hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-06-05 WITBANK 1 MRS LINA L VILAKAZI JB2158 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=56155&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/witbank/7witvila.htm MISS MKHIZE There are some who may have realized that some groups are welcome to submit their statements as well. It is not as if we are looking at individuals only. We are looking at all structures and organizations as well so as to compile our final report next year. DR RANDERA Thank you very much, Miss Mkhize. Mrs Vilakazi, good afternoon. MRS VILAKAZI Good afternoon, Sir. DR RANDERA Mrs Vilakazi, would you please introduce the people who are with you? MRS VILAKAZI Yes, I can. On my left is my son, by the name of Titos Vilakazi. Behind me is Mrs Mgumbi. DR RANDERA MISS MKHIZE Mrs Vilakazi, I would like you to take an oath and say, I Lina Vilakazi will give evidence and speak the truth, nothing but the truth, so help me God. MRS LINA L VILAKAZI (sworn states) MR MALAN MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN Thank you very much, Mrs Vilakazi. We have a few questions that we would like to put to you to get a better understanding and also on some, just a confirmation. If I heard you correctly, which is not in your written statement, you say that the people were called to Lynville Park by loudspeaker. Did the police do that? Was it the officials? Who did that? MRS VILAKAZI The police called us. MR MALAN Did they drive around the township with loudspeakers, calling everybody to the stadium? MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN And then secondly, in your statement you say that they asked you to move from there but you also say, that under the instructions from your children you refused to go to the Lynville Stadium. MRS VILAKAZI You mean the stadium? MR MALAN MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN Was there no discussion when you arrived there? MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN How long were you there before they ordered you to disperse? MRS VILAKAZI It was just a short while. I think we spent some time there because many people arrived and we were so many. MR MALAN Can you tell us the nature of your injuries and the effect it has on you to-day? Can you just describe that for us in your own words, the problems you are still having because of the shooting? MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN And still to-day you have problems? MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN Did you get any compensation from the lawyers or from the police, through the lawyers? MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN Do you have any papers at home from the lawyers perhaps, which we could look at and see if we can get more information from the lawyers? MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN MRS VILAKAZI MR MALAN MRS VILAKAZI Thank you. DR RANDERA Thank you, Mr Malan. Miss Mkhize. MISS MKHIZE Mrs Vilakazi, I discovered that you got injured on the very same day as Stafnurse Mzwakali. Stafnurse Mzwakali told us about the situation at that time and we want to find out why you happened to be called by the police to come out because we have discovered that there was some conflict between the community and the police. MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE To set the records straight, who was calling you? Was it the students or the police? MRS VILAKAZI The police were announcing through a loudspeaker. They were going around with a police van and there were three White men. When we arrived at the police station in Lynville Park, the three White men were armed with rifles and the other police were on top of the cars. MISS MKHIZE My question was, when you got out of the house responding to the call, did you trust the police? MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE Do you remember what happened? Was there any conflict between the police and the students or did the students sing or anything? MRS VILAKAZI On that particular day, there was nothing like that. It might have happened in other parts of the township but nothing like that happened next to the police station in the park. MISS MKHIZE If I could take you back to the shooting incident, you say the Comrades selected you as one of the four women to stand up? MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE When you stood up, were you facing the police? MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE When you think back, do you think they suspected you as one of the political activists? MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE Did you recognize the person who shot at you? MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE Maybe you can further explain to us, after you were admitted to hospital, you were physically affected. Can you tell us how you were injured? MRS VILAKAZI I was so badly injured. I was a person who was a vendor, selling things, but unfortunately now I cannot help myself to survive because I used to live on selling things. MISS MKHIZE MRS VILAKAZI MISS MKHIZE You said many people got shot on that particular day. Can you estimate how many people were shot? MRS VILAKAZI I will talk about the people who were in the same ward as I. It was the one who gave evidence before me, Mrs Mkosi and Emilina Sindani and another one from the Mkosi family who has just passed away. MISS MKHIZE Were none of you politically involved? MRS VILAKAZI DR RANDERA Mr Malan? MR MALAN Mrs Vilakazi, when you heard the message over the loudspeaker and you went to the stadium, how many people did you find there? Were there lots of the parents or just a few of them? MRS VILAKAZI There were many parents and many children as well. MR MALAN Thank you. DR RANDERA Mrs Vilakazi, is there anything else you would like to say before I sum off. MRS VILAKAZI DR RANDERA MRS VILAKAZI Thank you too. I would also like to add that I need a walking stick, if possible.