hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-05-14 3 ZANYIWE EVELYN MATYOLO EC0105/96EZN https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55519&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/kwtown/zwlmaty.htm MS MAYA Zanyiwe Evelyn Matyolo please stand up. Zanyiwe Evelyn ZANYIWE EVELYN MATYOLO: (sworn states). MS MAYA We welcome you, Mrs Matyolo. We will ask Mr Ntsiki Sandi to lead you with questions on behalf of the Commission. Thank you Mr Chairperson. MR SANDI Let me start by greeting you, Mrs Matyolo. You are here to talk about your son, Zalisile Ernest Matyolo. MRS MATYOLO He was my brother. MR SANDI What was he doing. Was he at school or was he working. MRS MATYOLO He was working at the time. MR SANDI You say that he was attacked and he was killed. Where did this happen ?. MRS MATYOLO It happened in Zwelitsha, Zone 8. MR SANDI Do you remember the year of the incident ?. MRS MATYOLO Yes, it was in 1985. MR SANDI Who killed him ?. MRS MATYOLO Inkatha members killed him. MR SANDI Let me hand over to you Mrs Matyolo to explain to us what happened this day. MRS MATYOLO My mother went out looking for him. We followed my mother. When we arrived near the river my mother was already there. We went to her. The police were already there. They were taking photographs, asking who killed him. MR SANDI Excuse me Mrs Matyholo, Mr Pityi and Mr Jonas, where they working for the Government ?. MRS MATYOLO They were Members of Parliament at that time. MR SANDI They were members of Sinip MRS TYOLO Yes. MR SANDI Where are they now ? MRS MATYOLO They are still around. MR SANDI MRS MATYOLO The police told us to go back and take the coffin so that we can go and bury my brother. It was myself, Dilie Mabega and one woman by the surname of Mazalenie. We met my brother on our way. We took the coffin out of the church. We took it outside. The father then came. He prayed. The father prayed. After the prayer, we were taken by a lorry to the graveyard. I think people who were there were about 25. The soldiers dispersed teargas again. The driver then opened the door. He could not control the lorry because of the teargas. People ran away. Only 5 people were left. One guy, Mr Klipo from Zone 10 went to the graveyard with us. I think at that time we were about 10 or 15 in number. When we arrived at the graveyard there were police all over. There was a hole, a big hole. I think they dug the hole so that if they shot any people they would bury them in that hole. We sang the national anthem Nkosi Sikelele Afrika. We buried him then went back home. The police said that people were not supposed to go and eat the food that was prepared at home. We then went to Smith and Tabata to lay a charge although that case did not continue. My mother got sick, my uncle got sick. All of us, we lost our jobs. After Zalisile died we buried 7 people in our family. His children are suffering because there is no money at home. We cannot afford. Zalisile was the breadwinner. Those people who were sentenced. Some they were sentenced to 8 years but they did not serve their sentences. They are working for the Government. They were hired by the Government after 3 months of the incident. That is all. MR SANDI MRS MATYOLO They are both doing Standard 10. MR SANDI Are they staying with you ?. MRS MATYOLO No they are staying with their mothers but we are supporting them. MR SANDI Mrs Mathyholo, do you have a request before the Commission. MRS MATYOLO MR SANDI Thank you Mrs Matyholo. I will now hand over to the Chairperson. Thank you Mr Chairperson. CHAIRPERSION: Mr Sandi has already said that your story is a very sad and tragic story but we thank you for coming forward to tell your story to this country, so that we cannot forget people who sacrificed their lives.