hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION HEARINGS 1996-06-19 GEORGE 2 CT/06105 SHEDRAK K CLAASEN SHEDRAK K CLAASEN TORTURED BY POLICE https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55106&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/george/ct06105.htm DR RAMASHALA Mr Claasen do you wish to take the oath - would you stand please. SHEDRAK KHOLISILE CLAASEN Duly sworn states DR RAMASHALA Chairperson Ms Joyce Seroke will facilitate the witness testimony. MS BURTON Thank you. MS SEROKE Good afternoon Mr Claasen - whom are you with? MR CLAASEN This is my sister. MS SEROKE We welcome you in this Commission. Shedrak Kholisile on 7th May 1986, you were taken by the policemen accusing you of burning down a bus and they took you to the police station in Da Gamaskop. We would like you short and brief to tell us what happened - what happened to you when they take you to this Da Gamaskop, thank you very much. MR CLAASEN They asked my father if - does he have a young man or son - he tried to deny but they searched the house and they found me and shot, they grabbed me and put me in a hurry to put on my clothes - I clothes myself after I finished, they said they are taking me, I asked them where are we off to, and they said you have no right to ask any question, just hurry up and get your clothes on. On the way to Da Gamaskop I have noticed that many policeman have surrounded the location. While we were there in the police station they said I must tell only the truth and tell them who burnt down the busses of police - Port Elizabeth and who also assaulted and tortured the driver. I tried to deny it, but seemingly I was making them to beat me more, after that they left me. But there was a sound - I heard that there was sound of people because it was noisy and people were singing. After they have left me, October came back and Captain Calitz, Maritz was also with them. The tortured me again. Even so I asked him what was he exactly doing - can he answer in the Court of Law if I can lay a charge against him. What he was show off the [indistinct] told me, he want to make and down with a kaffir and he pointed at me with a gun after he hit me badly. When he sees that there was nothing that have beaten - showed that they have beaten me, although my penis have bled a little while, hopefully this pills were helping me. Fortunately I was released from those perpetrators. MS SEROKE MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE Do you think they were just [indistinct] around not knowing whom they were looking for. MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE Were you one of the party members during the years of struggle? MR CLAASEN Yes I was one of the members of the UDF. I was involved in the struggle, but I had no position I was just a supporter and a member. MS SEROKE What was happening in your area that was showing any oppression and showing that you were fighting that? MR CLAASEN [No audible answer] MS SEROKE What is happening then about the PE bus? MR CLAASEN I was not there during the burnt down of the PE bus, I just heard about it, but I was not present at that moment. I was in the struggle because I wanted to get free, because the boers were torturing us like anything, they just chased us without any reason, because anyone knows about the South African oppression. MS SEROKE After they had taken you to Da Gamaskop and then they took you to Mossel Bay they tortured you more - they tortured you more and in your statement here you say this torture was more severe than before and there were more of them this time, there were no longer three now. MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE Whilst they were detaining you in this six months, was the torture going on or did they stop torturing when you were attending court. MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE Who were the lawyers that were representing you? MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE And your genitals is there any indication of a damage that was done? MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE Do you have any children - do you have any children? MR CLAASEN Yes I do have children. MS SEROKE How many? MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE Do you work? MR CLAASEN MR CLAASEN Since you left you never worked. MR CLAASEN Yes I once worked at Barons in cycle shop, but now I left this place and I am not working I depend on my sister, my father and the mother of my children. MR CLAASEN How old are the children? MR CLAASEN The first one is 10 - full 10 years. The second one is in Sub A now, Mfundo is 6 years, and then the third one, the youngest one Dinki is 3 years now. MS SEROKE And Maritz and Calitz and October - do you ever see them now, have you ever met them since> MR CLAASEN MS SEROKE Thank you. DR RAMASHALA Mr Claasen the Sergeant Maritz, Captain Calitz and Sergeant October - what goes through your mind? MR CLAASEN DR RAMASHALA What would you like the Commission to do? MR CLAASEN As you said this is the Commission of Truth and Reconciliation, if they could come forward and admit what they did and they know what they did, come forward and tell everybody what they did to people, maybe there will be reconciliation. But the cost - what we suffered of psychologically and my sisters up to the mother of my children, the cost that paid I would love if there is something that can be done by the Commission. MS BURTON Thank you very much Mr Claasen, we too share your hope that people will come forward and admit and take responsibility for what they did, so that we can begin to take steps towards reconciliation. And we have taken note of what you have suffered and experienced and we will see how it is possible for us to help you, thank you very much for coming forward this afternoon. We will now take a short break and reconvene in twenty minutes time. MEETING ADJOURNS ON RESUMPTION