hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-04-10 TZANEEN STRANGER J MBALATI 3221 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55984&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/tzaneen/tzambala.htm DR RANDERA STRANGER MBALATI (sworn states) MR MANTHATA Mr Mbalati, who has accompanied you ? The one on your ... MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA Mr Mbalati, I would like that we take our story guiding one another. I see here according to your statement, you were detained with Isaac Ditsego in Alexandra. Do you still remember when this was ? MR MBALATI Yes I remember. MR MANTHATA And you were taken to Sandton. Can you tell us how you were treated at Sandton police station ? MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA MR MBALATI Yes, I remember that. MR MANTHATA Were you still with ... Did you know that Ditsego could have been at John Vorster Square with you at the time ? MR MBALATI No, I did not know that. MR MANTHATA Do you still remember how long you were kept at John Vorster Square ? MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA MR MBALATI Yes, I remember. MR MANTHATA Were you taken to Duiwelskloof police station or were you just dumped at your home ? MR MBALATI I was taken to Duiwelskloof police station. MR MANTHATA And do you remember how long you could have been kept at Duiwelskloof police station ? MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA And during that time, could your family visit you ? MR MBALATI Ja, there was a time when, when I was given the chance to meet my family. MR MANTHATA Did the family ever talk about having instructed a lawyer on your behalf ? MR MBALATI No. MR MANTHATA Out of these three detentions, how did you eventually feel body wise, mind wise, you know, were you still as strong and ablebodied as you were before ? MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA Can you relate to us what the problem is ? Take time. MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA And when you were released from Duiwelskloof police station, were you ever taken to a doctor ? MR MBALATI Ja I once had been taken to a doctor somewhere in Johannesburg. MR MANTHATA Yes. Can you remember which year this was ? MR MBALATI 1991. MR MANTHATA Who had taken you to the doctor ? Could it have been the comrades or could it have been the SACC detainees group ? You know we used to have those groups that cared for the people who were either in detention or who had just come out of detention. MR MBALATI I was taken by Alec Nchawalene and Chris Maake. MR MANTHATA MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA MR MBALATI Yes. MR MANTHATA Are both your parents still alive ? MR MBALATI Yes. MR MANTHATA Are there brothers and sisters ? MR MBALATI Yes. MR MANTHATA Can we say that they are taking good care of you ? MR MBALATI I would say yes, but they are having, they are doing it, I may say under duress. MR MANTHATA Yes, I think it has to be, because you are in a position where you would love to be free, independent and do your own thing but I think that should be understood. Do you understand why it has to be so ? MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA Okay, I was saying, you were saying, yes under duress or could you say what you mean by that. Under duress ? MR MBALATI MR MANTHATA Thank you, Stranger. I have no further question to raise. I give it back to the Chairperson. DR RANDERA Jabulani, can you just tell us what were you doing at the time of your arrest in Alex in 1991 ? Were you working at the time ? MR MBALATI I was still a student. DR RANDERA Where were you studying and what were you studying ? MR MBALATI I was at Bankuna High doing Matric. DR RANDERA MR MBALATI As far as I know Isaac Ditsego and his unit were released since there were negotiations between the government and the ANC. They were given short of an indemnity or they were granted bail. DR RANDERA MR MBALATI DR RANDERA MR MBALATI Yes. DR RANDERA Because ? MR MBALATI Since I was involved here at home with a unit of our own here at home. DR RANDERA Thank you very much. DR ALLY MR MANTHATA We keep saying that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission does not operate on a cheque book. What we do is to find the needs of the people, more especially what the people would love to have the government do for them and then we submit that to the government. It is the government that is going to materialise, that is going to implement all what you and others shall have proposed to be the ideal way of reparating the people for the sufferings they have sustained during the years of conflict. Thank you. Mr Chairperson. DR ALLY FATHER MC CARTHY Farther Mc Carthy closes with a prayer. DR ALLY Thank you very much and I would have to end. It was remiss of me not thank your own staff for all the work that they have done and thank you very much, Father. And will people please leave the headsets behind. Please leave the headsets behind.