hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-05-06 ZEERUST PIET M LAMOLA JB3684 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=56189&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/zeerust/zeelamo.htm CHAIRPERSON Mr Piet Lamola. Mr Lamola, good afternoon. MR LAMOLA Good afternoon, Sir. CHAIRPERSON PROF. MEIRING Mr Lamola, please stand and with your right hand in the air, please repeat after me, what I say, is the truth, nothing but the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help me God. PIET LAMOLA (sworn states) PROF. MEIRING Thank you very much. Please sit down. MISS SEROKE Good afternoon, Mr Lamola. We will ask you, that on the 5th of January 1991, what happened to you ? Explain to us in detail, saying everything. You may continue. MR LAMOLA Then from there they left with their, then they went to that house which was burning. After that they brought a woman whose house was burning and he was shocked also. We, they put us together. They said, we, which organisation do we fall, do we belong ? Truly, I told them that, I told them that I belong to African National Congress. Then they said, you know of what is happening during the night whilst we are asleep ? They left me there. After some time a certain policeman came, but he was wearing private. Then he asked those people, and say, these people that are bleeding, why are you putting them there ? Then one policeman said, there is no car which we can use. Then that policeman said, take them with that, with this police van. MISS SEROKE You say these boys were four. Your statements, in your statement you say they were Inkatha group. Were they Incatha group in your village ? MR LAMOLA They were calling themselves InKatha group. When they were assaulting me, they were saying they were Inkatha group. MISS SEROKE With, whom were they were working for ? MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE They were working with the police ? MR LAMOLA Yes, they were working with the police. MISS SEROKE Because you said after they, you were chopped with pangas, you were taken to the police camp. MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE MR LAMOLA Yes, it was his Chief. He, he put them in, in his yard. They pitched their camp in his yard. MISS SEROKE Which means these boys were working for Mr Molilwa ? MR LAMOLA Yes, they were working for him, because ... MISS SEROKE Then you said they were asking you about what was happening at night. Can you tell us what was happening at night in your village, which they were accusing you of ? MR LAMOLA When I learnt that night there were houses which were burnt and there were people who were killed. MISS SEROKE Who killed them ? MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE Were they police or these Inkatha members ? MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE You said you are afraid to go to the Motswedi police station therefore you fled. Where did you go ? MR LAMOLA We were staying at Zeerust in the churches. MISS SEROKE Which church were you staying ? MR LAMOLA I was staying at the Roman Catholic Church. MISS SEROKE You say churches were helping people who were fleeing ? MR LAMOLA Yes. MISS SEROKE Were you staying together in those churches ? MR LAMOLA Yes, we were staying in the churches. Others were staying at the Methodist Church, others Anglican Church. Where there were churches, people were accommodated. Others were staying with their families. MISS SEROKE MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE Is that the same year ? MR LAMOLA Yes. MISS SEROKE Whilst you were staying at the Roman Catholic Church what happened to your family ? MR LAMOLA I met them at the Roman Catholic Church. I met them at these churches. MISS SEROKE Did they flee ? MR LAMOLA Yes, they did. MISS SEROKE The major problem in your area, was it because of the conflict between Chief Molilwa and Sebogodi or was it incorporation or, what were, what were the reasons? MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE When you say, when you said you were a member of the African National Congress, what was ANC do to that issue of incorporation ? MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE You said to us you were a member of ANC. What was ANC doing that ANC should not move out of their area ? MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE Can you identify the police who assaulted you or, or the four boys who have assaulted you? Are they still there ? MR LAMOLA Yes, I know them. I can identify. MISS SEROKE Can you identify them ? Do you know their names? MR LAMOLA I know their names and I can identify them. MISS SEROKE Are they still in your village? MR LAMOLA MISS SEROKE Thank you, Mr Lamola. I would hand over to the Chairperson. PROF. MEIRING MR LAMOLA PROF. MEIRING .... is your family. Your wife and your children, how many ? MR LAMOLA I have six children, Sir. PROF. MEIRING MR LAMOLA PROF. MEIRING Thank you very much. I have no more questions. CHAIRPERSON MR LAMOLA CHAIRPERSON We have heard what you have said and your requests to the Commission and we will come back to you. Thank you very much. MR LAMOLA Thank you, Sir.