hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-05-14 3 NTSIKELO WELLINGTON SOLANI EC1321/96CCK https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55518&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/kwtown/zwelsol.htm CHAIRPERSON Oh, Okay. Ntsikelelo Wellington Solani, please stand up. NTSIKELO WELLINGTON SOLANI (sworn states). CHAIRPERSON Nomava Lillian Mzinzi. NOMAVA LILIAN MZINZI (sworn states) CHAIRPERSON Nomondi, Peggy Nomzanga. NOMONDI PEGGY NOMZANGA (sworn states). CHAIRPERSON Mpumeleli Elias Dara. MPUMELELI ELIAS DARA (sworn states) CHAIRPERSON MS MAYA Mr Solani, I will start with you. You are going to tell us a story about yourself, about what happened to you on the 26th of December 1991, in Masele Township, in Zwelitsha. Can you please tell what happened, what was happening between the ANC and the ADM and what happened to you? MR SOLANI There was conflict in the township. MS MAYA Please come nearer to the mike. MR SOLANI The police came looking for me. I was at home in the village. Different people were being taken by the police. I was one of the people. They were beating us. MS MAYA The conflict, what was it all about ? MR SOLANI It was a conflict between the ANC and ADM. MS MAYA In 1991. MR SOLANI Yes, in 1991. MS MAYA What was the reason for this ? MR SOLANI The two organizations did not understand each other, they were in conflict. MS MAYA You mentioned that this issue was concerning the headman. You also mentioned that a certain headman was murdered. What was his name ? MR SOLANI It was Mbambani Xakani. MS MAYA Were you accused of taking part in killing a headman ?. MR SOLANI Yes, I found out that I was accused of killing a headman. MS MAYA Did you have any knowledge about this ? MR SOLANI No, I knew nothing about this. MS MAYA Who came to take you at home ? MR SOLANI I was on my way home, I was then arrested. MS MAYA Who was beating you ? MR SOLANI The soldiers. MS MAYA Did they meet you on the way and beat you, or did they take you somewhere to beat you ? MR SOLANI They took me with their van and they took us somewhere to beat us. MS MAYA Where ? MR SOLANI Around the village. They would take us from a police van to another in a certain house. MS MAYA Who was the owner of the house ? MR SOLANI Njapa was the owner of the house. MS MAYA Who was this Njapa ? MR SOLANI People would be taken to that house when they arrested. Maybe we will go back to that issue. MS MAYA You were arrested, beaten and you got injured. Please tell us about that. MR SOLANI I got injured when I was taken from one van to another van. MS MAYA Do you know the people that assaulted you ? MR SOLANI No, I did not know them. MS MAYA Were they soldiers or police ? MR SOLANI The were soldiers. MS MAYA The injuries you sustained, what are the injuries you sustained ? MR SOLANI I have, my eye got injured and I cannot see clearly and I have bru, I have injuries in my body. MS MAYA Did you lay a charge ? MR SOLANI No. MS MAYA Did you go to an attorney ? MR SOLANI No. MS MAYA Did you go to hospital to be treated ? MR SOLANI No, they just told me to take my eye out. MS MAYA Did they manage to do that ? MR SOLANI No, they did not. MS MAYA Where you a member of an organization ? Where you a member of a political organization or a residents organization in your community ? MR SOLANI I was a member of the ANC. MS MAYA What was the reason for this to happen ? MR SOLANI I think the reason was this conflict between the ANC and the ADM. MS MAYA Thank you, Sir. Do you have a request to this Commission , Sir ? MR SOLANI Yes, I do. Because I have one eye now, I would like the Government to see what to do for me. MS MAYA Is that all ?. N W SOLANI Yes, that is all. MS MAYA MS MAYA MRS MZINZI Yes. MS MAYA Your incident also happened on the 27th of December 1991 ? MRS MZINZI Yes. MS MAYA MRS MZINZI Yes, that is correct. MS MAYA Please tell us what happened. MRS MZINZI MS MAYA The men who pointed at her, did you know them before ? MRS MZINZI No I did not know them because I was new in the village. These men, because my mother-in-law was from Port Elizabeth, one of the men who pointed her out was also from Port Elizabeth. MS MAYA Where they members of any organization ? MRS MZINZI Yes, they were members of ADM. MS MAYA Your mother-in-law, in which organization was she ? MRS MZINZI She was an ANC member. MS MAYA Do you know the reason why they assaulted her ? MRS MZINZI MS MAYA How did she, how was she injured ? MRS MZINZI She was injured and she got injured in the head. They were beating her with sjamboks and batons. MS MAYA At the time of her assault, was there anybody who tried to stop the soldiers ? MRS MZINZI No, nobody tried to stop them. MS MAYA But, there were witnesses who saw the people who did this ? MRS MZINZI Yes. MS MAYA Where did your mother-in-law get treatment ? MRS MZINZI She got treatment in Grey Hospital. She was then, she went to Livingstone in Port Elizabeth. MS MAYA When did she pass away ? MRS MZINZI She passed away because as she was beaten in the head, she suffered pain since then. MS MAYA When did she die ? MRS MZINZI She died in 1996. She could not do anything for herself. MS MAYA Did you lay a charge, or did you go to any lawyers for legal advice? MRS MZINZI She did approach the attorneys, but nothing came out of it. MS MAYA Which attorneys are these ? MRS MZINZI Mr Tavata, Smith & van Heerden. MS MAYA Nothing happened about the case ? MRS MZINZI No. MS MAYA Nomondi, would you like to say something ? NOMONDI MS MAYA Did you know Moffat Mputo before ? NOMONDI: No, I did not know him, but I made some investigations. I found out that he was from Mount Cook. MS MAYA Where is he now ? NOMONDI Someone showed me Mr Mputo in town. I can identify him if I can see him. MS MAYA NOMONDI MS MAYA You mentioned Wendy, Lindiswa and Luyiswa. Can you please tell us about these children. NOMONDI MS MAYA How old are they ? NOMONDI I took them because when my mother passed away. MS MAYA NOMONDI The first one was born 1982, the other one 1985. MS MAYA Can you please mention their names, because we have 3 names. NOMONDI MS MAYA Are they all at school ? NOMONDI MS MAYA Do you have any other requests to the Commission ?. NOMONDI I do have a request to the Commission. I would like the Commission to assist us in these three, three children who were being supported by my mother. As I am married now, I cannot support them. MS MAYA Mrs Mzinzi, would you like to add something ?. MRS MZINZI My request is the same. I would like these 3 children to be educated. MS MAYA MS MAYA Mr Dara, you also from Masele Township. MR DARA Yes. MS MAYA You were also affected on 27th of December 1991. You were beaten with sticks and sjamboks by the soldiers. What was happening ? MR DARA The police came at home on the 27th of December 1991. They took us near the school. When we got to the school, they would take us and transfer us to the casspir while beating us. They would make us lay down under the chairs and they were assaulting us all this time. They said that I was a Chairperson. MS MAYA When you say that you were taken by the police, who was with you? MR DARA Everybody in the village was taken by these police. MS MAYA What was the reason for this ? MR DARA The reason was that a house belonging to Xhanga family was burnt down. The soldiers were staying there. It was burnt down on the 26th of December. These police were asking us about this incident. MS MAYA Were you a member of any political organization ? MR DARA I was a member of ANC. The family of, the Xhanga family was a member of ADM. MS MAYA In other words, the members of ADM were helping the Ciskeian soldiers ? MR DARA Yes. MS MAYA What happened to you after that ? MR DARA MS MAYA After these assaults, were you arrested ? MR DARA Yes, I was arrested. They took me to Tamara Police Station. We were then transferred to Thimbaza because Tamara Police Station was full. On the 31st of December we were then released. MS MAYA The people who assault, assaulted you, did you know them ? MR DARA No, I did not know them, but they were soldiers. MS MAYA Did you get any medical treatment ?. MR DARA Yes, I did. MS MAYA Do you still have medical documents ? MR DARA MS MAYA Did you lay a charge ?. MR DARA No, I did not. MS MAYA Did you go to any attorneys ? MR DARA No, I did not. I cannot support myself, I cannot work like before and I would like the Government to assist me financially because I am not working. MS MAYA Do you have children ? MR DARA Yes, I have 5 children. MS MAYA Do you remember their ages ? MR DARA MS MAYA We will come back to you for those details. Is that all you wanted to say ? MR DARA I would also like to know the perpetrators who did this to me. MS MAYA You will also be, like to be helped concerning your children. MR DARA Yes. MS MAYA I thank all of you. I hand over to the Chairperson, maybe you will be asked questions. Reverend Xundu. REV. XUNDU Mr Stsikelelo Solani concerning your requests, you said that you would like a wife. Would you like us to pay lobola for you ? MR SOLANI If that is possible, I would like you to do that. REV. XUNDU