hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-06-09 EAST LONDON 1 MRS FRANCES NJOLI / MR MAKI MICHAEL MOSE / EC903/96 ELN EC953/96 ELN EC1086/96 ELN https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55237&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/hrvel2/elnnjo.htm REV FINCA MRS FRANCES NJOLI (sworn states) MR MAKI MICHAEL MOSE (sworn states) MRS LINDISWA NGWENYA (sworn states) REV XUNDU Please give us your names Sir. MR MOSE Lundi Mose. MR LUNDI MOSE (sworn states) REV FINCA Tiny Maya? MISS MAYA Thank you Mr Chairperson. Mrs Njoli, I will start with you. The story you presented before the Commission is about yourself. You were injured during the issue of the bus boycott here in Mdantsane. Please tell us briefly what happened to you. MRS NJOLI MISS MAYA MRS NJOLI We were told to pay the Government because we laid a charge against that Government. MISS MAYA You also received a letter? MRS NJOLI MISS MAYA In other words, you paid the money and you were not compensated for being injured. MRS NJOLI No. MISS MAYA Your attorney, Mr Pringle, did you go to him to ask for assistance at the time of this incident? MRS NJOLI Yes, we went to Mr Pringle and he said that he did not have money. The SAWU offices then phone Priscilla in Johannesburg and she paid this amount of money. MISS MAYA Did she explain exactly what this amount of money was for? MRS NJOLI No, she said that we laid a charge against the Government. MISS MAYA You have made a request concerning your children. What are your requests? MRS NJOLI MISS MAYA Did you apply for a pension grant from the present Government? MRS NJOLI No. MISS MAYA MISS MAYA: MR MOSE He was my son. MISS MAYA Was he affected during this bus boycott? MR MOSE No, he disappeared in 1983. He was at Philemon High School. This was during the COSAS time, on the thirty first of October in 1983. MISS MAYA According to the statement before us, he disappeared during the time of the bus boycott after being ill-treated by the Ciskeian police. Could you tell us exactly what happened? MR MOSE MISS MAYA Lundi, perhaps you can help us? MR MOSE As we were looking for my brother in those years, the soldiers came the one night at about midnight I think. They surrounded my yard. It was myself, my father and my mother at home. My father asked who it was and they demanded that we open the door. As my father was about to open the door he put the light on outside and they demanded that he should switch it off. There was a multitude of soldiers around the house. One of the soldiers badges fell and we kept it at home. MISS MAYA What soldiers were these? MR MOSE The Ciskeian soldiers. MISS MAYA What did they want? MR MOSE They searched, looking for Luyanda and we told them that Luyanda disappeared. MISS MAYA After how long did they leave. MR MOSE MISS MAYA Lundi, how old was Luyanda when he disappeared? When was he born? Do you remember? MR MOSE He was borne in 1966. MISS MAYA Was there any conflict between Luyanda and the police before he disappeared? Why did he go into exile? MR MOSE MISS MAYA Lundi, according to your statement you said that Luyanda disappeared and organizations were unbanned. People came home but Luyanda never came home. What do you know? MR MOSE MISS MAYA MR MOSE They are ANC and PAC offices. MISS MAYA So up to this day you do not know what has happened to Luyanda Mose? What is your request before the Commission? MR MOSE MISS MAYA MR MOSE MRS NGWENYA Yes, that is so. MISS MAYA You were also shot on this particular day when people were shot because of the bus boycott in Mdantsane? MRS NGWENYA Yes, that is correct. MISS MAYA MRS NGWENYA Yes. MISS MAYA Please tell us exactly what happened to you. MRS NGWENYA In 1987 I went back to Mr Siwisa because I wanted to go back to school. I had to pay Fifteen Rand per week during that period. I asked Mr Siwisa to help me to go back to school and after I completed my schooling I would pay this money back. He wrote letters asking for permission for me to go back to school. After three years, I was working for the DEC when I received a letter saying that I had to pay the balance of this money. I then went back to Mr Siwisa and requested him to write a letter to these people to inform them that I can only pay Fifty Rand per month. In 1993 I finished paying this money. MISS MAYA How much money was this, Lindiswa? MRS NGWENYA It was Eight Hundred and Twenty Rand at the beginning but it increased because of interest and it was over Two Thousand Rand. I do have a salary advice with me showing that they were deducting Fifty Rand from my salary. MISS MAYA Did you stay away from school for three years because of this injury? MRS NGWENYA Yes, and I requested these people to wait until I had completed my studies. When I started working I received another letter saying that I have to pay the balance. MISS MAYA Your attorneys Mr Siwisa, did they explain to you why you have to pay this money? MRS NGWENYA MISS MAYA Let us now go back. How old were you at the time of this incident? MRS NGWENYA MISS MAYA Did you manager to complete your studies after this break? MRS NGWENYA Yes, I did because Mr Siwisa was trying to help me while I was still at school. I then managed to complete my studies. MISS MAYA Did you see the people who shot you or were you inside the house and they were outside? MRS NGWENYA MISS MAYA Is that all you wanted to say or do you have something else to add? What are your requests to the Commission? MRS NGWENYA My request to the Commission is, because I was the one who was injured and the one who got shot, I would like to get my money back. The money that I paid. MISS MAYA As you had bullets in your shoulders, how do you feel now? MRS NGWENYA There are certain days when I feel pain in my arm. When I went to the clinic they told me that I had arthritis. MISS MAYA Would you like some more medical treatment? MRS NGWENYA Yes, because I still go to the clinic to get treatment for my arthritis. MISS MAYA MRS NGWENYA Yes, that is all. MISS MAYA Thank you. I will now hand over to the Chairperson. There might be questions from my colleagues for you to explain certain issues. Thank you. REV FINCA Mr Sandi? MR SANDI Thank you, Mr Chairperson. My first question is to Lindiswa. You were shot while you were inside the house? MRS NGWENYA Yes that is correct. MR SANDI During this conflict in Mdantsane, when people were shot by the police, was it a normal or unusual thing that a person would be shot inside the house? MRS NGWENYA No, it was not normal. It happened to me. MR SANDI MRS NGWENYA Yes, this is strange to me. MISS MAYA This is very strange to you? MRS NGWENYA Yes, it is very strange to me Sir. MR SANDI Thank you. I have another question for Mr Mose. Mr Mose, accept for the man you mentioned, the one who said that he saw your brother in exile, is there anyone else who saw him in exile. MR MOSE MR SANDI There are no other young men who left the country at the time that your brother left the country, who came back? MR MOSE MR SANDI Are there any people who belonged to the same organization who left during this same period? MR MOSE MR SANDI Where is Cindele now? MR MOSE He is working in Bisho. MR SANDI Thank you. Thank you Mr Chairperson. REV FINCA MRS NJOLI - MRS NGWENYA Yes, we are listening. REV FINCA Mr Mose, are you listening? MR MOSE Yes. REV FINCA