hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-05-22 ERMELO 1 NONHLANHLA B BLOSE JB3753 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55079&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/ermelo/2ermblos.htm MR LEWIN MISS BLOSE Yes. MR LEWIN MR MANTHATA NONHLANHLA BLOSE (sworn states) MR MANTHATA Thank you. MR LEWIN Thank you. If I ask Dr Russel Ally to lead you in your evidence. DR ALLY Good morning, Nonhlanhla. Nonhlanhla you ... (interrupted) MISS BLOSE Good morning. DR ALLY MISS BLOSE As there was that confusion in the house I got out and tried to run away to the next house. Just as I entered the house, there were a lot of police cars outside and as soon as I entered, they also came into the house and abducted me. They took me. I managed to escape, to run into the house. They then followed me and caught me and they took me into their car. After having assaulted most of the people in the house. Others have ran away. At the hospital we were given some tablets and therefore we had to come back home. When we arrived it was, I think Swekule the township. DR ALLY MISS BLOSE DR ALLY Now you said that the reason that the police came to your house in the first place was linked to this death of a Constable Jacques Scheepers. MISS BLOSE DR ALLY Now why were the police coming to your house in particular ? Do you have any clue ? Before that first tell us a bit about, what did you know about this Constable Scheepers. Did you know anything about him or what had happened to him ? MISS BLOSE I knew nothing. They knew that they will only attack the ANC houses whether you go to the tavern or not. Scheepers was killed at the tavern and they knew all the ANC houses and they always intended to attack every ANC house. DR ALLY So when the police came to your house, did you know by, at that stage that Scheepers had been killed ? Constable Scheepers ? MISS BLOSE Yes, he was already killed then. He was killed Sunday, no Saturday midnight and they did not investigate anything. On Monday at night they came to my house. Actually, every house of ANC. DR ALLY And what had you heard about this death of this Constable Scheepers. You said he was killed the Saturday. What was, what were people saying in the township about his death ? Were people speaking about this ? Were people saying anything ? Did you hear anything ? MISS BLOSE No. DR ALLY MISS BLOSE DR ALLY Were things quite tense in the township before the Constable Scheepers was attacked and killed? Was there tension between the police and the community ? What was actually going on before this death of Constable Scheepers ? MISS BLOSE Yes, there was violence already but it was stable on that week-end when Scheepers was killed. DR ALLY This violence you speak about, what was this violence about ? Can you tell us a bit more ? MISS BLOSE DR ALLY And the police, what role were the police seen to be playing in this conflict ? How did people perceive the police, given this conflict that was taking place which involved these so-called Black Cats and other members of the community who were supposed to be aligned to the ANC ? MISS BLOSE The police were collaborating with the Black Cats and they were always following the police, the Black Cats. DR ALLY Do you have evidence of that ? Is this something you heard ? Is this something that you saw ? Why do you say that the police were collaborating with the Black Cats ? MISS BLOSE I saw them. DR ALLY MISS BLOSE DR ALLY On this day that Constable Scheepers was attacked, he was actually with another Constable, a Constable Nkondo. Do you know anything about that ? MISS BLOSE DR ALLY Now did this Constable Scheepers and the other Constable Nkondo, do you have any knowledge as to whether they were seen as collaborating with the Black Cats ? MISS BLOSE Yes. DR ALLY You have, you heard this ? You heard people speaking about... Was he known in the township, Constable Scheepers ? MISS BLOSE Yes, he was known in the location. DR ALLY Now when the police came to your house they wanted your brother, they wanted information about your brother, Dumi. Is that correct ? MISS BLOSE DR ALLY Why were they looking for him ? Was he, was he involved with any of the political organizations in the township ? Was he part of the ANC ? MISS BLOSE DR ALLY Was he an active ANC member ? Was he known to be quite involved in the activities of the ANC ? MISS BLOSE Yes, he was an activist. DR ALLY MISS BLOSE Yes. DR ALLY He was ! What happened after that ? MISS BLOSE DR ALLY Was there a court case ? MISS BLOSE You mean regarding Scheepers ? DR ALLY Regarding the death of Scheepers, yes. MISS BLOSE Yes, there was. DR ALLY Was you brother, was he tried in this court case ? Was he charged ? Do you know ? MISS BLOSE You mean Dumi ? DR ALLY Yes. MISS BLOSE Yes. DR ALLY What happened ? What decision did the court come to ? MISS BLOSE They were convicted. DR ALLY What was the sentence ? MISS BLOSE DR ALLY MISS BLOSE DR ALLY Where is he now, your brother Dumi ? Is he still in jail or is he out of jail ? MISS BLOSE He is still in jail. DR ALLY Do you know whether you brother applied for amnesty ? MISS BLOSE DR ALLY MISS BLOSE DR ALLY MISS BLOSE DR ALLY MR LEWIN Did you want to say something else Nonhlanhla ? MISS BLOSE Yes. MR LEWIN Go ahead. MISS BLOSE MR LEWIN MR MANTHATA How old were you at the time of your assault by the police in you house ? MISS BLOSE MR MANTHATA MISS BLOSE MR MANTHATA MISS BLOSE MR MANTHATA At that time yourself, at school, what role were you playing amongst the students ? Were you a student leader ? MISS BLOSE No. MR MANTHATA But did you belong to student organizations ? MISS BLOSE I was just a member of the ANC. MR MANTHATA Thank you. MR LEWIN Doctor Randera ? DR RANDERA MISS BLOSE DR RANDERA MISS BLOSE DR RANDERA So that has changed from the time that you are telling us about ? MISS BLOSE MR LEWIN DR RANDERA MR LEWIN