hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-05-14 3 RONALD NGQANDU EC0346/96SBR https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55488&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/kwtown/komngqa.htm CHAIRPERSON Ronald Ngqandu, please stand up. RONALD NGQANDU (sworn states) CHAIRPERSON Matse Wellington Mbenento. MATSE WELLINGTON MBENENTO (sworn states) CHAIRPERSON Ntsiki Sandi. MR SANDI Thank you, Chairman. May I start with Mr Mbenento. Mr Mbenento, you have a short story and I would like you to briefly explain what happened to you on the 11th of October 1991. You were shot in Komga, is that correct ? MR MBENENTO Yes, that is correct. MR SANDI At this time there was a consumer boycott in town ? MR MBENENTO Yes, there was a consumer boycott. MR SANDI Were you a member of ANC ? MR MBENENTO Yes, I was a member of ANC. MR SANDI You were shot four times ? MR MBENENTO Yes, that is correct. MR SANDI Where were you shot ? MR MBENENTO I was shot on the side of my stomach. MR SANDI Please give us a clear picture of what was happening at that time. MR MBENENTO MR SANDI You said that you broke your arm ? MR MBENENTO Yes, my left arm was broken and it is not working now. MR SANDI Why were they arresting you ? MR MBENENTO When I heard about this in Frere Hospital, they said that I was wearing camouflage. We had a march on the 18th of December 1990. They saw me in town wearing camouflage MR SANDI But in that time they were arresting you, you were not wearing a comouflage? MR MBENENTO No, I was wearing my private clothes. MR SANDI You were treated by Dr Smith in Frere Hospital ? MR MBENENTO Yes, there were two doctors. It was Dr Smith and Dr Settler. MR SANDI What did they say about your arm or about your injuries in your body ? MR MBENENTO What these doctors did to me, they cut my leg, trying to patch my arm because I could see bones in my arm. MR SANDI Are you receiving treatment now, from the hospital or from the doctor ? MR MBENENTO After I was released from pri, from hospital ? MR SANDI In the present time, are you receiving medical treatment ? MR MBENENTO MR SANDI Where there any bullets taken from your arm ? MR MBENENTO I still have a bullet in my arm and would like it to be taken out. MR SANDI Who told you that you have a bullet in your arm ? MR MBENENTO I heard that there was a bullet in my arm. I could feel it. After I was released from hospital when I was, I touched my arm, I could hear that, I could feel that there is a bullet in my arm. MR SANDI Do the police know you as someone who was taking part in any political organization ? MR MBENENTO Yes. MR SANDI Which political organization ? MR MBENENTO The ANC. MR SANDI What is your request to the Commission to-day ? We have requests, written requests in front of us, would you like to repeat them yourself ? What is your first request ? MR MBENENTO My first request is that I would like the Commission to help me financially, so that I can build a house for myself. Secondly, I would like to get medical treatment, so that the bullet in my body can be removed. MR SANDI You said that your arm is disabled ? MR MBENENTO MR SANDI Do you have a request concerning that ? MR MBENENTO Concerning what, Sir ? MR SANDI Are those your requests or would you like to add something ? MR MBENENTO That is all, Sir. CHAIRPERSON Ronald Ngqandu. MR SANDI Ronald Ngqandu, you also experienced that same as Mr Mbenento. This happened to you in March 1990 in Komga ? Briefly, what happened to you, Sir ? MR NGQANDU There was a consumer boycott in our area at that time. We were fighting against the Councillors because they wanted to raise rent payments. On the third day, after all this, the boers of AWB came from town. They were going to take a truck which was burnt down by the community. The community burnt down the truck because the driver went to the police and the police escorted the driver, so that he can go and buy in town, although there was a consumer boycott. People followed, the comrades followed him and we, he, they asked him whether he did not know whether there was a consumer boycott or not. They told him to leave the truck and the truck was bunt down by the community. MR SANDI Who was the owner of this truck ? MR NGQANDU MR SANDI RM NGQANDU No. MR SANDI You said that the AWB members came to take this truck from the township. Was there any AWB, were there any AWB members in Komga at the time ? MR NGQANDU Yes. MR SANDI You said that they came to take the truck and then what happened ? MR NGQANDU The community saw them. We then decided to go to them, asking why they were taking this truck. Before we can reach them, we heard a gunshot. I was then shot. MR SANDI Who was shooting ? MR NGQANDU Between Johan Els and Nick Els. MR SANDI Were you the first one who was shot ? R NGQANDU Yes. There was one other boy who got shot that day. MR SANDI Where were the police at that time ? MR NGQANDU The police were there when we were being shot at. MR SANDI What happened after that ? MR NGQANDU The people ran away. One young boy saw that I got shot, he ran to the school, telling teachers that someone has been shot. The people then came trying to take me to the hospital. This young boy came with a car and then they took me to hospital. MR SANDI Did you go to any attorneys concerning this ? MR NGQANDU Yes, I did. MR SANDI Was it in Smith and Tabata ? MR NGQANDU Yes. MR SANDI What happened to your case? MR NGQANDU MR SANDI When the case was in court, was it because of the claim you instituted or who was charged ? MR NGQANDU I was the one who was charged. They said that I got shot while I was doing public violence. MR SANDI The case was then withdrawn ? MR NGQANDU Yes. MR SANDI You did not lay a claim to Smith Tabata ? MR NGQANDU They said that, that has expired. MR SANDI The Els brothers, was there a connection between them and the police ? MR NGQANDU I can say that there was a connection between them and the police because they were together with the police while they were shooting at us. MR SANDI At the time of this day, were they wearing AWB uniforms ? MR NGQANDU They were wearing the uniform from the garage because they own a garage. MR SANDI You have a request in your statement. Would you like to say your request ? MR NGQANDU Yes. MR SANDI Can you please do that. MR NGQANDU I have one request. I would like the Commission to help me. I have a young child which needs to be supported. I cannot work because my leg was shot. I would find employment to work for a month and my leg would be painful, I will have to go to check-ups. I was once hired in a hotel in Komga. At that time I was not aware that there was a bullet in my leg. I then went to a check-up. They took the bullet out. MR SANDI Thank you, Mr Ngqandu. I will now hand over to the Chairperson. Maybe you will be asked some further questions. MR NGQANDU MR SANDI Thank you very much. CHAIRPERSON You both have bullets in your bodies. We will take this forward. If we need any other details, we will come back to you. Thank you. .