hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-06-10 EAST LONDON 2 MR NEVILLE BELLING (JNR) / EC101/96 ELN https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55228&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/hrvel2/elnbelli.htm REV XUNDU Opens hearing with a hymn and a prayer. REV FINCA Could you please stand while I read their names with reverence. We remember Deric John Whitfield, Boyce Michael Wheeler, Virginia Panziso, Jeff Wabena, Gerge Botha, Arnold Gush, Leon Meyer and Jacqueline Ann Quinn. May they rest in peace Lord and give them everlasting light. Amen. We welcome everybody here to-day on the second day of our hearings in East London. We welcome those that are going to be testifying before this Commission, those people who are going to tell l the stories of their lives, the oppression and depravation of their as human beings. This hearing to-day will be live on radio and we ask that you will co-operate so that there is order in this hall so that all South Africans can get a clear understanding of the hearings to-day. There are attorneys here, legal representatives who will appear before the Commission. They will be representing perpetrators as we sent them notices under Section 30 of the Truth and Reconciliation Law. If these attorneys could please approach the panel so that we can give them a stipulated time. We are going to start with perpetrators with legal representatives from mid-day however if there are people with special requests or if they want to change their time they can approach the panel so that we can organise it. MISS MAYA The first five people that we have are people falling under the same incident when a hotel in High Gate was bombed. Doreen Rousseau who will be speaking about herself - attempted murder, Bernice Whitfield will be speaking about Deric John Whitfield who was murdered, Neville Belling will be talking about himself - attempted murder, Nkosinathi Gontshi will be speaking about himself - attempted murder, Francina Wheeler will be speaking about Boyce Michael Wheeler who was murdered. These are all the High Gate cases. Norhoza Yenana will be speaking about Virginia Panziso who was murdered in East London in 1988, Nomakhosazana Mavubengwana will be speaking about Jeff Ngxeke Wabena who was murdered in East London in 1988. Pralene Mora Botha will be speaking about George Botha who was murdered in Port Elizabeth in 1976, Mxolisi Leleki who will be speaking about himself - severe ill-treatment in East London in 1993. Mandla Tobezweni who will be speaking about himself - tortured in Mdantsane in 1987, Mandla Engelani who will be speaking about himself - severe in East London (Duncan Village) in 1985. Mxolisi Monakali will be speaking about himself - attempted murder Mdantsane in 1981, Naledi Gush-Nkula will be speaking about Arnold Gush - murdered in East London in 1990. Christian Peter Meyer who will be speaking about Leon Lionel Meyer and Jacqueline Ann Quin who was murdered in Lesotho in 1985. Zwelakhe Bkikitsha who will be speaking about himself - tortured in Mdantsane in 1987. Joseph Cochran who will be speaking about himself - severe ill-treatment in East London in 1989. Mawonga Gom who will be speaking about himself - tortured in Mdantsane from 1982 to 1986. Mr Chairperson, number eight in our list excuse me, number seven in our list Nomakhosazana Mavubengwana has requested that she comes and gives evidence to-morrow rather than to-day as she has a bit of a problem. The High Gate incident was in 1993. Thank you Mr Chairperson. REV FINCA Thank you, Miss Maya. We are going to let you know that we have changed in our proceedings to-day. The families that are going to talk about the High Gate incident, we are going to start with Neville Belling instead of Doreen Rousseau. I will call to the podium Mr Neville Belling whom I understand is accompanied by his father, to take the stand. REV XUNDU MR NEVILLE BELLING (JNR) (sworn states) MR NEVILLE BELLING (SNR) (sworn states) REV FINCA Thank you, we welcome Neville Belling Junior and Senior. We will ask Mr Sandi to direct some questions based on the statement that you have supplied to the Commission and give you a chance to state your evidence to the Commission. MR SANDI MR BELLING MR SANDI Okay. Mr Belling Junior as I go through your statement it appears that you will be talking about the shooting which occurred at the High Gate Hotel on the first of May 1993, is that correct? MR BELLING (JNR) MR SANDI According to that statement you were one of the people who were shot on that day, is that correct? MR BELLING (JNR) MR SANDI Can I now hand over to you to tell the whole story, how it happened what you saw and so on. MR BELLING (JNR) On my crashing to the floor I suddenly felt that I had lost the feeling of my left arm and at this stage I was looking away from the door and although unable to see what was taking place I heard the gunman continue to direct fire at the patrons in the bar. While the shooting continued I suddenly heard a loud explosion coming from inside the bar area after which the light became dull. I then suddenly heard something roll on the floor behind me and fearing that this object was an explosive device I braced myself for a further explosion. No explosion came and I heard ssss sound over the gunfire. I then realised that teargas had been set off in the bar and I was choking on the teargas. Shortly after my having determined that the teargas was inside the bar area the shooting suddenly ceased. I then dragged myself into the conference room to escape the teargas and was later removed from this area by the paramedics. As a result of this attack I sustained injuries of a serious nature to my left arm, left hip and also internal injuries and I feel that nobody had the right or permission to cause such injuries to me or attempt to take my life. MR SANDI Was anyone arrested in connection with this incident? MR BELLING (JNR) I do not know. MR SANDI No-one has been taken to court on charges of having done this? MR BELLING (SNR) MR SANDI So nothing has happened by way of criminal prosecution? MR BELLING (SNR) No, nothing on that. MR SANDI Were you taken to hospital after the incident? MR BELLING (JNR) Yes, I was. MR SANDI Can we talk about that part of it? MR BELLING (JNR) When I arrived at casualty I had to wait for the specialist to arrive, I was conscious all the time. At that stage they only knew of my left arm that was shot because I was lying on my back and I was busy complaining about back pain. When the specialist arrived they turned me over on my side and found three bullet holes in my back after which they immediately rushed me to theatre. By the time I got to theatre I was unconscious as I had hardly had any blood in my body. MR SANDI Are you receiving any medical treatment to-day for the injuries sustained? MR BELLING (JNR) Yes, I am. MR SANDI Can you talk about that? MR BELLING (JNR) My medication? MR SANDI Yes. MR BELLING (JNR) MR SANDI I understand from your statement you were twenty at the time of the incident. MR BELLING (JNR) Yes, I was. MR SANDI Were you a scholar or were you working? MR BELLING (JNR) I was working at that stage. MR SANDI MR BELLING (JNR) MR SANDI Is that as a result of the shooting you sustained? MR BELLING (JNR) MR SANDI Is there anything Mr Belling Senior that you want to add to the testimony? MR BELLING (SNR) MR SANDI Do I understand you to say that you are not happy with the medical treatment he is receiving? MR BELLING (SNR) MR SANDI Are there any specific requests that you would like to raise to this Commission so that it can pass them over to the State President and his colleagues? MR BELLING (SNR) MR SANDI Are you talking about the Law pertaining to compensation to victims of terrorism? MR BELLING (SNR) MR SANDI MR BELLING (SNR) MR SANDI MR BELLING (SNR) MR SANDI REV FINCA June Crichton? MS CRICHTON Mr Belling Junior I just want to make a statement first and then ask you a question. I really do admire your courage in coming forward to-day considering the pain that you are in now. I want to clarify one thing, you are getting a disability grant is that correct? MR BELLING (JNR) MS CRICHTON MR BELLING (JNR) MS CRICHTON Your father mentioned that should there be compensation you might consider having a small business .. (end of tape) REV FINCA MR BELLING (JNR) REV FINCA Your attitude would be that having gone through what you have gone through those who are responsible for these acts must face the consequences of that by going to jail and serving their full sentence? MR BELLING (JNR) Yes, I do. REV FINCA Mr Belling Senior you are a father to your son and you are able to articulate the pain that the family has gone through, I would want to direct the same question to you. How do you see this? MR BELLING (SNR) I see it in the same light because they knew before they went there what their intentions were ... (interrupted) REV FINCA Turn the mike towards you. MR BELLING (SNR) REV FINCA Thank you very much Mr Belling Senior you have referred to this as a premeditated act of brutal murder. MR BELLING (SNR) Yes. REV FINCA MR BELLING (SNR) REV FINCA Thank you Mr Belling. Last question, Reverend Xundu? REV XUNDU Just to get the thing into perspective for my understanding, you are saying that all perpetrators should go the same route of being taken to court be they Sharpeville where people were just massacred without having guns, be they June the sixteenth. Shall we raise those names and say the amnesty process is irrelevant because I think that you are making a statement which I think makes the amnesty process an irrelevant process in terms of reconciliation for South Africa. I just want to get it on record that you are saying that all those people who have been perpetrators like in Sharpeville on June the sixteenth who suffered at the hands of the police and Maduna State in Uitenhage were just mowed down. That those people who committed that in your opinion should not be granted amnesty, they should be charge and imprisoned. MR BELLING (SNR) REV FINCA MR BELLING (SNR) REV FINCA MR BELLING (SNR) REV FINCA The matter is completely out of our hands Mr Belling, what we do is to take the information from victims compile a report to the President and then the President has to act. MR BELLING (SNR) REV FINCA Thank you. MR BELLING (SNR) Thank you very much.