hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-06-13 EAST LONDON 5 VUYANI SOKUPA EC0067/96ELN MDANTSANE https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55264&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/hrvel2/sokupa.htm CHAIRPERSON Vuyani Sokupa. We welcome you. Please get up to take the oath. VUYANI SOKUPA (Duly sworn in, states). CHAIRPERSON Thank you. You may sit down. Ntsiki Sandi will lead you in evidence. ADV SANDI Thank you Mr Chairman. Mr Sokupa, you said that in 1985 you were the organiser of which organisation? MR SOKUPA East London Youth Congress. ADV SANDI Then you were arrested by the Ciskeian Police and you were beaten up. Where were you arrested, where did they keep you? MR SOKUPA They arrested you, they arrested me from NU12. ADV SANDI You were being asked about a policeman that had been killed. MR SOKUPA I beg your pardon. ADV SANDI What were they asking you? MR SOKUPA They were not asking me anything, Boutie just arrested me. He said that I was holding meetings at my place. We were in a truck and he said that we were going, he saw me at NU7. He said that we will meet at NU12. ADV SANDI Let us talk about the details of your torture. MR SOKUPA They took me from the truck, arrested me. They took sjamboks and beat me up. ADV SANDI Were you injured? MR SOKUPA Yes, my left eye does not see properly. I often have headaches. I have, I had, I sustained internal injuries. ADV SANDI You also have a loss of memory? MR SOKUPA Yes. ADV SANDI And this was caused by the ill-treatment? MR SOKUPA Yes, I was beaten up the most. ADV SANDI Did you go to a hospital? MR SOKUPA No, I did not. ADV SANDI You lost a job after you were beaten up. Where did you work? Please come closer to the mike. MR SOKUPA Meyer's Meat and Fresh Food. ADV SANDI You lost both jobs? MR SOKUPA Yes. ADV SANDI Did they give you reasons for your loss of employment? MR SOKUPA No, well I was not satisfied even with the salary that they were giving me. ADV SANDI You are not working? MR SOKUPA No. ADV SANDI Is that all? MR SOKUPA Yes. ADV SANDI Do you have a request? MR SOKUPA I have a 14 year old child. I do not have a job. If the Commission could help me. ADV SANDI Thank you very much. CHAIRPERSON Thank you Vuyani for your short evidence that you were beaten up. They would beat you up. We are going to investigate as to why Boutie beat you up. Thank you Vuyani. We cannot give you answers at the moment. We are going to report to the President and we will take it from there. Thank you. You may step down.