hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-06-09 EAST LONDON 1 MISS THEMBAKAZI TUKU EC368/96 ELN https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55242&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/hrvel2/elntuku.htm REV FINCA MR THEMBAKAZI TUKU (sworn states) REV FINCA June Crichton? MS CRICHTON Are you wanting me to speak in English to you? MISS TUKU Yes okay. MS CRICHTON MISS TUKU MS CRICHTON Would you like to just carry on and tell us the story please. MISS TUKU MS CRICHTON MISS TUKU Late on Monday Chowa who was an exile phoned, he was in the Botswana Sun Hotel and he came to our motel and told us that he arrived in Botswana on the Sunday, the police arrested him and interrogated him with regard to our presence in Botswana as well as his presence. We thanked Chowa and came back to South Africa on the Tuesday not having found anything about my brother and not having seen his grave. MS CRICHTON Thank you, I need to ask you a few questions now. Lets go right back to the beginning, he was resident here in East London before he went to Botswana, is that right? MISS TUKU Yes. MS CRICHTON You say that when he was found in his room you were told that he was already dead, he was under a mattress and he had his gun in his hand. Who was it that gave you that information? MISS TUKU It was one of the Comrades who were there. MS CRICHTON What was his name? MISS TUKU It was Victor? MS CRICHTON Somebody Victor, is that his surname or is it a first name? MISS TUKU First name. MS CRICHTON His first name? MISS TUKU His first name. MS CRICHTON Were there wounds on the body or was he just holding his gun, was he shot or was he just ...? MISS TUKU MS CRICHTON MISS TUKU MS CRICHTON In your statement and in your requests you actually say that if the body was ever buried in Botswana, you seem uncertain as to whether body was actually buried there, is that correct? Are you uncertain about it? MISS TUKU MS CRICHTON You might have heard us earlier speaking about the second submission of the ANC to the TRC in which a public commitment was made that records of circumstances like this that people are unsure about, they are prepared to assist us with information and so all we can say to you now having heard your story is that we will look at those records and see if more can be found out. Is there a particular request that you have to the Commission other than the fact that you want to know where he was buried and that you would like his body to be brought back? MISS TUKU MS CRICHTON How old was he when he left? MISS TUKU He was about thirty five years. MS CRICHTON Did he leave dependants behind, children? MISS TUKU No children. MS CRICHTON And there were no children in Botswana that you know about? MISS TUKU No. MS CRICHTON REV FINCA Thembakazi I would just like to clarify the issue of Thembisile being shot under mysterious circumstances according to your statement in his flat in Botswana. If we are going to successfully investigate this matter please tell us what do you suspect happened to Thembisile? MISS TUKU We think that he was shot because it does not make sense that somebody would be found under a mattress with a gun and that person and that person committed suicide. We would like to know what happened. REV FINCA Are there any rumours that he perhaps was shot by people from Botswana or maybe ANC Comrades? MISS TUKU No. REV FINCA Therefore you have no knowledge of what happened to him at all? MISS TUKU REV FINCA I think you endeavoured to find out what happened after the ANC was banned, did you try? MISS TUKU No. REV FINCA MISS TUKU No reason. REV FINCA You said only the Priest, the landlady and the girlfriend were at the funeral. Did you ever talk to this lady? MISS TUKU No. REV FINCA Do you know where they are? MISS TUKU No not at all. REV FINCA Thembakazi, I will thank you together with those that are going to give their evidence just now. Please step down.