CASE NO: CT/00547
VICTIM: NATION NKOSANE BAHUME
VIOLATION: SHOT DEAD BY POLICE
TESTIMONY BY: MARIA BAHUME
DR ORR
Thank you Chair. I have a few housekeeping announcements to make as we call them. Firstly to explain the use of these translation devices to you. Unfortunately we don’t have enough of these to go on to every single chair so I would ask you to share, particularly if you do understand the language which is being used by the witness - if you could give your headset to someone who does not understand that there are a fair number of these available in the hall.
The headphones plug into the receiver at the back and there are two buttons on either side. One with numbers on - those - that button is to choose the language which you want to hear. Number 1 is Afrikaans, Number 2 is English and Number 3 is Xhosa so you can choose the language you would like to be hearing and then there is a volume button on the other side which you can make louder or softer.
The piece of apparatus which actually transmits the sound are these two black boxes up here so you need to make sure that the front of your device with the glass bubbles on it is pointing to those black boxes otherwise your reception will be very poor.
Please at lunch time and teatime leave these devices on your chair, do not take them away with you. We need to recharge them so they must stay behind.
Secondly for everyone who has cell phones, could you please turn them off and that includes people on the panel.
We ask you to stay seated whilst witnesses are testifying. It is very disruptive if people are walking in and out. Obviously if someone arrives and wants to come in we will allow that but please don’t get up and walk around whilst the witnesses are testifying.
If anyone here today would like to make a statement to the Truth Commission, we do have facilities for taking your statements and you should talk to one of the two gentlemen at the back of the hall, Kelvin and Sekebo and they will make an arrangement for your statement to be taken.
Finally the programme has omitted to put down morning tea which will be at about 10h30, so we are not going to be sitting here all the way through till lunch time, there will be a break at 10:30. Also I am sure you have noticed this, on the last day it says Thursday the 26th of June, the last day is Wednesday, 26th June, thank you Chair.
DR BORAINE
We call the first witness - Maria Bahume and we invite her to come to the witness stand.
DR ORR
Ms Bahume, can you hear me?
MS BAHUME
Yes.
DR ORR
Would you stand to take the oath please.
MARIA BAHUME Duly sworn states
DR ORR
Thank you, you may sit down. I am now going to ask Ms Pumla Gobodo to help you to tell your story to us.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
I greet you Ms Maria. We have started this a long time ago. We are opening wounds that were healed a long time ago. When we met as women congress you told us it was very difficult for the past two weeks.
We do understand that it is like that, but the wound can’t be healed without disturbing it again. So we thank you for your to come forward. I will start by giving a brief - I will just give a brief description of what happened during those days when Nation passed away and what was the cause of his death. Nation is the son of Maria Bahume. That’s the name he was known of, he was the SRC leader. He had a high portfolio in this organisation. He was shot - that was on the 16th August, 1985. He was shot by policemen known as Security Police.
Ms Bahume will give us the whole story but I want her to give you a - I want her to tell you how the situation was in Worcester - Zwelethemba Location.
Perhaps another important thing about Zwelethemba is its very far from Worcester. People from Zwelethemba they think it’s another town, separated from Worcester, that’s how our location were built. Things started to be difficult between Zwelethemba and Worcester and our location amongst the Coloureds and blacks there started to be difficulty in 1983. We had the build up.
In the whole South Africa things were happening because our students had their organisations there was COSAS - one of those organisation, there was a very funny feeling during the location - people were emotional. I would say amongst the blacks and the Coloureds - they were all working together, there was no - they were co-operated there was nothing that you can’t even differentiate that this is the organisation of the blacks and the other ones for the Coloureds.
That’s what we noticed by the time we arrived here in Worcester. The way youth and the adults in the community were fighting against the police. Blacks and Coloureds were in co-operation - good co-operation working together.
I will just be brief, during 1983 we know that UDF was being established in South Africa. It started here in Worcester in August 1986 but there was women’s organisations - one of them was United Women’s Organisation. There was another one for the community known as Worcester Civic Communities Association. That was the one who had to look amongst the community’s interests. During that time the Government of - the apartheid Government had already decided and thought about the community councillors. They wanted to deploy them throughout the location, that’s where the trouble started and where the misunderstanding started, because the community couldn’t accept the community councillors.
And then the Worcester Civic Association decided to go to the Regional Administration Board to go and complain telling them that the community councillors are not welcome into the community, that’s where the problem started because policemen wanted and forced the community councillors to be in the locations.
That’s where the women’s organisation from Worcester decided and they were united as black women from the black community and on the other side from the Coloured Community. Women get together, go to Cape Town to meet the people from the Black Sash.
We’ve met those people during the past week. Di Bishop, Mary Burton were one of them. They came here to Worcester, they’ve started an advisory office here in Worcester. They were trying to help people, they wanted to have negotiations that people must not be humiliated. Policemen started the violence in the Worcester Civic Association - between the Worcester Civic Association and the Councillors and the people who are enforcing the law. People were arrested in big masses. During 1983 they were detained, put in jail, that’s where the advise office came in that was started by the Black Sash.
Ever since then there was no rest, there were always fights between - amongst the policemen and the community and the councillors were forced to resign at the end of 1983 so they did. But it didn’t end there because the law enforcers they forced the community councillors to be amongst the community - students and the community were against that aim.
There were meetings children couldn’t attend the school - they also organised their meeting, it was just a messed up situation - policemen against the community. Ever since then from June 1985 while the people like Goniwe - people were chasing after Goniwe - the whole South Africa was emotional, even here in Worcester there was that emotion.
And then after that the community of Worcester they went to the Regional Security Board demanding that we don’t want the community councillors in own location. So we don’t like the rent fees and the electric fees to be increased because - so the Worcester Civic Ass attended that and the policemen will get into masses in the location with big vans and hippos - those big vans known as hippos and people were arrested. Some of them had too march to protest against the arrest of the people.
And then in July the students decided not to go to school for the whole week. To stay away and they had to look at this matter. Nation, the son of Ms Maria, was one of those students who were leading the youth and they tried to convince the other youth that they must discuss and negotiate about the policemen who were fully involved in the community. And they tried to make their meetings in Ms Maria’s house - it’s when the policemen tried to disturb the school boycotts they were chasing students.
At that time there was no-one that got shot, although there were shots - they would just get injured - no-one was shot dead then. And then in August, it’s when Nation was the first victim in the whole of Worcester to be shot dead by the policemen. Those who were called security policemen.
So Nation Nkosane was the first victim. And then after that women marched to the police station who blocked the whole of Zwelethemba surrounding the whole of Zwelethemba there was only one entrance in Zwelethemba. That’s how our location have been built - locations have been built all over South Africa.
When they were looking for someone they knew there was only one entrance, one exit then the women marched protesting against the policemen amongst the community, they didn’t want them inside.
There were so many policemen that people thought they were going to kill us as a whole in the Zwelethemba community. We were so afraid of that. So we will call upon Ms Maria to tell us firstly about Nation. How was he convinced and got involved in the SRC. How fully was he involved in that organisation?
MS BAHUME
Nation was always amongst the people who were attending meetings and I used to prevent him to do so because I was always afraid that his life would be at stake. He tried to listen to me and the meetings continued to be held. He used to go together with his colleagues and they would keep on going and this took a long time until he died.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Mama, do you still remember the portfolio he held in the Students Representative Council?
MS BAHUME
I would say he was holding a very high portfolio.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Can you briefly explain what happened on the day when he died. Please start when the day when he - before he went out.
MS BAHUME
I - on the day concerned I requested that he make breakfast for us. His friends were waiting for him. I didn’t imagine that he would be going along with them. I thought that they would be staying in my place and then he told me that the following day at 3:00 am he would like me to wake him - at 3:00 am [intervention]
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
We know we are trying to evoke feelings of pain to you.
MS BAHUME
When I went to wake him I knocked at his door, there was no response. I opened the door forcefully, I could see that the bed was still the same way it was the previous day. It was clear that he didn’t sleep that night. I was surprised because I didn’t know that he was away.
I went back to the house, I sent Jerry his brother to go and check her at Nompulelo’s place. Nompulelo use to ask him to drive him to Worcester. Jerry went and then he found that there was nobody and the bakkie in which they used to go - travel together was not there. And I had a hope that maybe my son was still with him or with her.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
If you say he was in a separate room and when you talk about ]indistinct] what do you mean - do you mean a back room. We would like you to explain so that the people have a clear picture.
MS BAHUME
I have a two-roomed house, it is a kitchen and a bedroom so at the backyard I built another one so that as my children as they grow up, they should occupy that one - the back rooms.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Mamma when you went out to open the door you didn’t think that maybe you wouldn’t find him. You thought that you would find him on the bed.
MS BAHUME
Yes - I heard gunshots. It was a usual situation that there were always gun shots on the - in the vicinity. I didn’t think anything because it was a very usual situation where you’d hear gunshots.
When I saw him I didn’t even - when I saw that he was not in the room I just thought it was one of those things. I had never imagined that my child could die out of the gunshots because nobody had ever died before.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Could you please explain and state what you mean by saying there were always gunshots but nobody ever died.
MS BAHUME
I do not know because you would hear gunshots all the time. Tear gas were always thrown to the people. At times they would also shoot at a child’s pozzi - the back rooms that’s what I mean and then you’d see that there was a canister which was thrown in the room. So I didn’t know what it was when I heard the sounds, it was gun or it was the tear gas canisters.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
In other words you are trying to tell us that there were always threats or any ways of showing that anything could happen.
MS BAHUME
Yes, that is why I was always inside because I was always afraid of my life. It was a very stressful situation.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
So is that why you said Nation shouldn’t go out.
MS BAHUME
Yes. I informed him that there are people sometimes who die, he must always be careful. They should protect each other and they should avoid going out at night because it was usually at night when you would hear a lot of gunshots.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
If you say there were people there who were doing who [intervention]
MS BAHUME
No I was referring to other places it has never happened here in Worcester.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
So do you believe that the people were also afraid?
MS BAHUME
Yes we were all afraid, we were fearing for our children’s lives. We knew that - the little ones should always be kept inside indoors. Because the police were patrolling the place all the time and we were always trying to see that our children were protected. But the older ones we could not do anything about.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
So it seems as though it was a very terrible situation where your life would always be threatened.
MS BAHUME
You wouldn’t even go to the shops or the café because when you meet the police they would just insult you for no apparent reason and then they would always say - we are going to shoot you dead.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
So in your area were you always tortured emotionally?
MS BAHUME
Yes, we even stopped putting lights on because we were afraid to attract the police.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
So were you always afraid to be in your place?
MS BAHUME
Yes, it was a threatening situation all the time.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Okay lets go back to the incident where you said Nation left the place.
MS BAHUME
Yes I always sent Jerry to go around and looking from the friends places and his friends used to come and always ask where was him. I will always informed them that I do not know where he is but I was having a hope that he was with Nompulelo because it was said the bakkie was not at Nompulelo’s place. Because he used to drive him around - to drive her around. I had hoped that he was together with her.
There was a - my next-door neighbour’s - neighbour had died so I was preparing to attend the funeral and Jerry was also going to the funeral. So we went to the funeral without Nkosane who is Nation. When we came back, one of the women who was next to me [intervention]
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
We can understand why you are so emotional and this touches us also. It is not an easy matter to loose your son in such a manner, we know it was very painful - it was a painful experience for most of the people.
MS BAHUME
This woman asked me - he asked me whether I know if that there was somebody’s son who was shot dead the previous night. I said no, I didn’t know anything. I asked her is there anybody who was shot dead - he said yes there was somebody who was shot dead. He mentioned the area and said it was just next to me - in the opened veld next to me and he said there were a lot of vans - there were a lot of vans moving around the previous night. I just that I had heard the gunshot and took it as just one of those things because it was a situation which was very familiar to us.
So I went out and met my eldest son. I informed Marshall about what I heard that somebody was shot dead and we started to panic because we knew that Nkosane never came back. And then Marshall told me that he would be coming [intervention]
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Is Marshall your son?
MS BAHUME
Yes, Marshall is one of my sons. I went to one of my friends and informed him of what had happened and then he confirmed - he also confirmed that and said it was a person who was estimated to be about 20 years old.
I informed him that my child didn’t sleep at my place so we do not know his whereabouts. So I went back to my place and I saw the people - the people were coming to converse with me and I didn’t think - I really didn’t think. And then Marshall came along. I still didn’t think that something had happened to my child. They just stated that they were going to the hospital and mortuary to make enquiries and they - my child’s colleagues came in and they always just come to find out if my son hasn’t come back.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Which children are you talking about?
MS BAHUME
The others who were working with him as committee members of the student representative council. Whilst I was still sitting at my place one gentleman came into my house. He didn’t even say anything also he just communicated with me just normally.
After a few minutes Marshall and Fizele and my husband they came again - Marshall was in tears. She was coming along with my husband and my in-laws. I could estimate that something terrible has happened and I also thought it was nothing else but my son who might be dead. I could think that it might have been him who had been shot the previous night.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
We know that we have evoked some pain and we can understand how - why you can be like this. We quite understand that is very difficult for a person to have forgotten everything about what happened but now if he - this you have to [indistinct] and [indistinct] what happened then it becomes such a terrible situation we quite understand.
MS BAHUME
The people who came to my house informed me that my son had been shot dead by the police. I just accepted that but I had a question. It was quite a long time after he died and asked why should God let me be the first one to experience such a painful situation.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
I think we should let her cry, probably it is a way that would relieve her. I know that she has been bottling this for a long time. At times it is very important to let somebody to ventilate - he can actually and let’s allow her to express her pain in whatever manner that she feels is proper for her. We quite understand what is happening presently. We know that we are opening healed wounds.
It is one of the reasons why we are meeting here today. We want to remind ourselves about all the pain we experienced so that we can heal and we should know the truth of what happened during those periods because some of the people have already forgotten or completely forgotten about this and others don’t even know that it ever happened. We know that we have suffered a lot and we quite understand what is happening now.
MS BAHUME
After my son died the police kept on coming to my place. One day there were people who came to my place. I don’t know whether they were photographers of whoever. I was confined in bed and then the people came and asked my son - my eldest son Marshall to say whatever he thinks about what happened. And then he did talk to these people. We never rested because we were always harassed by the police.
One day Miriam, was sleeping at my place.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Who is Miriam?
MS BAHUME
She is the lady who is just next to me. The police came in and they all asked us one by one who we were. We had to inform them about our names, we were told to wake up. Some of the police came in and went to the children’s rooms and then the others came to my room. We had to explain who we were. We did as they wanted.
I can remember when Miriam was asked she mistakenly said she is Mildred. One of the policemen called her, she was ordered to go along with the police. When she was going out, she said to me - please phone my place inform them that I had been taken by the police. When the police learned that he was communicating telephonically with someone else they disconnected the phone and broke the wires and then they took Miriam away.
Thereafter they continued coming all the time asking for Marshall. When Marshall was asked what his name was he said he would Vuyisili and he would deny that he is Marshall. And this continued for quite a long time until the day of the funeral.
And we could see that some of them were high ranking officials from the police and they would come with documents - they gave us restrictions and telling us what type of funeral arrangements we should do. They stipulated the number of people who were supposed to attend the funeral, they also informed us that when the day which is - the child supposed to be buried should be a day during the week.
I said it would be difficult to say we should stipulate the number because this was a student and he was very popular. There would be neighbours who would be attending and some of the schoolchildren would be coming along. So they said it would be all right then to allow as many people as possible but they didn’t want any demonstration, they didn’t want any placards, nothing out of order should take place.
And then on the day of the funeral we went to the minister of religion and then the police also went to the minister and stated that the minister who will be leading the procession should use a certain street which is extremely out of the location. And then when the minister was doing as he was ordered by the police, the people were surprised because they thought he had lost his way. And then he had to explain to the people that no, this was the order from the police and he didn’t want any chaos to take place. So that is why he was obeying the orders.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Could you please explain what happened as the police have given restrictions and orders about the way in which the funeral had to be conducted? Can you explain what was happening at the hall or at the place where you were holding the sermon? Could you please explain what happened when the minister went there.
MS BAHUME
A night before during the ritual, I was informed that there were a lot of police outside.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Do you mean the day before the funeral?
MS BAHUME
Yes very early in the morning every street was cordoned by the police vans. All the streets and the one which was just next to my place was also cordoned by the police. There were vans, the big hippos and the police were armed. They were pointing their guns at our range - directly at us.
They used also another street so that there should be a blockade so that nobody comes to the street where there is a funeral. The others were just beyond the main road and they were just guarding the procession and how it was going to be conducted.
When we got to the hall or the venue, the Minister was still holding the sermon and during that period the police came nearer. We could see that a lot of them were coming nearer the hall. We could realise that something terrible was going to happen. Whilst we were still listening to the sermon there was a hailer and there was an announcement through the hailer that we should come out of the hall.
We were ordered to disperse and the minister said also we must abide by the rules because this is what the police had said and they had even stipulated the time.
When one of the neighbours who was also on the other side of the room and then he also - when he came nearer he was prevented by the police to be part of the funeral. When we were taking the - the coffin was taken and put on the hearse and there were gunshots again. Some people ran away and jumped through the windows. There were stampede - others were jumping over the fences and most of the people now wanted to go back home because they were afraid that it was going to be a massacre should they followed the procession.
So most of the people disbanded and ran away. One of the men said he said he saw one woman who was lying on the ground. We continued - we couldn’t do anything because we were afraid so we just went along and continued the procession. We were now few and there were a lot of police.
There is another road which was corrugated and it was also the road which we were ordered to use. So we were escorted by the vans and the police to the graveyard. During this period when we reached the destination there were already people who were already loaded in the van and they were claimed to have been arrested. We were all panicking and we did the work so quickly because we were afraid that there might be something terrible again and then we rushed up back to my place.
We learned that there was one child who was shot during the period when there was that stampede. Apparently this happened when they were trying to get out and it was reported that the child died. I was afraid.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
I would like you to go back to the period when Nation was shot dead. Our Investigation Unit has already made investigations and they have found out that one person was shot dead during the funeral of Nation.
Can you please tell us whether there is anybody who witnesses the shooting when your son died?
MS BAHUME
Ntsomi is one of the witnesses.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Is Ntsomi -was Ntsomi there?
MS BAHUME
Yes.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Where was Nation shot?
MS BAHUME
It was just a few metres from my place. The first street next to my house. It is between the first street and before you can reach the second street.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Do you know the name of this street?
MS BAHUME
It is Njela Street
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Do you have any details as to why your son was shot dead? Because we realise that - okay we understand that he was a member of the Students Representative Council, but you could give us details maybe about the information surrounding his shooting.
MS BAHUME
I cannot tell, because as I said before they went away with his friends.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Did you ever go and lodge a complaint or lay a charge against anyone?
MS BAHUME
No I didn’t, because I didn’t know what to do thereafter and the other thing is that I knew that the police were the same people, they were the culprits so how could I go to them.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Okay, the other day you said after a year after your son’s death you received a letter.
MS BAHUME
Yes I received a letter.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Can you explain the contents of the letter to us?
MS BAHUME
Yes, it said I was ordered to go to court at 9:00
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Was - were you supposed to go to the magistrate’s office?
MS BAHUME
Yes - I did go at 9:00 am. I requested somebody to accompany me. When we got there we handed the letter over to a Coloured policeman. He ordered us to get seated and he took the letter inside one of the officers. We waited for quite a long time. When we saw that nothing was happening we asked end of Tape 1, Side A … then what is happening and then they said no, its finished everybody is gone.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
So in other words you were called to go to the Magistrate’s office and nobody informed you why you were called in. Were you just seeing people going in and out?
MS BAHUME
Yes it was - I was informed that it was going to be the court hearings about my son’s death?
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
And then what happened?
MS BAHUME
I was never called in - I just stayed there.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Do you know any final decisions about the hearings?
MS BAHUME
I know nothing about it because I stayed outside until I left.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
I would like to inform you that we have something, because there was an inquest during that time. It is reported that there were three policemen who were found guilty about the incident - by - they were charged for shooting and using the firearms for no reason.
I think we will have to get this information but there was an inquest and we have findings to that effect. Three policemen were allegedly accused for shooting your son dead. We are surprised now that you have never heard anything to that effect.
MS BAHUME
No I didn’t hear anything.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Mamma I think I have finished but I would just like to find out what would you wish to say in connection with your son’s death?
MS BAHUME
What do you mean by that?
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
What I mean is what would you like to see happening about your son’s death.
MS BAHUME
Nkosane has two children - I am looking after one of them and the other one is in King Williamstown. I am now ill and I am receiving a disability grant which is R410,00 per month. The children were also receiving some grants which is about R120,00. The problem is that this is insufficient.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Is this R120,00 a grant for Nation’s children?
MS BAHUME
Yes.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
When did you first receive this?
MS BAHUME
In the beginning we used to receive R520,00 and then it has been reduced to R120,00.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
How long did you get this?
MS BAHUME
I think we started receiving the grant in 1990.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
What was the money for?
MS BAHUME
We used to get it from DC in 1988 and then they said the parents to the children should take their birth certificates and go to us for assistance from the Government so that they can be maintained. I think that happened 1990 and then the children were supported. They have been getting this grant for quite a long time. I cannot remember whether it was in 1994 or ‘95 when the grant was reduced to R120,00. The R120,00 is inadequate and I have to augment this grant.
What I can see is that it is very difficult because Jerry now who is my son has to take the responsibility for everything, has to give the children the school requirements and everything and Jerry now is having his own family, he is getting it very tough to maintain two families.
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Thank you very much.
MS BAHUME
Are we finished?
MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA
Yes we are.
DR BORAINE
Just before we - can I ask whether there are any questions or comments from any other of the panel - Mr Potgieter?
ADV POTGIETER
Thank you Chairperson, I will just check, can you hear me?
MS BAHUME
Yes.
ADV POTGIETER
Thank you - I want to hear whether you got any comment. We have got a note to the effect that the house where your son was killed had approximately 25 bullet holes in the door. Do you know anything about that?
MS BAHUME
I never heard about it.
ADV POTGIETER
[indistinct] or one of the advice officers in connection with the death of your son?
MS BAHUME
No.
ADV POTGIETER
Thank you very much.
DR BORAINE
Ms Burton.
MS BURTON
Yes Ms Bahume. Please I want to ask you a little more about the night that Nkosane was killed. You said that it was near your house and you mentioned the name of the street. Do you know if he was shot in the street or in a house?
MS BAHUME
He was shot in the street. May I say something. Because what I heard is that the blood is still there, the blood spots were still on the street so I asked his father to go and pour some sand to cover the whole thing.
MS BURTON
You mentioned someone called Ntsomi who was there when he was shot, would we be able to talk to Ntsomi?
MS BAHUME
Yes.
MS BURTON
And then afterwards you yourself were taken and asked questions by the police and you said that they took some things from your house. What things did they take?
MS BAHUME
They took cans of gas. The other night they came there as they used to come, they open at the back house - they were - they open there, I believe that they thought that some of my children were hidden at the back and they ask about the gas cans, what are they doing about them.
Because we had no electricity we were using the generator, they ask about the wires, the gas cans. I told them that while we were busy with the funeral - busy with Nkosane’s funeral people donated about these gas cans to get light. So I don’t know whom do they belonged to and they ask about the bicycle that was there - they took all those things. I can’t remember the other stuff they took, as it was - as they were still with them now.
MS BURTON
H’m.
MS BAHUME
No I was afraid to go there and ask for them.
MS BURTON
[indistinct] you have two sons Jerry and Marshall, is that right?
MS BAHUME
Yes, I do them - I have two.
MS BURTON
No other children?
DR BORAINE
Ms Bahume, we have listened very carefully to your story, we have taken many notes. We have also especially made a note of your own circumstances and the requests you have made to the Commission. The Commission will do everything it can to be of assistance to you. We will obviously investigate further.
I want to express to you the Commission’s love and care. You have been very brave. We know that you’ve felt it very deeply and to lose a young son is very hard. We trust that God will bless you and assist you as you continue.
Thank you very much for coming and go well, thank you.
