Human Rights Violation Hearings — King William's Town — 1997-05-14

MARK RICHARD SPARG: I think his name was du Plessis, please forgive me because you only worked for us for about 8 months.  8 or 9 months, ja and it was a while back since.  Anyway, I just want to get my, recollect my thoughts.  Yes, ok so, we closed the shop on the Friday and I asked my security guards, this is a new guard who would come on for night shift just to stay around and guard the premises.  We put our TV set in the boot, we took the money that we had on for the week's takings and we left Nchoga because in my judgement, it was alright for me to take my risks there, but not my family and we walked out.  We left our furniture in the home, all that sort of thing with the intention of seeing what the situation would be like after elections, bearing in mind that the elections were two and a half  months away.   I received word mid March that our furniture and that was at risk, so two of my friends.   We hired a truck and they went to Nchoga for me.  I didn't go myself because I believed that somebody had intentions to do me harm myself.   Anyway, to cut a long story short we managed, they managed to  load our goods but we wanted to leave the Nchoga station, they had to go to the Tsomo Police who couldn't help them because it wasn't their district and the Kofomvamu Police wouldn't have been able to help them because they never had a van so they went, they were carted in my friend's van to Nchoga and only with their help could we actually get the truck out the yard.  And anyway, to cut a long story short, in approximately the end of March, I believe that there were PAC members involved in the initial theft out of the shop and when the rest of the community saw what was going on, it became a free for all.   Slight, I was insured with Fedgen and I had paid the Sasria for the year but like all insurance policies, there's always a sting in the tail.  If the policy isn't enforced then Sasria falls away whether you paid for the service for the year or not, so how's that for robbery, but anyway, on the 24th of March my brokers received a fax from Fedgen saying that my installment hadn't gone through for March.  Well I wasn't trading in March, so that's understandable.  The next day they were give, they gave us ten days in which to pay the installment.  The next day there seems to have been collusion between my brokers and Fedgen because the next day they received a fax on the 25th of March, cancelling my policy.  I did tender payment of that installment and Mr Green at Fedgen refused to accept it.  I never had the fi...  I did contact Legal Aid to see what I could do about this.

JUNE CRICHTON: That was after the ten days that you...?

MARK RICHARD SPARG: After the, within the ten days, my shop was looted.

JUNE CRICHTON: No, but I mean it was after the ten days that you went to pay that,  that?

MARK RICHARD SPARG: Yes, when I out what had happened I did tender payment for, for, for.  I can't even remember.  Yes, it was after the ten days because I wouldn't have, I  would have just thrown up my hands and would have said, oh well that's that, tough but I did go and try and tender payment and they wouldn't accept it.  Anyway,

JUNE CRICHTON: You sought legal advice you say.

MARK RICHARD SPARG: I sought legal advice from Legal Aid and they said, look it's not their kind of area that they get involved in and I never had the finance to sue an Insurance Company.  So, to cut a long story short, I'm not here to start a witch hunt in Nochga by any means.  I came here because, first of all, I felt that it should be mentioned that Brian Wiley's murder has never been solved and secondly, I came here because I felt that I wanted to have my say and thirdly, I came here because I would like to get my good name back.  I am at the moment insolvent.  I went insolvent, I was made insolvent, sequestrated about 8 months ago as a result of this.  I must say though that when I hear of previous submissions here, especially the first lady, my problems are very minute compared to what they have been through and I'd also further like to say that I'd like to thank this Commission, especially.   People do not realize this is not a political thing, people that have had experiences and I cry for this lady.  They have to have a chance to have their say.  Thank you for that.  Thank you.

JUNE CRICHTON: Thank you Mr Sparg, just take a few minutes to have some water perhaps.

MARK RICHARD SPARG: No, that's fine.
(   The speaker's mike is not on.)

MARK RICHARD SPARG: We, we have started another business.  Obviously it has to be in my wife's name and back in the Transkei.  It's what we know and we, we've been very well accepted and I intend to stay in the Transkei for the rest of my life, I hope that's a long one and we are doing well.   We've picked ourselves up and we're doing well and a .. we

JUNE CRICHTON: You are a survivor , that's what they ...

MARK RICHARD SPARG: We're surviving, yes.

JUNE CRICHTON: That's tremendous.  So we have heard that you've wanted to speak.  You've had that opportunity and we hope that the Community has heard what you have to say and that in doing so, you feel that your name has been restored.  You say that you're insolvent and that your insurance didn't pay out but is there anything that you were expecting the Commission to do for you, other than to allow you this opportunity ?.

MARK RICHARD SPARG: Well, no, not really because I'm, I feel that perhaps there are far more needy causes than mine.  You know it's a very humbling experience to sit here in this Commission and listen to I, I, the hardships that other people have suffered.  I don't expect anybody to pick up the tab.  It's, it's just a part of life, I think and if the Commission could a more deserving case than mine, they could take what they wanted to give to me, to someone else.

JUNE CRICHTON: Mr Sparg, each case is unique in itself and we can't compare one case with another.  Each leaves it's pain and it's mark on the family.  Thank you for your testimony.  I would now like to hand you back to the Chairperson and my colleagues.  Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Sparg, this is, this is another moving moment in the life of the Commission.     In each hearing through the time  that we have  been holding  this  public
hearings, there are moments which are unique, which touch us very deeply and I believe that this is another very unique moment for us as the Commission.  It's not usual for us to listen to violations of human rights which have taken place to people who are not black.  In most of the cases, we have listened to violations which have been perpetrated by people who are powerful in their societies against those who are weak in society, but to-day you are giving us a different perspective, a perspective which shows that there are also those who have belonged to the privileged side of the society, who carry deep scars in their souls and pain in their heart.  You have touched us deeply.  Your modesty in terms of the loss that you have suffered, your ability to enter into the pain that other people have experienced and live out that pain, and your courage to come here to-day, because I'm sure you have thought very deeply on whether or not you should come before the Commission.  We have listened to your story.  It is a violation of your rights.  What has happened to you, is a story of human rights violation, carried out by a mob of people and we would like to record it as such.  We will go into the matter, we will make a finding on it, we will make a recommendation to the President as we are going to make a recommendation on each and every violation of human rights because as June Crichton has rightly said, every violation is unique.  Thank you for coming before us and ..

MARK RICHARD SPARG: Thank you for hearing me.

CHAIRPERSON: We wish you well.
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