hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION HEARINGS 1996-10-09 KAROO 3 CT/01304/KAR PETROSE MOSOTHO PETROSE MOSOTHO TORTURE, ASSAULT AND SHOT, IN ARM BY POLICE https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55346&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/karoo/ct01304.htm MS BURTON One of the briefers will be come and join in a moment. You can sit down. Good afternoon Mr Mosotho, can you hear me well through the earphones. PETROSE MOSOTHO Yes I can hear you. MS BURTON And you are accompanied by a member of your family. PETROSE MOSOTHO MS BURTON PETROSE MOSOTHO Duly sworn states MS BURTON Please sit down. Now you are going to tell us about what happened to you and the injuries that you sustained in 1985. Please go ahead. Sorry Denzil this is your case. PETROSE MOSOTHO It was about three in the morning. The police came at my home. They took me. I asked them where they are taking me too and they told me to shut-up not to say anything because I came to Colesberg with my politics. They took me to the Casspir and they were kicking me. They took me to the police station. ADV POTGIETER Thank you Mr Mosotho. When did this incident happen. PETROSE MOSOTHO ADV POTGIETERThird month or which third is it. PETROSE MOSOTHO It was on the 3rd of July 1985. ADV POTGIETER Who are the police that arrested you and that were involved in the assaults on you? PETROSE MOSOTHO ADV POTGIETER They were involved in the assaults on you. PETROSE MOSOTHO Yes. ADV POTGIETER PETROSE MOSOTHO ADV POTGIETER Where were you from. Where did you come from? PETROSE MOSOTHO My home is here, but I was raised up in Bloemfontein. I stayed with my mother there. My shoulder now is so painful and I still have a mark even on my leg where I was shot. I still have a mark. ADV POTGIETER They accused you of having brought politics to Colesberg. Now were you involved in politics. Were you an activist, or what was the position. PETROSE MOSOTHO Yes, I was in politics. I disagreed with what was happening here in Colesberg. And they said that I came here with some wise tricks here in Colesberg. ADV POTGIETER You were taken to Middleburg and the next thing you remembered was waking up in the hospital in Bloemfontein. PETROSE MOSOTHO ADV POTGIETER PETROSE MOSOTHO My shoulder was injured and my leg where the policeman shot me. My leg was bandaged and there were ointment all over my shoulder. ADV POTGIETERThose injuries that you had was caused or were caused by the police who were assaulting you. PETROSE MOSOTHO Yes, they were all caused by the police. ADV POTGIETER When were you shot. At what stage? PETROSE MOSOTHO ADV POTGIETER Which leg did they shoot you in? Your right leg or your left leg? PETROSE MOSOTHO ADV POTGIETER In hospital, were you just discharged and did you go home or did the police take you into custody, charge you with anything, or what happened. PETROSE MOSOTHO I came they I was detained here in Colesberg. And I went to the Magistrates court. I was charged, I was sentenced, but they released me after some few months. They said my case was dismissed. I can go home. ADV POTGIETER What were you convicted off? PETROSE MOSOTHO As we were they convicted me of trying to close down the shops here in town. They said I was the one bringing these ideas to the people in Colesberg. ADV POTGIETER [Indistinct] idea to Colesberg. PETROSE MOSOTHO Yes. ADV POTGIETER What sentence did the court give you. PETROSE MOSOTHO PETROSE MOSOTHO Yes, I appealed, but they told us to wait for an answer and I am still waiting for that today. ADV POTGIETER PETROSE MOSOTHO Yes, they released me. ADV POTGIETER What did they say. Why are you being released so quickly. PETROSE MOSOTHO ADV POTGIETER You have already explained that you still suffering from the consequences of those injuries. Is there anything else that you want to add to your testimony or bring to our attention. PETROSE MOSOTHO MS BURTON Please could people in the audience keep quiet. ADV POTGIETERAre you married. PETROSE MOSOTHO No, I am not married. ADV POTGIETERChildren? PETROSE MOSOTHO ADV POTGIETER What is your age? PETROSE MOSOTHO I was born in 1960. I was born in 1960, on 5 May 1960. ADV POTGIETER I just want to hear whether the lady who was with you, whether there is anything she wishes to add. You told us that she was at the place where you were arrested by the police. I just going to ask you to shift the microphone to her and I am just going to ask her whether she wants to add anything to your testimony. Whether she wants to say anything. Would you please just give us your full names. JANE JAPHTA We were sleeping when police came and they knocked at the door. When we asked who was there and they just told us to open the door. We refused and we told them that we were sleeping. They kicked the door and the door opened. They told me that they wanted this man next to me and he asked them where they were taking him too. And they told him not to ask question and they dragged him outside. He was not wearing a T-shirt on top and I took his T-shift and I gave him his T-shirt. They took him with the Casspir and they took him. ADV POTGIETER Okay. she can hear, she does hear, okay. Now do you know about the shooting that happened when they removed Mr Mosotho from the house there. JANE JAPHTA ADV POTGIETER JANE JAPHTA I am Jane Japhta. ADV POTGIETER [Indistinct] thing with Mr Mosotho that stage. JANE JAPHTA Yes, he was my boyfriend. ADV POTGIETER Thank you very much Miss Japhta. I got no further questions. MS SEROKE Mr Mosotho, you said that you are receiving treatment from doctors. Can you please explain that. PETROSE MOSOTHO I got injured in my work place in Bloemfontein. I em suffering from epilepsy and I am receiving treatment. MS SEROKE Are you still suffering from this. PETROSE MOSOTHO Yes. MS BURTON We can see that you had a very bad experience and that you are still suffering from that and we offer you are sympathy and we hope that the treatment that you are getting now. Will be of some help to you. We thank you very much for coming to tell us what happened to you. Thank you.