hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-04-09 GRAHAMSTOWN 3 NTOMBOMZI MAKAFE https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55129&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/gtown/makafe.htm REVD XUNDU: Mr Chairperson, I would like to swear in Ntombomzi Makafe. NTOMBOMZI MAKAFE (sworn states) REVD XUNDU Thank you. CHAIRPERSON How old are you Ntombomzi? MS MAKAFE I am 20 years old. CHAIRMAN I thought you were 12 years old. We will ask Ms Tiny Maya to lead you with questions on behalf of the Commission. MS MAYA Thank you Mr Chairman. Ntombomzi, I would like to greet you. You are 20 years today in 1997. You are going to tell us about your story that happened in 1986. How old were you then? MS MAKAFE Ii was 11 years old. MS MAYA In your statement you said you were shot while playing with your friends in the backyard at home, what happened? MS MAKAFE We were playing together with my friends. While we were playing, we heard a gunshot. I fell down and I lost consciousness, I woke up the next morning, I was in Port Elizabeth in hospital. I stayed for a month in hospital in Port Elizabeth. I was then discharged. I was transferred here in Grahamstown, I stayed for a week here in Grahamstown. M MAYA How were you injured? MS MAKAFE I was injured in my stomach. MS MAYA Were you operated in hospital? MS MAKAFE Yes, I was operated. MS MAYA Were there any bullets taken out of your body? MS MAKAFE Yes. MS MAYA You were still at school, what standard were you? MS MAKAFE I was in sub B. MS MAYA Did you manage to go back to school? MS MAKAFE No, I did not because my leg got injured. MS MAYA When did you go back to school if you did? MS MAKAFE I don't remember. MS MAYA But you continued with your studies? MS MAKAFE Yes, I did. MS MAYA How is your state of health now? Did you fully recover? MS MAKAFE No, because if the weather is bad my leg, I feel pain in my leg. MS MAYA Do you know what was happening in the township when you got shot? MS MAKAFE No, I don't know. MS MAYA You were shot while you were playing? MS MAKAFE Yes. MS MAYA ; Do you know the person who shot you? MS MAKAFE Yes, I know him. MS MAYA Who is he? MS MAKAFE It was Mpukumpuku. MS MAYA Is Mpukumpuku Mr Khadi? MS MAKAFE Yes, it was Mr Khadi. MS MAYA Was Mpukumpuku charged for shooting you? MS MAKAFE Yes, he was arrested because we used to go to court. We went to court twice after that, we heard that he has passed away. MS MAYA Do you know whether you were shot at the same day with these children that were referred to here before? MS MAKAFE Yes. MS MAYA Were you shot at that same day? MS MAKAFE Yes. MS MAYA What would you like the Commission to do for you? By coming here today, what would you like us to do for you? MS MAKAFE I would like to be helped. MS MAYA How? Do you still need to go to other Doctors for medical treatment? MS MAKAFE Yes, because my leg is not functioning well. MS MAYA In which standard were you? MS MAKAFE I stopped while I was doing standard 5. MS MAYA Do you want to go back to school? MS MAKAFE Yes. MS MAYA We will come back to you, we will give you a chance to think. I will now hand over to the Chairperson. CHAIRPERSON June Crichton? MS CRICHTON Can you hear mr Ntombomzi? Can you hear me? MS MAKAFE Yes, I can hear you. MS CRICHTON You were only 11 years old, what did you know about the political situation at that time? MS MAKAFE I knew nothing about politics at that time. MS CRICHTON All right. And then you mentioned that there was somebody by the name of Lindelwa, was she playing with you that day? MS MAKAFE No, Lindelwa is my mother. MS CRICHTON I've got one more question for you. In your statement is says that the police claimed that the victim was shooting. Did you have a gun? MS MAKAFE No, I did not have a gun. MS CRICHTON Thank you, that is all I wanted to ask you. Thank you Mr Chairperson. CHAIRPERSON Ntombomzi, where you were playing did you see a toyi-toyi? MS MAKAFE No, we did not see any toyi-toyi. CHAIRPERSON How many children were shot that day? MS MAKAFE ; We were three. One of us passed away. CHAIRMAN Do you know the name of the child that passed away? MS MAKAFE Yes, it was Nontle Koliti. CHAIRMAN Thank you Ntombomzi, you have already heard the testimony presented by the gentleman who were here before you. You have already heard that we will meet with them again, we will also meet with the authorities, we will try to investigate accordingly about this matter. We thank you for coming here to give your testimony to the Commission. We hope that your requests will be attended to. We will report them to those who are in authority. Thank you.