hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION HEARINGS 1996-06-19 GEORGE 2 CT/05909/GEO SIZAKELE MZOLA NOZIZWE MZOLA [mother] , SON SHOT BY COUNCIL EMPLOYEE https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55104&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/george/ct05909.htm DR RAMASHALA NOZIZWE MZOLA Duly sworn states DR RAMASHALA [indistinct] Professor Russell Ally will facilitate the testimony, thank you. DR ALLY MS MZOLA Yes. DR ALLY And welcome to him as well and you are coming to tell us about what happened to your son in 1986. So I would ask you just to relate the events which led to your son being - being shot. MS MZOLA During the year 1986 on the 10th of February I woke up early in the morning to prepare for my son. He was on his way to school, after school two men came into my house. They took him, they took me - they took me with their car. They told me along the way that my son has been shot and he is dead. So we drove to the place where he was. When we arrived there, there were many policemen but he was not there. I went straight to the policemen, I met Captain Calitz. I asked Captain Calitz to take me to the man who shoot my son because they said the guy is Michael James. He was in Std 1 at school because he was only 9 years old. There was a time to discharge him - came and I had to be with him at home because he was unable to go to the toilet. I had to take him to the loo, I had - I had to make up and down moving around for him. Taking him to Cape Town, Red Cross Hospital even in Groote Schuur Hospital to get some help. I also gave up because I was suffering and we were oppressed. Fortunately God helped us - there was a office in Mossel Bay known as the advice office. Terence Mdanda was worker there, I tried again to go there and told him my grievance. He tried his best moving up and down with me, even then there was hope as if something could happen. But it came out that while Michael James was shooting he was not a policeman. He was not even involved, he was just an informer but we are not aware about that. DR ALLY Ms Mzola your son - your son was 9 years old when he was shot, is that correct? And he was in Std 1? MS MZOLA DR ALLY [indistinct] progress at school at that time? MS MZOLA Yes, he had good progress before he was shot. DR ALLY What standard did he eventually complete - did he - did he pass. What was the last standard after he was shot? MS MZOLA He was in Std 4. DR ALLY Did he ever go to any special school or - or was it an ordinary Government School? MS MZOLA DR ALLY Your son is not 18 or 19 years old? MS MZOLA DR ALLY [indistinct] obviously he lives at home with you? MS MZOLA Yes, he stays with me. DR ALLY MS MZOLA DR ALLY [indistinct] MS MZOLA Yes, it is like that. DR ALLY And at the time that your son was shot, he was with a group of people and apparently when somebody tried to go and pick him up, the person who went was also shot and killed. Can you tell us a bit about that? MS MZOLA As they were from school they were just running after a toi-toi because they were still kids and a car come - approached them. It was driven by Xulu Mayixhali from Mossel Bay and he just pushed his car into to toi-toi and he injured some kids. DR ALLY He was the person who tried to go and - and fetch your son after your son was shot and was laying on the ground, is that correct? MS MZOLA DR ALLY [indistinct] was this the case against Michael James? MS MZOLA DR ALLY [indistinct] of your son as well as the killing of Mr Mbangi? MS MZOLA DR ALLY MS MZOLA DR ALLY What would you like the - the Truth Commission to do in relation to - or - these things that have happened to - to you and to your son? MS MZOLA Secondly I requested that today those people whom are written in the statement - I wanted them to come today and give their information and tell me why did they do it and what was their aim of doing what they did. DR ALLY DR RAMASHALA Ms Mzola would you please describe a day in the life of Sizakele, starting with when he gets up in the morning to the time he goes to bed? MS MZOLA What I can tell you about Sizakele, at time when he woke up in the morning he seems to be angry. He seem to be untouchable but he is always around or he sometimes go to his mother or he just watch - and watch television. DR RAMASHALA Can you describe a day in your life in helping to take care of him? MS MZOLA DR RAMASHALA Is Sizakele under treatment? MS MZOLA Yes, he is getting some pills for fits because he has got fits. So those are the only pills. DR RAMASHALA Chairperson, thank you. MS BURTON Ms Mzola go you have any other children? MS MZOLA Yes, I do have other children. MS BURTON MS MZOLA MS BURTON Have you got any other responsibilities beside Sizakele? MS MZOLA MS BURTON And we hope that will help you in some way to - to come to terms with that. But we know also that there are other things that you need to help you to overcome your problems and we will investigate to see what it is possible for us to do. And we thank you both very much for coming, thank you. MS MZOLA Thank you also. DR RAMASHALA Chairperson over to you. MS BURTON Thank you Dr Ramashala, this concludes the number of people whose stories we are going to hear today.