hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1999-05-06 ZEERUST LILIAN T KADI JB3542 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=56188&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/zeerust/zeekadi.htm CHAIRPERSON Mr Pule arrived ? No. Lilian Kadi ? No. Can I ask Lekolobo Segobodi to come to the stage. L KADI No. CHAIRPERSON Sorry ? L KADI My surname in Kladi, Kadi. CHAIRPERSON PROF. MEIRING Miss Kadi, will you please stand and raise your hand into the air. Will you please take the oath, saying, everything I say is the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help me God. LILIAN KADI (sworn states) DR ALLY Lilian, welcome. L KADI Thank you. DR ALLY L KADI When they arrived there the shop was gutted. Then they went home whilst those people are still there. They came home. They found the police there and then the police shot them and they ran away, then the police were coming in many instances and protecting. They would come for thirty minutes and leave. After four days, it was during the day and my parents were sitting under the tree, I was sleeping at that time, I could hear a sound but I thought I was dreaming, then I slept again. Then I could hear stone throwing. My parents ran away and went into the house and outside were full of people holding ANC flags and placards and throwing stones inside the house and the house was burning. We were sitting inside the house not knowing what to do. The house was burning, the floor was burning, the ceiling was burning and the ceiling was falling on the ground. We would run to the rooms where there is no fire and later the whole house was gutted to the ground. Not knowing what to do, we ran outside the house and they were throwing, still throwing stones. A certain boy came to help me. A certain one came with a spear then he tried to stab me but the boy who helped me, protected me. I was hit with stones and some of my teeth were removed, my two siblings were able to run away. In the house was my father and my uncle and inside they were burnt by that fire, then they ran out, then my father wanted to jump the fence. A certain boy came with a spade and slapped him and then he fell on the ground. He was pulled outside but my uncle was able to run for a distance. After that he was caught and there was a container of diesel, they were put just next to that container and they were slapped with those spades. They took tyres which were outside and put them on their neck and they were burnt. DR ALLY Lilian, just to get something straight. Your father was not the only one that was killed in this incident, your uncle was also killed, also burnt ? L KADI Yes, both of them died. DR ALLY J Kadi, what was his name, the name of your uncle ? L KADI The one who died ? His name is Justice Kadi. DR ALLY L KADI DR ALLY Has anybody besides you made at statement about your late uncle, Mr Justice Kadi, other family members ? L KADI DR ALLY You also mention your, a brother, and what happened to him ? He was eight years old at the time, your younger brother? L KADI He was eight years at that time. DR ALLY And what did happen to him, because you put him down as, as... ? L KADI He lost some teeth because we were hit with stones and we had, both me and him, we had just injuries. DR ALLY And another sister, a younger sister as well ? L KADI DR ALLY Now can you tell us a little bit about your father the late Bennet Kadi because you speak in your statement about his political activities, maybe you can just tell us a little bit more ? L KADI DR ALLY L KADI DR ALLY L KADI He started to be a member of parliament in the inception of the Boputhatswana government. DR ALLY In 77, since 1977? L KADI DR ALLY Was he just a member of parliament or did he have, do you know if he, if he was ever in the cabinet or did he have any other senior position ? L KADI He was just and honorary member of parliament. DR ALLY And your father was also a businessman, not so ? L KADI Yes, he was a businessman. DR ALLY What businesses did he have ? L KADI He had two shops. DR ALLY L KADI DR ALLY And did they have any ANC T-shirts or flags or anything, or was it just that they were shouting ANC slogans ? L KADI They were having ANC placards and ANC flags. DR ALLY These slogans, can you remember, can you tell us, give us an example of one of the slogans which was shouted ? L KADI No, I cannot give you an example. DR ALLY Now, before this, this incident where your house was attacked and burnt were there any other clashes between your father and members of the village people, who you say, who you think belonged to the ANC ? L KADI There was no conflict between my father and the local residents, but some members of the ANC, yes. DR ALLY Now can you tell us about this, give us examples of this ? L KADI DR ALLY And your father, did he ever speak about what was happening ? Did he ever speak to you about what was happening ? L KADI No, he was not communicating with us about that, in that regard. DR ALLY And your mother at the time, where was she ? L KADI Do you mean the time when they were burnt ? DR ALLY L KADI No, he was not communicating with us in that regard Sir. DR ALLY But you say that the funeral that you organised, was very difficult because you said you were, that you were threatened all the time, can you tell us a bit about that, about the actual funeral of your father, where it took place and how it was organised ? L KADI There were no people who were coming to assist us with the preparations. I was the only one who was running around looking for money, looking for caskets, looking for beasts and looking for groceries and that those people who would come to the funeral would have something to eat but there was nobody who was helping me even about the preparations. DR ALLY You also say that you were harassed and that you were threatened during the time that you were trying to organise the funeral. Can you tell us about that ? L KADI They were telling us after we have buried the corpses they would exhume it and put it in front of our house. DR ALLY L KADI DR ALLY These people who you mentioned as the people responsible, at least the people who were part of that group, do you ever, do you see them, do you interact with them ? L KADI DR ALLY L KADI DR ALLY CHAIRPERSON Miss Seroke. MISS SEROKE You say, your mother is staying at Vet Luigat ? L KADI MISS SEROKE Did you rebuild that house ? L KADI Yes, we did rebuild the house. MISS SEROKE L KADI MISS SEROKE Was it gutted to the ground? L KADI Yes, it was burnt to the ground. MISS SEROKE So you started from the foundation? L KADI Yes, we did. MISS SEROKE Where are you working? L KADI MISS SEROKE Your siblings, what standard are they doing ? L KADI Two of them are not attending school, one is doing standard ten, the other one standard nine, the other one standard six. MISS SEROKE Thank you. CHAIRPERSON Professor Meiring. PROF. MEIRING L KADI PROF. MEIRING Would you like that ? Is that a need in the family? L KADI Definitely, I say it is a need. PROF. MEIRING L KADI PROF. MEIRING L KADI PROF. MEIRING L KADI PROF. MEIRING Thank you very much. CHAIRPERSON L KADI CHAIRPERSON After all these years, how do you actually feel about what happened ? L KADI CHAIRPERSON