experienced some harassment, they told us to stop looking for Nxobile because there was danger in what we were doing.  That's when now I decided to give up.  Even at work they advised me to see some attorneys.

DR MAGWAZA: As you have just said there is a witness who saw that Petros was attacked, because he saw him bleeding and he was with a group of people.  You said you didn't want to mention that witness, and that people's name were listed, people who were present when this took place.

WITNESS:   Yes, there are certain names which were mentioned, but some of them have already died.

DR MAGWAZA: Where's Thoko right now?

WITNESS:   I once saw her.  It was in 1995.  She had gone to an attorney to make a statement.  When now I was looking for her to come make an oath, or make an affidavit, so that we may be able to get monies, I couldn't find Thoko any more.  Now as a young person I think she's just around.  I tried to look for her even at Maqonqo.  They told me she's in KwaZulu and they will try to give her a message, but she never came thereafter.

DR MAGWAZA: What about this other witness who told you about this?

WITNESS:   He is still alive.

DR MAGWAZA: Will he be able to come and talk to us?

WITNESS:   Yes.  I don't even want to mention where he stays.

DR MAGWAZA: What about the attorney you went to, what was his name?

WITNESS:   The attorney was Bell Buchanan.  He is in Pietermaritz.

DR MAGWAZA: The police that you reported to?

WITNESS:   It was in Loop Street Police Station.

DR MAGWAZA: Do you have the names of the detectives that you spoke to?

WITNESS:   I don't really remember, because when we got there we submitted a statement and they said we must give them their photo - his photo, so that they may have that listed in the crime report.  But I don't know what their names are.  I think the other one was a detective, but I am not sure as to what position he occupied.  He made photocopies of the photo.  I think it was Zindela.

DR MAGWAZA: What about the Indian policemen, do you know their names?

WITNESS:   I don't know their names, but they were from Pentrich Court.

DR MAGWAZA: At DP you spoke to John.  Do you know his surname?

WITNESS:   I tend to forget his surname, because most of the time my mind wasn't functioning quite well.  I was a little bit confused.

DR MAGWAZA: What about John Mathunjwa?

WITNESS:   I think I know Mdu.  I think his surname was Mtungwa, but I am not very sure about that one.

DR MAGWAZA: I have heard your request.  You wish that a monument could be built because he was never buried.  All those things are taken into consideration, and they will be passed on as recommendations to the State President.  We know that there are many children who lost their fathers who need to be assisted.

WITNESS:   I have got one request, that the Truth Commission could help me in getting a certificate, because I can see there's some difficulty because he was the eldest and he was the breadwinner.  All the other children are at school.  I am in debts at the present moment, because I borrow monies and I don't know how to return those monies.