hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-04-08 MESSINA 1 SAMSON M KODIBONA 3191 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55603&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/messina/meskodib.htm DR RANDERA May I please call Samson Kodibona. Samson, good afternoon. MR KODIBONA Good afternoon. DR RANDERA MISS SEROKE SAMSON M KODIBONA (sworn states) DR RANDERA Dr Ally ! DR ALLY MR KODIBONA DR ALLY MR KODIBONA DR ALLY MR KODIBONA DR ALLY MR KODIBONA Yes, I did go to exile. DR ALLY When did you, when did you leave ? MR KODIBONA I, I left in 1978. DR ALLY .And when you come back ? MR KODIBONA I came back in 1981, June. DR ALLY And then the interest of the security police in you continued again ? MR KODIBONA After I came back, when I tried to find out whether they used to come, I was told that they used to come. In 1981 I left the place and went to Pretoria. In 1982 I started working at a place which was a contract employment. In 1983, August I worked at the (...indistinct) Force. DR ALLY MR KODIBONA We went to some military training and we just to go and learn more about politics at, in Bulgaria. When we had to learn a lot about Communism. Economics and many other subjects. DR ALLY So you came back into the country as a member of the underground then, as a member of MK when you, when you came back ? MR KODIBONA I operated as an underground agent, yes. DR ALLY Now, these people who they asked you about. Did you have, did you just know about them or did you have contact with them ? Like Peter Nchabalenge for example ? MR KODIBONA DR ALLY Just one last question. The torture that you were subjected to. Has it left any long-term, have there been long-term consequences ? What, what effect has it had on you in the, in, in the long term do you think ? MR KODIBONA DR ALLY The torture that you were subjected to because you speak about being quite severely tortured. What have the results of this torture been in the long term ? Are you still affected by it ? Do you still feel traumatized by it ? Has it affected your health in any way ? MR KODIBONA DR ALLY Thank you very much. DR RANDERA Miss Seroke ! MISS SEROKE Samson, what are you doing at the moment ? MR KODIBONA I am a Priest at the moment. MISS SEROKE Do you have a family ? MR KODIBONA Yes I do. MISS SEROKE How many children do you have ? MR KODIBONA I have got one child. MISS SEROKE Thank you. DR RANDERA Mr Manthata ! MR MANTHATA Samson I would like to, to take you back. You said when they came to arrest you while doing a road work, what year was that ? MR KODIBONA It was 1978. MR MANTHATA During that year, 78, if I understand you well, they asked you about people Pala, Pinta, Peter Nchabaleng, Chuganuga. Is that true ? MR KODIBONA MR MANTHATA Can you explain further, at the moment Chuganuga was in prison. MR KODIBONA As much as I know in politics, at the time while they were investigating about this, they wanted to know whether the children at Skukuna have information about ANC politics, about the ANC strategies to pull down, to bring down the government. MR MANTHATA The way you explain, it looks like they just picked you up ? MR KODIBONA MR MANTHATA At that moment were, were you actively involved in politics or some relatives who were actively involved or who could brief you about politics ? MR KODIBONA MR MANTHATA What did you know about Stanley Mogoba at that time ? MR KODIBONA MR MANTHATA At the time where was Stanley ? MR KODIBONA If I remember well he was in jail at that time. If I remember well it looks like he was. MR MANTHATA MR KODIBONA MR MANTHATA MR KODIBONA I worked at Berco Driegoed in Pretoria and Silverton. MR MANTHATA What kind of work were you doing ? MR KODIBONA I was a carpenter. MR MANTHATA MR KODIBONA MR MANTHATA You said that you went into exile in 1978 and came back in 1984. MR KODIBONA Yes, I went on 1978 and came back 1991, June. MR MANTHATA Is it true you went out 19.. . MR KODIBONA I went to exile in 1978, I came back in 1981, June. MR MANTHATA When you came back, what kind of operation were you doing as an underground agent ? MR KODIBONA MR MANTHATA Thank you. DR RANDERA I have no further questions. I just want to remind ourselves that in 1978 when your first arrest took place and the torture that you underwent and the subsequent going into exile, you were only sixteen years old. MR KODIBONA I was seventeen years old. DR RANDERA